In Forward, money you have is a positive balance and money you owe is a negative one. Credit cards are simple negative-balance accounts
, and loans and mortgages work the same way.
For example, if you owe $500 on a card, Accounts shows the card at -$500.00. Buy $50 of groceries on it and it shows -$550.00. Pay $200 from checking and it shows -$350.00, while checking goes down by $200.
Why your bank shows a positive number
Your card company's app usually shows the same $500 as a positive "current balance", because to them it's the amount you owe. Forward shows the same amount with a minus sign. The number is the same; only the sign differs.
A positive card balance
A card shows a positive balance only when the card company owes you, for example after a refund bigger than what you owed, or after you paid more than the balance. That's money in your favor, and a payoff plan counts the card as owing nothing.
What to do
If a card you owe money on shows a positive balance, and you haven't overpaid it, contact support with the card's name, its balance in Forward and the balance your card company shows. Never send your card's password.
See Connecting your bank for how a connection keeps balances current, and Paying off debt for planning your payments.