There has been an increase in the average rates of interests on credit cards followed by the rise in rates at Chase and Capital One. The current national annual percentage rate has risen to 14.37 percent, which is the highest level touched by national interest rates since the early part of August. However, it also represents a pattern of increasing interest rates, which rose in the last 3 out of 4 weeks. The latest of the increases in the average were due to the recent hikes at Capital One...
Continue readingThe credit card industry is in a state of upheaval right now due to several factors. First is the general economic downturn which affected gravely the credit industry, sending several major credit companies to the brink of bankruptcy.
The rise in delinquencies and write offs were primarily one of the major causes of the credit industry crisis and the situation is still continuing today, albeit there have been some improvements and the industry is getting back some of its confidence. Finally,...
The credit card bill's passage may have provided some hope to consumers over the way that their credit card companies were charging and billing them but the changes are still several long months away. In the meantime, credit card companies are continuing their objectionable practices and are even making them worse.
As the credit card bill's activation comes nearer and nearer, credit card companies are beginning to get worried that they may not be able to make a profit as well as they used to...
For many people, especially consumers, the passage of the credit card bill probably felt like a huge victory over the credit card companies. For many years, credit card companies have done their utmost to profit from their customers, from offering credit to subprime borrowers in exchange for excessive interest rates and fees to predatory practices such as sudden rate and fee hikes.
The credit card bill was created to answer these problems and level the playing field for consumers....
The credit industry is understandably worried about the new credit card bill signed into law by President Obama last May. The credit card bill, an answer to the mounting clamor of credit cardholders burdened with increasing interest rates and fees, will put a number of restrictions to the credit card industry. Among others, the credit card legislation will disallow interest adjustments on existing debts, limit who the credit card companies can offer credit to and push for complete transparency...
Continue readingCredit card companies, it seems, go out of their way to make their practices as obfuscated as possible. For instance, have you every run across these credit cards that offer 0% interest rates?
At first glance, the offer seems awesome. That is actually what the credit card companies are banking on, that you, as a consumer, will buy into their product based mainly on your “first glance” judgment. Of course, if you were really to take a step back and think about it more, you'd realize that...
With the way the economy is going, you really don't want to get yourself into credit card debt. That's why, as much as possible, you should try to make smart choices whenever you use your credit card. If you are thinking that you are better off getting rid of your credit cards, don't. Your credit cards are the primary link to your credit score and, if you surrender your credit cards, you will most definitely lose out on your credit score.
One of the worst ways that you can get into credit...
Debates about how good or bad the recently passed credit card law is has been going around even before the legislation got out of congress. There have been some valid points voiced out but, in the end, the credit card law is simply a compromise so that the credit card industry and the consumers survive the on going economic crisis and, perhaps build a better relationship between credit card companies and consumers.
The credit card industry found itself on the verge of collapse when, at the...
The passage of the credit card bill has given credit cardholders a lot to look forward to when it becomes active after nine months. With the credit card bill in place, credit cardholders can expect to see limitations being put in place for interest rate hikes, credit card agreement transparency, and generally, more protection for them from unfair credit card industry practices.
However, a key fact is being overlooked by many of those who are hailing the approval of the credit card bill –...
The passage of the credit card bill last Friday has the credit card industry all shook up. The legislation contained in the bill will change many of the fundamental practices of the credit industry, some of which were downright abusive. The bill will be implemented after nine months, giving credit card companies some time to adjust to the new legislation.
Credit card industry practitioners have constantly been issuing warnings that the passage of the credit card bill would mean making less...
A last minute provision inserted into the credit card bill release by the Senate last Tuesday has major retailers in the country a bit worried.
The last minute provision of Sen. Robert Menendez prohibits companies that issue credit cards from opening credit card accounts without first thoroughly considering the ability of the bower to meet the required payments. The rules on just how companies can comply with the provision will be left to the Federal Reserve.
The provision could have a...
Government legislators are up in arms over what to do with the economic downturn that is recently plaguing the United States. Their latest bid to stem the tide is the much hyped credit card bill scheduled for release Tuesday.
The government is still reeling from the financial crash that happened late last year. The effect of the crash still continues up to this day. RealtyTrac Inc. recently reported that the foreclosure problem has worsened. This April, a jump of 32% of American homeowners...