Credit card news archive

Federal Reserve leaves interest rates at historic lows -- Smile, credit cardholders. A decision Tuesday by the Federal Reserve means that, barring a big mistake on your part, your credit card's interest rate won't be increasing anytime soon. ... (more)

Conservatorships: Stepping in for those who can't help themselves -- Watching a family member lose his grip on his finances can be maddening. However, in some cases you can take control by going to court to set up a conservatorship, a legal relationship that makes you the custodian of another adult's finances. ... (more)

Piggybacking's just one step en route to a better credit score -- Borrowers who want to boost their credit scores need to examine their own credit reports first before becoming authorized cardholders on other accounts. ... (more)

Conservatorships: Stepping in for those who can't help themselves -- Watching a family member lose his grip on his finances can be maddening. However, in some cases you can take control by going to court to set up a conservatorship, a legal relationship that makes you the custodian of another adult's finances. ... (more)

Piggybacking's just one step en route to a better credit score -- Borrowers who want to boost their credit scores need to examine their own credit reports first before becoming authorized cardholders on other accounts. ... (more)

Credit card interest rates jump, approach record highs -- Credit card interest rates reached their second-highest level on record after U.S. Bank raised rates on several of its cards. ... (more)

New card statements may elicit fear, anxiety about debt -- New information-packed credit card statements could increase your anxiety. Find out why that's a good thing. ... (more)

From credit card disaster to card master: 7 tips from the debt reformed -- Repaying big card balances is hard enough, but remaining debt-free is even more so. Learn how seven credit card 'disasters' turned into credit card masters. ... (more)

3 easy steps to simplify your financial life -- Sick of living in financial chaos? Get it all under control without outside help. Here are three steps to get you on your way. ... (more)

Pitfalls of pumping, dumping sign-up bonus cards -- The "pump and dump" strategy of taking advantage of huge bonus sign-up reward points or miles can really mess with your credit if you're not smart ... (more)

Are your air miles at risk if you fall on hard times? -- A reader wonders what would happen to his miles if he closes his credit card account, settles with the card company or goes bankrupt. ... (more)

Be wise when cashing in rewards points -- To reap the most out of credit card rewards programs, it's important to pay attention to which rewards give you more bang for the buck ... (more)

What records to keep and how long to keep them -- Keep too little paper and you'll be stammering at the IRS agent at audit time. Too much and paper can take over your house. How much is just right? ... (more)

New card statements may elicit fear, anxiety about debt -- New information-packed credit card statements could increase your anxiety. Find out why that's a good thing. ... (more)

Credit card charges made by children are invalid -- When minors use your credit card without your knowledge, the law protects them -- and you -- from having to pay for their mistakes. ... (more)

From credit card disaster to card master: 7 tips from the debt reformed -- Repaying big card balances is hard enough, but remaining debt-free is even more so. Learn how seven credit card 'disasters' turned into credit card masters. ... (more)

Alternative ways for students to build a credit history -- The minimum age to qualify for a credit card will soon increase, requiring that students under 21 find new ways to develop positive credit histories. ... (more)

Credit Card Help: 10 things you must know about credit reports and credit scores -- You may have heard the terms credit history and credit score. But what exactly is a credit history, what is a credit score -- and why are they so important? ... (more)

Credit card video: Cutting up your card the right way -- CreditCards.com's Cynthia Drake shows you the right way to cut up a credit card in order to avoid any possible identity theft. There's more to it than you might think. ... (more)

Help with credit card debt -- Whether you're trying to dig out from under debt or just avoid it in the first place, our Credit Card Help section can help you make better decisions. ... (more)

5 simple rules to prevent credit card debt -- The CEO of the nonprofit Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Central Florida has some simple rules to help credit card users stay out of debt. ... (more)

Video: Can magnets really make a credit card unreadable? -- If you expose your credit card to a magnet, will it still work? In an earlier video, Cynthia Drake with CreditCards.com said that it would not, but some viewers disagreed. We set out to see what the truth really was. ... (more)

Can a magnet really make your credit card not work? -- Will your card become unreadable if it's exposed to magnets? In a previous story, we said yes, but many of you begged to differ. Seeing that, we took the challenge of clearing things up once and for all. The results surprised us. ... (more)

Video: White House town hall on credit card reform -- Austan Goolsbee of the President's Council of Economic Advisers answered questions on Feb. 22 about credit card reform and what it means to you. The questions were both submitted live and in advance through CreditCards.com. ... (more)

New credit card era begins with latest CARD Act provisions -- It's a new day for credit cards. As of Feb. 22, new consumer protections within the Credit CARD Act of 2009 take effect. ... (more)

Business mistakes can appear on personal credit report -- Business mistakes shouldn't impact your personal credit -- unless you've provided your personal guarantee. ... (more)

White House to answer consumer questions about Credit CARD Act -- The White House will answer Americans' questions about the new credit card reform law during a live online town hall at 2 p.m. EST Feb. 22. ... (more)

Piggybacking's just one step en route to a better credit score -- Borrowers who want to boost their credit scores need to examine their own credit reports first before becoming authorized cardholders on other accounts. ... (more)

When refinancing, closing credit card accounts can cost you -- When in the midst of a home refinancing and considering an account closure, experts say the price of credit score damage is likely to outweigh the cost of any potential annual fees. ... (more)

Sharing a roof with a parent doesn't mean sharing their bankruptcy -- Adult children who share an address with a parent don't also need to share the credit score damage when that parent files for bankruptcy. ... (more)

Conservatorships: Stepping in for those who can't help themselves -- Watching a family member lose his grip on his finances can be maddening. However, in some cases you can take control by going to court to set up a conservatorship, a legal relationship that makes you the custodian of another adult's finances. ... (more)

Piggybacking's just one step en route to a better credit score -- Borrowers who want to boost their credit scores need to examine their own credit reports first before becoming authorized cardholders on other accounts. ... (more)

3 easy steps to simplify your financial life -- Sick of living in financial chaos? Get it all under control without outside help. Here are three steps to get you on your way. ... (more)

Credit card issuers' financial cell phone apps -- Back when, your cell phone was just for talking on the go. Now, mobile banking applications let you manage your finances, and include tools for credit cardholders. ... (more)

Consumers shying away from credit cards when shopping online -- The poor economy and consumers' growing aversion to carrying large credit card balances may be why more alternative forms of payment are being used for online purchases. ... (more)

White House online town hall credit card reform transcript -- This transcript chronicles the conversation between administration officials and CreditCards.com readers on Feb. 22, 2010, the day a federal credit card reform law took effect. ... (more)

Credit card charges made by children are invalid -- When minors use your credit card without your knowledge, the law protects them -- and you -- from having to pay for their mistakes. ... (more)

When refinancing, closing credit card accounts can cost you -- When in the midst of a home refinancing and considering an account closure, experts say the price of credit score damage is likely to outweigh the cost of any potential annual fees. ... (more)

Forgiven debt resurfaces at tax time -- The IRS is one creditor you cannot ignore. If you receive a 1099-C in the mail for forgiven debt, you have to declare it as income. ... (more)

Varied credit card travel perks make them good vacation partners -- Travelers can count on all kinds of special treatment from their credit cards. Benefits vary widely; shop for a card that fits your travel plans. ... (more)

Credit card interest rates jump, approach record highs -- Credit card interest rates reached their second-highest level on record after U.S. Bank raised rates on several of its cards. ... (more)

From credit card disaster to card master: 7 tips from the debt reformed -- Repaying big card balances is hard enough, but remaining debt-free is even more so. Learn how seven credit card 'disasters' turned into credit card masters. ... (more)

New card statements may elicit fear, anxiety about debt -- New information-packed credit card statements could increase your anxiety. Find out why that's a good thing. ... (more)

Varied credit card travel perks make them good vacation partners -- Travelers can count on all kinds of special treatment from their credit cards. Benefits vary widely; shop for a card that fits your travel plans. ... (more)

Credit card issuers' financial cell phone apps -- Back when, your cell phone was just for talking on the go. Now, mobile banking applications let you manage your finances, and include tools for credit cardholders. ... (more)

New credit card era begins with latest CARD Act provisions -- It's a new day for credit cards. As of Feb. 22, new consumer protections within the Credit CARD Act of 2009 take effect. ... (more)

White House to answer consumer questions about Credit CARD Act -- The White House will answer Americans' questions about the new credit card reform law during a live online town hall at 2 p.m. EST Feb. 22. ... (more)

Piggybacking is still an option, but proceed with caution -- If you're looking to help boost a FICO score, piggybacking as an authorized user on a spouse's credit card account remains an option. But if you're looking to pay to do it, you might be out of luck. ... (more)

Federal Reserve leaves interest rates at historic lows -- Smile, credit cardholders. A decision Tuesday by the Federal Reserve means that, barring a big mistake on your part, your credit card's interest rate won't be increasing anytime soon. ... (more)

Conservatorships: Stepping in for those who can't help themselves -- Watching a family member lose his grip on his finances can be maddening. However, in some cases you can take control by going to court to set up a conservatorship, a legal relationship that makes you the custodian of another adult's finances. ... (more)

Piggybacking's just one step en route to a better credit score -- Borrowers who want to boost their credit scores need to examine their own credit reports first before becoming authorized cardholders on other accounts. ... (more)

Credit card interest rates jump, approach record highs -- Credit card interest rates reached their second-highest level on record after U.S. Bank raised rates on several of its cards. ... (more)

Fed proposes rules to limit credit card fees -- Credit card fees would have to be 'reasonable' and 'proportional' to the offense under new rules proposed by the Federal Reserve. ... (more)

Interest rates fall as 59.9% APR credit card goes away -- Interest rates pulled back from record levels this week, although cardholders may not have much reason to cheer. ... (more)

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. ... (more)

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. ... (more)

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? ... (more)

Consumers shying away from credit cards when shopping online -- The poor economy and consumers' growing aversion to carrying large credit card balances may be why more alternative forms of payment are being used for online purchases. ... (more)

Credit card reform arrives in the form of the Credit CARD Act -- The most sweeping credit card changes ever are being imposed on credit card issuers, which in the course of complying, are making dramatic changes in consumers' credit card accounts -- not all of them welcome. ... (more)

Mobile payments predicted to skyrocket -- Mobile payment transactions are expected to catapult to nearly 4.5 billion in 2012 -- a 429 percent increase from an estimated 850 million in 2009, consulting firm Gartner Inc. predicted in a May 28 report by CardLine Global (subscription required). ... (more)

3 easy steps to simplify your financial life -- Sick of living in financial chaos? Get it all under control without outside help. Here are three steps to get you on your way. ... (more)

3 ways to rebuild your credit after wage garnishment -- Consistent, timely student loan payments made via wage garnishment don't reflect positively on a credit report. But there are a few steps you can take to improve your standing. ... (more)

How to clear a minor of responsibility for card debt in 5 steps -- A worried grandparent wants to know how she can make sure that her grandson isn't held liable for debt on a credit card that his mother got in his name. ... (more)

Federal Reserve leaves interest rates at historic lows -- Smile, credit cardholders. A decision Tuesday by the Federal Reserve means that, barring a big mistake on your part, your credit card's interest rate won't be increasing anytime soon. ... (more)

Conservatorships: Stepping in for those who can't help themselves -- Watching a family member lose his grip on his finances can be maddening. However, in some cases you can take control by going to court to set up a conservatorship, a legal relationship that makes you the custodian of another adult's finances. ... (more)

Piggybacking's just one step en route to a better credit score -- Borrowers who want to boost their credit scores need to examine their own credit reports first before becoming authorized cardholders on other accounts. ... (more)

Varied credit card travel perks make them good vacation partners -- Travelers can count on all kinds of special treatment from their credit cards. Benefits vary widely; shop for a card that fits your travel plans. ... (more)

Credit card interest rates jump, approach record highs -- Credit card interest rates reached their second-highest level on record after U.S. Bank raised rates on several of its cards. ... (more)

From credit card disaster to card master: 7 tips from the debt reformed -- Repaying big card balances is hard enough, but remaining debt-free is even more so. Learn how seven credit card 'disasters' turned into credit card masters. ... (more)

From credit card disaster to card master: 7 tips from the debt reformed -- Repaying big card balances is hard enough, but remaining debt-free is even more so. Learn how seven credit card 'disasters' turned into credit card masters. ... (more)

Consumers shying away from credit cards when shopping online -- The poor economy and consumers' growing aversion to carrying large credit card balances may be why more alternative forms of payment are being used for online purchases. ... (more)

Don't always refuse rental car insurance coverage; credit card protections become iffy -- It used to be a no-brainer -- credit cardholders refused costly additional insurance policies offered by car rental agencies. Now it's not: The rental agencies charge new fees and the card issuers' policies aren't uniform or universal. ... (more)

Lee Eisenberg, author of 'Shoptimism' on why we shop -- Cheer up, says Lee Eisenberg, author of 'Shoptimism,' a new book on why we shop. Americans are going to shop our way back to prosperity just as we have for centuries. ... (more)

Tori Spelling, Ed McMahon, Kim Kardashian, Courtney Love: Celebrity credit card lessons -- If we had the kind of money celebrities had, we'd do a better job managing our credit card debt, right? Judging by these celebrity credit card stories, maybe not. ... (more)

Jon and Kate's 8 plus-size money mistakes -- The paparazzi-pursued loco parental units of reality TV, the Gosselins, set an example, say money experts -- of what NOT to do financially. ... (more)

Piggybacking's just one step en route to a better credit score -- Borrowers who want to boost their credit scores need to examine their own credit reports first before becoming authorized cardholders on other accounts. ... (more)

Credit card interest rates jump, approach record highs -- Credit card interest rates reached their second-highest level on record after U.S. Bank raised rates on several of its cards. ... (more)

3 easy steps to simplify your financial life -- Sick of living in financial chaos? Get it all under control without outside help. Here are three steps to get you on your way. ... (more)

Your options aren't pretty when a relative gets plastic in your name -- When a family member steals your identity and racks up credit card debt in your name, you have two options -- neither of which is easy. ... (more)

Forgiven debt resurfaces at tax time -- The IRS is one creditor you cannot ignore. If you receive a 1099-C in the mail for forgiven debt, you have to declare it as income. ... (more)

CARD Act prevents sudden rate hikes, not annual fees -- As issuers struggle to recoup lost fee revenue, many are instituting annual fees on their credit cards. The good news is that your APR is protected. ... (more)

Credit card charges made by children are invalid -- When minors use your credit card without your knowledge, the law protects them -- and you -- from having to pay for their mistakes. ... (more)

Best use for inheritance: pay debt or create savings? -- A reader inherited some money and is on a mission to be debt free, but wonders whether it wouldn't be smarter to put that cash toward retirement instead. ... (more)

Protecting the elderly from credit card collections -- Credit cards and their associated terms and conditions can get very confusing for the elderly who also suffer from dementia. Here's what you can do to help. ... (more)