Credit card news archive

Credit dispute process fix coming soon -- Disputing a credit report error? The bureaus will no longer discard your evidence; it will be scanned in and forwarded to the lender or debt collector ... (See Disputes)

Defaulting on some of your cards risks losing them all -- If your business is failing and you default on several credit cards, the issuers of your other cards will know about it and may cut you off -- but you have ways to escape the jam ... (See Damage reduction)

Dealing with $8,000 card debt hidden from husband -- Whether you reveal the hidden debt to your husband is up to you, but you need to change habits to stop it from growing and get a plan to pay it off ... (See Hidden debt)

Credit dispute process fix coming soon -- Disputing a credit report error? The bureaus will no longer discard your evidence; it will be scanned in and forwarded to the lender or debt collector ... (See Disputes)

Defaulting on some of your cards risks losing them all -- If your business is failing and you default on several credit cards, the issuers of your other cards will know about it and may cut you off -- but you have ways to escape the jam ... (See Damage reduction)

How to teach your son about money -- While financial literacy for women and girls has gotten a lot of attention in recent years, boys have their own issues. Here are some tips for teaching your son about credit and finance ... (See Money lessons)

Dealing with $8,000 card debt hidden from husband -- Whether you reveal the hidden debt to your husband is up to you, but you need to change habits to stop it from growing and get a plan to pay it off ... (See Hidden debt)

Rate survey: Credit card interest rates remain flat -- June 12, 2013: Interest rates on new credit card offers remained fixed this week at 14.95%, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report. ... (See Rate report)

Divorcing? Your kids don't need a money martyr -- Sally sharply arches her eyebrow at a one-sided divorce settlement that gives him the house, her the debt -- and a self-imposed college fund obligation on top of it all ... (See Divorce and debt)

Fed: Card balances ticked up in April -- Balances on credit cards rose in April, marking a rebound from March, amid signs of improvement in jobs and housing. ... (more)

Congress considers relief for credit damage from medical bills -- Debt caused by medical bills is special and should wait 120 days before it's reported late on credit reports, according to legislation introduced in Congress ... (See Medical debt)

Credit report complaints highlight errors -- One out of five people who complained about their credit reports said they contain information that does not belong to them, according to newly released figures ... (more)

Defaulting on some of your cards risks losing them all -- If your business is failing and you default on several credit cards, the issuers of your other cards will know about it and may cut you off -- but you have ways to escape the jam ... (See Damage reduction)

Rate survey: Credit card interest rates remain flat -- June 12, 2013: Interest rates on new credit card offers remained fixed this week at 14.95%, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report. ... (See Rate report)

Finding a free bankruptcy lawyer for business, consumer debt -- If you're considering bankruptcy but can't afford a lawyer, there are a few options available for you. Some bankruptcy attorneys do pro bono work, or you may be able to file the papers on your own ... (See Filing for free)

When bankruptcy freezes an airline credit card, what happens to the miles? -- If a rewards card is frozen during bankruptcy, you may still have access to most of the points you've earned. It depends on whether the card is co-branded with a travel partner ... (See Salvaging miles)

Credit card churning: not a game to play while house-hunting -- "Churning" -- taking on new credit cards to get sign-up bonuses and then canceling the cards -- will ding your credit score. The hit is usually minor but it's not a smart idea if you're thinking of buying a house soon ... (See Card churning caution)

New card options let travelers avoid foreign transaction fees -- Most U.S. credit card issuers tack a fee of up to 3 percent onto purchases made overseas. Those fees can really add up but there are some new ways to avoid them ... (See Fee-free cards)

Credit dispute process fix coming soon -- Disputing a credit report error? The bureaus will no longer discard your evidence; it will be scanned in and forwarded to the lender or debt collector ... (See Disputes)

Dealing with $8,000 card debt hidden from husband -- Whether you reveal the hidden debt to your husband is up to you, but you need to change habits to stop it from growing and get a plan to pay it off ... (See Hidden debt)

Foreign exchange students can build a US credit score -- A 20-year-old Chinese student living in the U.S. wants to build an American credit score, and she can: Scores aren't just for U.S. citizens ... (See Foreign student scores)

Credit Card Help: Why your credit report matters more than your credit score -- Focusing only your credit score is like focusing only on your cholesterol number or your age – the number’s important, but not as important as how you got there. That’s why the real key to credit is your credit report ... (See Credit reports versus scores)

7 building blocks of good credit -- Want a good credit score? Know these seven basic moves and you're guaranteed to have one ... (See Good credit score)

5 questions to ask before getting a credit card with an annual fee -- More credit card issuers are adding or increasing annual fees, but there are still plenty of no-fee options. Before you get a new card with an annual fee, make sure the benefits are worth the costs ... (See Annual fee questions to ask)

Horsing around with credit card debt: a cautionary tale -- CreditCards.com's Erica Sandberg relays a story about one memorable encounter she had as a credit counselor with someone who needed a reality check about her finances. See what you can learn from her story about Mary and her daughter's horse riding lessons ... (See Credit card debt)

Video: Eliminate your credit card debt in five steps -- Got credit card debt? It doesn't have to last forever. CreditCards.com's Erica Sandberg shows you how you can escape from credit card debt in five easy to understand steps. ... (See Credit card debt video)

Haul video parody: Don't haul yourself into credit card debt -- In this spoof of the wildly popular haul video genre, "Bridget" gives the rundown of her latest haul of purchases from Forever 21 and Urban Outfitters -- until CreditCards.com's Connie Prater jumps in to give her a reality check about just how much trouble impulse buying can be. ... (See Haul video parody)

Bankruptcies fell 14% in 2012, continuing 2-year decline -- Bankruptcy filings for 2012 year show a 14 percent fall, following a 12 percent decline the prior year, as America continues its shaky economic recovery ... (See Bankruptcies fall)

5 traits that go along with a lower credit score -- Paying your bills on time may help you achieve a high credit score, but studies say there are unexpected traits that correlate to your score as well ... (See Credit score traits)

Infographic: Post-recession shifts in credit scores -- Americans' post-recession credit scores have shifted, says FICO, with fewer people clustered at the ends of the scale and more people in the middle ... (See Credit scores)

Credit dispute process fix coming soon -- Disputing a credit report error? The bureaus will no longer discard your evidence; it will be scanned in and forwarded to the lender or debt collector ... (See Disputes)

Foreign exchange students can build a US credit score -- A 20-year-old Chinese student living in the U.S. wants to build an American credit score, and she can: Scores aren't just for U.S. citizens ... (See Foreign student scores)

Old debt, new collector: Negotiate? Ignore? Or pay up? -- When an old debt resurfaces as you're trying to make a credit comeback, getting it listed as paid in full does the most benefit to your credit, but the most harm to your cash flow ... (See Old debt, new collector)

Options for card approval without a credit history -- At 21, he was turned down for a secured card. His grandfather offers to co-sign on a card with him, but will that be his best choice? ... (See Young credit)

U.S. rolling out chip card technology, ever so slowly -- Rely on your American magnetic-stripe cards for international travel and you could run into problems. Many other countries now use on more secure chip technology. But the U.S. is moving in that direction ... (See EMV card update)

Peer-to-peer loans catch on for credit card debt consolidation -- Peer-to-peer loans -- made by individuals to other individuals -- are booming as a debt consolidation tool. Though they can be a deal, they aren't for everyone. Here's how they work, what to expect ... (See P2P)

Defaulting on some of your cards risks losing them all -- If your business is failing and you default on several credit cards, the issuers of your other cards will know about it and may cut you off -- but you have ways to escape the jam ... (See Damage reduction)

Dealing with $8,000 card debt hidden from husband -- Whether you reveal the hidden debt to your husband is up to you, but you need to change habits to stop it from growing and get a plan to pay it off ... (See Hidden debt)

Foreign exchange students can build a US credit score -- A 20-year-old Chinese student living in the U.S. wants to build an American credit score, and she can: Scores aren't just for U.S. citizens ... (See Foreign student scores)

Rate survey: Credit card interest rates remain flat -- June 12, 2013: Interest rates on new credit card offers remained fixed this week at 14.95%, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report. ... (See Rate report)

When bankruptcy freezes an airline credit card, what happens to the miles? -- If a rewards card is frozen during bankruptcy, you may still have access to most of the points you've earned. It depends on whether the card is co-branded with a travel partner ... (See Salvaging miles)

Rate survey: Credit card interest rates fall to 14.95 percent -- June 5, 2013: Interest rates on new credit card offers slipped this week, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report ... (more)

Infographic: Americans pick computers over financial planners -- When it comes to financial planning, Americans are turning to computer programs over living, breathing financial advisers, a Gallup poll has found ... (See Computers reign over financial planners)

Infographic: New grads wish they'd saved more for college -- The high cost of college has given the class of 2013 some financial perspective, a survey has found ... (See College costs)

Infographic: Young adults most optimistic about finances -- Americans from age 18 to 29 have an optimistic outlook on their financial futures. Things look significantly gloomier to older Americans, however ... (See Financial outlook)

Credit dispute process fix coming soon -- Disputing a credit report error? The bureaus will no longer discard your evidence; it will be scanned in and forwarded to the lender or debt collector ... (See Disputes)

U.S. rolling out chip card technology, ever so slowly -- Rely on your American magnetic-stripe cards for international travel and you could run into problems. Many other countries now use on more secure chip technology. But the U.S. is moving in that direction ... (See EMV card update)

Beware: Risk of data breaches rises when you travel -- The odds your card's data will be taken rise when you're on holiday for an obvious reason: You like to hang out at the same places the cyberthieves do ... (See Data breaches)

Rate survey: Credit card interest rates remain flat -- June 12, 2013: Interest rates on new credit card offers remained fixed this week at 14.95%, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report. ... (See Rate report)

Rate survey: Credit card interest rates fall to 14.95 percent -- June 5, 2013: Interest rates on new credit card offers slipped this week, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report ... (more)

Rate survey: Credit card interest rates remain flat -- May 29, 2013: Interest rates on new credit card offers held steady this week, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report. ... (See Rate report)

Credit dispute process fix coming soon -- Disputing a credit report error? The bureaus will no longer discard your evidence; it will be scanned in and forwarded to the lender or debt collector ... (See Disputes)

Dealing with $8,000 card debt hidden from husband -- Whether you reveal the hidden debt to your husband is up to you, but you need to change habits to stop it from growing and get a plan to pay it off ... (See Hidden debt)

Foreign exchange students can build a US credit score -- A 20-year-old Chinese student living in the U.S. wants to build an American credit score, and she can: Scores aren't just for U.S. citizens ... (See Foreign student scores)

Old debt, new collector: Negotiate? Ignore? Or pay up? -- When an old debt resurfaces as you're trying to make a credit comeback, getting it listed as paid in full does the most benefit to your credit, but the most harm to your cash flow ... (See Old debt, new collector)

If you have the choice, pay off that big debt -- When a generous uncle offers to pay off a $30,000 credit card debt, say thanks and do it -- then figure out how to pay him back and stay out of debt ... (See Pay off debt)

How card companies report credit utilization to bureaus -- Card issuers vary in how they report card use, which can affect your credit score. Usually, it's no big deal, but it becomes one when you want new credit` ... (See Credit use)

Rate survey: Credit card interest rates remain flat -- June 12, 2013: Interest rates on new credit card offers remained fixed this week at 14.95%, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report. ... (See Rate report)

Rate survey: Credit card interest rates fall to 14.95 percent -- June 5, 2013: Interest rates on new credit card offers slipped this week, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report ... (more)

Peer-to-peer loans catch on for credit card debt consolidation -- Peer-to-peer loans -- made by individuals to other individuals -- are booming as a debt consolidation tool. Though they can be a deal, they aren't for everyone. Here's how they work, what to expect ... (See P2P)

When family members use 'secret' credit cards -- Just who is responsible for the debt racked up by a spouse's secret credit card cache? 'Maturing Loans' columnist Klayman says it depends on several factors. ... (See Cards)

Sold the house, have some cash, now what? -- Seniors who are downsizing need to pay off debt, create fixed-income investment income and have an emergency fund to cover financial surprises. ... (See Downsizing)

Pay down debt or invest? Which is more important? -- With the financial markets so uncertain, is it wiser to pay down debt or keep investing for the future? ... (See 401(k) or debt?)

Should we charge our customers to use credit cards? -- Credit card surcharges are now legal, along with minimum purchase requirements for customers who want to use credit cards. But for some convenience store owners, is the money worth the business they'll lose from irritated customers? ... (See Surcharges)

When does it pay for consultants to accept credit cards? -- If you have a consulting business, customers may want to pay with credit cards. Providing that convenience isn't free, but it could be worthwhile ... (See Consultants accepting cards)

Hackers up the ante for small-business data security -- It’s getting trickier for small-business owners to keep customers’ credit card information safe. Still, there are steps you can take. They're not free, but can save you money in the long run ... (See Avoid breaches)

Dealing with $8,000 card debt hidden from husband -- Whether you reveal the hidden debt to your husband is up to you, but you need to change habits to stop it from growing and get a plan to pay it off ... (See Hidden debt)

A diet of fresh fruits and vegetables needn't eat up your budget -- Working more fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet is healthy, but it need not be expensive, if you shop seasonally and buy carefully ... (See Frugal veggies)

Doing the math to calculate your retirement savings goal -- While everyone's desired retirement goal is different, you can, with just a bit of math, come up with a rough idea of your savings goal. Here's how ... (See Retirement savings goal)

Options for card approval without a credit history -- At 21, he was turned down for a secured card. His grandfather offers to co-sign on a card with him, but will that be his best choice? ... (See Young credit)

Wife of inmate worries about his card debt -- Her husband is in prison for five years, and he left behind $7,000 in card debt that she can't pay. Will she be pursued for the debt by collectors? ... (See Debt and prison)

Can old debt threaten a great credit score? -- His credit score is in the mid-700s already, but a debt collector is calling about an old debt. Will ignoring the calls threaten his creditworthiness? ... (See Credit score)

Credit dispute process fix coming soon -- Disputing a credit report error? The bureaus will no longer discard your evidence; it will be scanned in and forwarded to the lender or debt collector ... (See Disputes)

Dealing with $8,000 card debt hidden from husband -- Whether you reveal the hidden debt to your husband is up to you, but you need to change habits to stop it from growing and get a plan to pay it off ... (See Hidden debt)

Rate survey: Credit card interest rates remain flat -- June 12, 2013: Interest rates on new credit card offers remained fixed this week at 14.95%, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report. ... (See Rate report)

Rate survey: Credit card interest rates remain flat -- June 12, 2013: Interest rates on new credit card offers remained fixed this week at 14.95%, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report. ... (See Rate report)

When bankruptcy freezes an airline credit card, what happens to the miles? -- If a rewards card is frozen during bankruptcy, you may still have access to most of the points you've earned. It depends on whether the card is co-branded with a travel partner ... (See Salvaging miles)

Rate survey: Credit card interest rates fall to 14.95 percent -- June 5, 2013: Interest rates on new credit card offers slipped this week, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report ... (more)

6 money experts share dad's best credit advice -- Dads often give advice on more than just proper tire pressure. Their words and deeds lay out a financial path for their children, and these six experts share theirs ... (See Dads' advice)

9 tips for managing ADHD and debt -- Constructing and sticking to a budget and determining which bills need to be paid and when can be especially challenging for those with ADD/ADHD ... (See ADHD and debt)

A diet of fresh fruits and vegetables needn't eat up your budget -- Working more fresh fruits and vegetables into your diet is healthy, but it need not be expensive, if you shop seasonally and buy carefully ... (See Frugal veggies)

Q&A: ESPN's Mike Greenberg takes a write turn with novel -- The death of a friend inspired the popular sports talk show host to try his hand as a novelist ... (See Mike Greenberg)

Q&A with author Frank Ahearn on the art of disappearing -- This skip-tracer turned skip-maker charges $42,000 minimum to help people disappear. He doesn't take credit cards. In fact, his first move will be to destroy yours ... (See Frank Ahearn)

Scared of Big Brother? Too late, says 'Big Data' co-author -- As more companies tap into the huge amounts of data to measure consumer behavior, "Big Data" co-author Viktor Mayer-Schonberger says it's not really a bad thing ... (See Big Data)

Foreign exchange students can build a US credit score -- A 20-year-old Chinese student living in the U.S. wants to build an American credit score, and she can: Scores aren't just for U.S. citizens ... (See Foreign student scores)

How to teach your son about money -- While financial literacy for women and girls has gotten a lot of attention in recent years, boys have their own issues. Here are some tips for teaching your son about credit and finance ... (See Money lessons)

Rate survey: Credit card interest rates remain flat -- June 12, 2013: Interest rates on new credit card offers remained fixed this week at 14.95%, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report. ... (See Rate report)

Kim McGrigg: Are 'free miles' really free? -- Frequent flier rewards cards usually carry annual fees, so that free flight isn't truly free, but if you handle your card right it can be pretty close ... (See Frequent flier)

Todd Ossenfort: The Credit Guy's top 5 money tips -- After writing his column for the past three years, columnist Todd Ossenfort leaves his readers with these top five financial lessons ... (See Top 5 money lessons)

Todd Ossenfort: Can collectors come after your inheritance? -- Public records are perused by debt collectors. If they find out you've inherited a chunk of cash, don't be surprised if they come out of the woodwork ... (See Debt collection)

Foreign exchange students can build a US credit score -- A 20-year-old Chinese student living in the U.S. wants to build an American credit score, and she can: Scores aren't just for U.S. citizens ... (See Foreign student scores)

Divorcing? Your kids don't need a money martyr -- Sally sharply arches her eyebrow at a one-sided divorce settlement that gives him the house, her the debt -- and a self-imposed college fund obligation on top of it all ... (See Divorce and debt)

Stuck with card debt with no job, assets -- She has no work or personal property and cannot afford to pay her card bill. Can she still be pursued for the debt even if she has nothing? ... (See Card debt)

Defaulting on some of your cards risks losing them all -- If your business is failing and you default on several credit cards, the issuers of your other cards will know about it and may cut you off -- but you have ways to escape the jam ... (See Damage reduction)

Finding a free bankruptcy lawyer for business, consumer debt -- If you're considering bankruptcy but can't afford a lawyer, there are a few options available for you. Some bankruptcy attorneys do pro bono work, or you may be able to file the papers on your own ... (See Filing for free)

Are there any special lending resources for women entrepreneurs? -- The number of small businesses owned by women is growing rapidly. But women don't seek or get bank financing at the rate men do. The SBA offers special help for female entrepreneurs who need loans ... (See Businesswomen)