Answer: Let’s tackle that last question first. Most creditors don’t report a late payment to the credit bureaus until the account is 30 days or more overdue. If you make a mortgage payment within the grace period, you shouldn’t have to worry about damage to your credit scores.

You may, however, have to put up with the calls and suggestions about credit counseling. Many lenders and loan servicers these days are using various software programs to gauge the ongoing risk a borrower may default and are trying to step in early when red flags pop up. Your mortgage company could be singling you out for special attention for a variety of reasons. Perhaps you’re underwater on your home, owing more than the property is worth, and the lender is afraid you’ll walk away. Other factors that could trigger a call include a history of late payments, rising debt on other credit accounts or a drop in your credit scores.

It’s also possible that your mortgage servicer is just being paranoid and harangues every borrower who doesn’t pay on or before the due date.

You have a few choices. You can write to the servicer and ask it to stop contacting you during the grace period, but there’s no assurance the calls will stop. You can ignore the calls. Or you can move up your payment to land on or before the first of the month.

Answer: Typically, yes. In fact, most creditors won’t report you to the credit bureaus as overdue until your payment is 30 days or more overdue.

That’s not to say you should treat due dates casually. Missing the due date (or the end of the grace period, if that’s different) will typically trigger a late fee and could lead to higher interest rates.

You would be smart to make sure your payment reaches your creditor a day or two before the end of the grace period. Using electronic payments rather than the mail can help you time your transactions more precisely. Online or automatic payments also leave an electronic trail that can prove when you paid.