Credit card news archive

Debit card fraud can leave you in the lurch -- While consumer protections exist in case your debit card's been hijacked, you can still end up on the hook for fraudulent purchases ... (See Debit card fraud)

Sally Herigstad: Can bankruptcy tap surprise inheritance? -- Having filed for Chapter 13, a woman discovers a surprise inheritance and worries whether she has to turn over the funds to her trustee ... (See Inheritance and bankruptcy)

6 budget-blowing international travel mistakes to avoid -- With a little pretrip planning, you can prevent hundreds of unnecessary dollars from being added to the final cost of your trip abroad ... (See International travel money mistakes)

Sally Herigstad: Can bankruptcy tap surprise inheritance? -- Having filed for Chapter 13, a woman discovers a surprise inheritance and worries whether she has to turn over the funds to her trustee ... (See Inheritance and bankruptcy)

CreditCards.com Weekly Rate Report, Feb. 1, 2012: Credit card rates hit lowest levels in 5 months -- Interest rates on new credit card fell to their lowest levels since August 2011 this week, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report ... (See Rate report)

Erica Sandberg: Dad racks up charges on son's credit card -- A father fraudulently opened a credit card in his son's name and charged $5,000. Now he can't pay more than the minimum. What are his son's options? ... (See Credit card fraud)

CreditCards.com Weekly Rate Report, Feb. 1, 2012: Credit card rates hit lowest levels in 5 months -- Interest rates on new credit card fell to their lowest levels since August 2011 this week, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report ... (See Rate report)

3 money lessons from "The Bachelor" -- Week after week, "The Bachelor" fans can take the lessons they learn in the fine art of romance and apply it to their personal finances ... (See The Bachelor)

Erica Sandberg: Dad racks up charges on son's credit card -- A father fraudulently opened a credit card in his son's name and charged $5,000. Now he can't pay more than the minimum. What are his son's options? ... (See Credit card fraud)

CreditCards.com Weekly Rate Report, Feb. 1, 2012: Credit card rates hit lowest levels in 5 months -- Interest rates on new credit card fell to their lowest levels since August 2011 this week, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report ... (See Rate report)

CreditCards.com Weekly Rate Report, Jan. 25, 2012: Credit card APRs unchanged for 2nd straight week -- Interest rates on new credit card offers held steady for the second straight week, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report ... (See Rate report)

CreditCards.com Weekly Rate Report, Jan. 18, 2012: Credit card rates hold steady -- Interest rates on new credit card offers remained unchanged this week, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report. ... (See Rate report)

Cathleen McCarthy: If you close a card, you often lose your points immediately -- Closing a credit card? In most cases, you should you use up all your points or miles before you close the card. Otherwise, your hard-earned rewards will vanish before you can enjoy them ... (See Canceling rewards cards)

Cathleen McCarthy: What to consider before applying for a cash back credit card -- One percent cash back for buying this, 5 percent back if you buy that -- how do you figure out which of the many cash back cards out there is the one that's right for you? ... (See Cash back credit card)

Cathleen McCarthy: Airlines offer better elite frequent flier deals -- Airlines may have made it easier for people get miles without ever setting foot in an airport. However, those who earned the miles the old-fashioned way get special perks ... (See Elite frequent flier status)

Sally Herigstad: Can bankruptcy tap surprise inheritance? -- Having filed for Chapter 13, a woman discovers a surprise inheritance and worries whether she has to turn over the funds to her trustee ... (See Inheritance and bankruptcy)

6 budget-blowing international travel mistakes to avoid -- With a little pretrip planning, you can prevent hundreds of unnecessary dollars from being added to the final cost of your trip abroad ... (See International travel money mistakes)

3 money lessons from "The Bachelor" -- Week after week, "The Bachelor" fans can take the lessons they learn in the fine art of romance and apply it to their personal finances ... (See The Bachelor)

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)

Tanisha Warner: Wife's bad credit doesn't have to ruin her husband's credit -- fter paying off delinquent card and school debt, a wife wants her credit score to rise -- but not at the risk of ruining her husband's good credit ... (See Patience + payments = better credit)

Tanisha Warner: Discharging student loan in bankruptcy requires major hardship -- Want to declare bankruptcy and wash your hands of that troublesome student loan? Our expert says that it's not that easy ... (See Bankruptcy and student loans)

Tanisha Warner: Be wary of closing credit cards when applying for mortgage -- Considering closing some credit cards? Our expert says you better think twice about it if you're planning to get a mortgage loan soon ... (See Mortgages and closing credit cards)

Jeremy M. Simon: What everyone should know about credit reports and scores -- For my final CreditCards.com column, I've written a letter to readers that summarizes what you really need to know about credit scores and reports. ... (See Credit reports)

Why closing a credit card can damage your credit -- After the bank hiked the annual fee on his credit card, a reader reacted by closing the account, which lowered his credit score. Our expert explains why that happened ... (See Closing a credit card)

Jeremy M. Simon: In honor of 100th column, Jeremy M. Simon's 3 favorite credit scoring questions -- For my 100th column addressing reader questions on credit scores and reports, I've taken a look back at some of emails that most surprised, challenged or amused me. ... (See Credit Score Report)

Erica Sandberg: Dad racks up charges on son's credit card -- A father fraudulently opened a credit card in his son's name and charged $5,000. Now he can't pay more than the minimum. What are his son's options? ... (See Credit card fraud)

Sally Herigstad: Joint cards don't dissolve with divorce -- Getting divorced? If you jointly share credit cards, be prepared to cancel those cards and dissipate the debt before things are finalized d ... (See Divorce, credit cards)

How to shape up your finances in 12 months -- The 12 months in a fresh new year give you 12 opportunities to get your credit shaped up and your budgeting under control. Here, experts offer one seasonally relevant idea for each month of 2012 to do exactly that ... (See Shape up your finances)

Debit card fraud can leave you in the lurch -- While consumer protections exist in case your debit card's been hijacked, you can still end up on the hook for fraudulent purchases ... (See Debit card fraud)

6 budget-blowing international travel mistakes to avoid -- With a little pretrip planning, you can prevent hundreds of unnecessary dollars from being added to the final cost of your trip abroad ... (See International travel money mistakes)

Pros and cons of tax refund prepaid cards -- Getting your IRS refund on a prepaid card -- offered by most big tax preparation firms -- has its benefits, especially for those without a bank account ... (See Tax refund prepaid cards)

Sally Herigstad: Can bankruptcy tap surprise inheritance? -- Having filed for Chapter 13, a woman discovers a surprise inheritance and worries whether she has to turn over the funds to her trustee ... (See Inheritance and bankruptcy)

Erica Sandberg: Dad racks up charges on son's credit card -- A father fraudulently opened a credit card in his son's name and charged $5,000. Now he can't pay more than the minimum. What are his son's options? ... (See Credit card fraud)

Cathleen McCarthy: If you close a card, you often lose your points immediately -- Closing a credit card? In most cases, you should you use up all your points or miles before you close the card. Otherwise, your hard-earned rewards will vanish before you can enjoy them ... (See Canceling rewards cards)

6 budget-blowing international travel mistakes to avoid -- With a little pretrip planning, you can prevent hundreds of unnecessary dollars from being added to the final cost of your trip abroad ... (See International travel money mistakes)

CreditCards.com Weekly Rate Report, Feb. 1, 2012: Credit card rates hit lowest levels in 5 months -- Interest rates on new credit card fell to their lowest levels since August 2011 this week, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report ... (See Rate report)

3 money lessons from "The Bachelor" -- Week after week, "The Bachelor" fans can take the lessons they learn in the fine art of romance and apply it to their personal finances ... (See The Bachelor)

Infographic: The high cost of love -- When it comes to love, 2012 is going to be pricey and disappointing for many Americans. In a Valentine's Day-inspired survey, American Express looked at couples' spending habits and even their future plans for their relationships ... (more)

Infographic: Bankers predict more credit cards, more delinquencies -- The next six months will likely see more people becoming delinquent with their credit -- and seeking more credit at the same time, according to a January 2012 survey by the Professional Risk Managers' International Association ... (more)

Infographic: 1 in 5 say better money management is top 2012 goal -- Handling money better is always one of the top New Year's resolutions, and 2012 is no different, according to a January 2012 poll from Chase ... (more)

Pros and cons of tax refund prepaid cards -- Getting your IRS refund on a prepaid card -- offered by most big tax preparation firms -- has its benefits, especially for those without a bank account ... (See Tax refund prepaid cards)

Rein in your spending, with your yearly credit card summary's help -- In the next few weeks, many credit card holders will get a year-end report that can function like a treasure map in helping to find disappearing cash. With it, you can determine where you need financial fine-tuning -- and then you can take action ... (See Rein in spending)

CreditCards.com survey of 2012 balance transfer cards shows offers getting better -- CreditCards.com's annual survey of balance transfer cards show increasingly longer zero percent periods, but with higher balance transfer fees ... (See Balance transfer cards)

CreditCards.com Weekly Rate Report, Nov. 30, 2011: Credit card APRs remain in holding pattern -- Interest rates on new credit card offers remained unchanged this week, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report ... (See Rate report)

CreditCards.com Weekly Rate Report, Nov. 23, 2011: Credit card APRs unchanged as holidays near -- Interest rates on new credit card offers remained unchanged this week as banks took their traditional Thanksgiving break from changing rates, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report ... (See Rate report)

CreditCards.com Weekly Rate Report, Nov. 9, 2011: Credit card interest rates hold steady -- The average interest rate on a new credit card offer stayed static this week, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report. However, that doesn't mean that all of the nation's largest credit card issuers were sitting on their hands ... (See Rate report)

Debit card fraud can leave you in the lurch -- While consumer protections exist in case your debit card's been hijacked, you can still end up on the hook for fraudulent purchases ... (See Debit card fraud)

Sally Herigstad: Can bankruptcy tap surprise inheritance? -- Having filed for Chapter 13, a woman discovers a surprise inheritance and worries whether she has to turn over the funds to her trustee ... (See Inheritance and bankruptcy)

6 budget-blowing international travel mistakes to avoid -- With a little pretrip planning, you can prevent hundreds of unnecessary dollars from being added to the final cost of your trip abroad ... (See International travel money mistakes)

CreditCards.com Weekly Rate Report, Feb. 1, 2012: Credit card rates hit lowest levels in 5 months -- Interest rates on new credit card fell to their lowest levels since August 2011 this week, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report ... (See Rate report)

3 money lessons from "The Bachelor" -- Week after week, "The Bachelor" fans can take the lessons they learn in the fine art of romance and apply it to their personal finances ... (See The Bachelor)

CreditCards.com Weekly Rate Report, Jan. 25, 2012: Credit card APRs unchanged for 2nd straight week -- Interest rates on new credit card offers held steady for the second straight week, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report ... (See Rate report)

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?)

Mom-and-pop merchants' debit card costs rising -- Merchants that accept debit cards for purchases under $15 are learning of one fallout from the new federal cap on debit card swipe fees: Their costs will rise because the card networks have dropped the small-ticket-item discount ... (more)

Todd Ossenfort: Merchants shouldn't add processing fee, surcharge for accepting credit cards -- A business can't charge you more for a product or service if you pay with plastic, but they can offer a discount to those who pay with cash or check ... (See Credit card fees)

Jeremy M. Simon: Business card debt may hurt credit, even after the company is sold -- A former business owner wonders whether his old company's unpaid debt could show up on his personal credit report ... (See Business credit cards)

Gary Foreman: Can a new mom afford to stay at home? -- A new mom who really wants to stay at home may be closer than she thinks to getting by on one income, if she includes the commuting and child care savings that come with not working ... (See Stay at home mom)

Gary Foreman: Tips for landing a good, reliable used car with bad credit -- With bad credit and a car that's falling apart, a single mom with $3,000 saved up wants to know where to turn for a reliable used car ... (See Bad credit and car buying)

Gary Foreman: 8 questions to ask to make sure of wise buying decisions -- Ask these eight questions before you pull out your wallet and you'll be sure that you're buying the right thing at the right time at the right price ... (See 8 questions before buying)

Erica Sandberg: Dad racks up charges on son's credit card -- A father fraudulently opened a credit card in his son's name and charged $5,000. Now he can't pay more than the minimum. What are his son's options? ... (See Credit card fraud)

Erica Sandberg: What happens when you're sued for a credit card debt -- If a court summons over an unpaid debt arrives, the worst thing you can do is ignore it because if you don't show up, they'll win by default ... (See Sued over credit card debt)

Erica Sandberg: How settled card accounts impact your credit report -- Settling a delinquent account for less than you owe may be good for your wallet, but it's not so good for your credit reports and score ... (See Settled accounts, credit reports)

CreditCards.com Weekly Rate Report, Feb. 1, 2012: Credit card rates hit lowest levels in 5 months -- Interest rates on new credit card fell to their lowest levels since August 2011 this week, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report ... (See Rate report)

Infographic: The high cost of love -- When it comes to love, 2012 is going to be pricey and disappointing for many Americans. In a Valentine's Day-inspired survey, American Express looked at couples' spending habits and even their future plans for their relationships ... (more)

Americans want more credit, but banks remain leery, Fed says -- More Americans searched for credit in late 2011, according to the Federal Reserve, but most banks didn't make it any easier on them to get it -- whether they wanted a new card or just a bigger credit limit ... (See Fed report on credit)

6 budget-blowing international travel mistakes to avoid -- With a little pretrip planning, you can prevent hundreds of unnecessary dollars from being added to the final cost of your trip abroad ... (See International travel money mistakes)

CreditCards.com Weekly Rate Report, Feb. 1, 2012: Credit card rates hit lowest levels in 5 months -- Interest rates on new credit card fell to their lowest levels since August 2011 this week, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report ... (See Rate report)

3 money lessons from "The Bachelor" -- Week after week, "The Bachelor" fans can take the lessons they learn in the fine art of romance and apply it to their personal finances ... (See The Bachelor)

Infographic: The high cost of love -- When it comes to love, 2012 is going to be pricey and disappointing for many Americans. In a Valentine's Day-inspired survey, American Express looked at couples' spending habits and even their future plans for their relationships ... (more)

Gary Foreman: 8 questions to ask to make sure of wise buying decisions -- Ask these eight questions before you pull out your wallet and you'll be sure that you're buying the right thing at the right time at the right price ... (See 8 questions before buying)

Can your social network protect against fraud? -- Social network authentication -- it's the latest tool banks and merchants will be using to verify that you are who you really are before they hand over the goods ... (See Social network authentication)

Q&A: 'Dating Our Money' author Leslie Greenman links love, money -- "Dating Our Money" author Leslie Greenman urges women to make more savvy choices in both personal finance and in love ... (See Leslie Greenman)

Meet fee-fighting vigilante Molly Katchpole -- If it weren't for Molly Katchpole, we might all be paying a fee for using our debit cards. She's the force behind the petition that helped kill Bank of America's debit card fee and, most recently, the Verizon payment fee ... (See Molly Katchpole)

Q&A: Skip Humphrey takes role as federal financial watchdog for elderly -- The eldest son of the former vice president sees credit card debt among the elderly as one of the issues he'll tackle in his new job with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ... (See Skip Humphrey Q&A)

CreditCards.com Weekly Rate Report, Feb. 1, 2012: Credit card rates hit lowest levels in 5 months -- Interest rates on new credit card fell to their lowest levels since August 2011 this week, according to the CreditCards.com Weekly Credit Card Rate Report ... (See Rate report)

Erica Sandberg: Dad racks up charges on son's credit card -- A father fraudulently opened a credit card in his son's name and charged $5,000. Now he can't pay more than the minimum. What are his son's options? ... (See Credit card fraud)

Infographic: The high cost of love -- When it comes to love, 2012 is going to be pricey and disappointing for many Americans. In a Valentine's Day-inspired survey, American Express looked at couples' spending habits and even their future plans for their relationships ... (more)

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)

Sally Herigstad: Can bankruptcy tap surprise inheritance? -- Having filed for Chapter 13, a woman discovers a surprise inheritance and worries whether she has to turn over the funds to her trustee ... (See Inheritance and bankruptcy)

Sally Herigstad: Joint cards don't dissolve with divorce -- Getting divorced? If you jointly share credit cards, be prepared to cancel those cards and dissipate the debt before things are finalized d ... (See Divorce, credit cards)

Sally Herigstad: Do you marry someone who has big debt? -- He may be Prince Charming, but marrying someone who is carrying a lot of debt can put a serious crimp in your ability to plan for the future ... (See Marriage and debt)