Mortgage payment and credit score

[Jeff S.]

Hi folks,

I have a pretty decent credit score and want to keep it that way! But I have a question about that.

My mortgage payment is due on the first of the month and I set up my checking to pay it automatically. My employer direct-deposits my paycheck on the last day of the month. And I have an untapped LOC with the bank for overdraft protection.

But still, I'd feel a little more comfortable with a few days cushion between paycheck and mortgage payment.  Every so often my employer "forgets" to pay somebody. (Happened to me once and the response was like "Oh, that happens sometimes....")  Also, my bank "tries" to make the mortgage payment arrive on the day I specify, but they don't promise.

Anyway, the mortgage co. has a grace period of 17 days before any penalty is applied.  My question:  if my mortgage payment arrives within this grace period on a regular basis (say on the 3rd or 4th of the month), will this have a negative affect on my credit score?

Personally I don't like to rely on overdraft protection:  it feels like a form of check bouncing.  And I don't like the idea of keeping extra cash sitting in my checking account to cover a (hypothetical) shortfall.

So what say the experts : is a "late" payment made in the grace period a bad thing?