Low interest rate and rewards credit cards can put cash back in your pocket -- With food and gas prices escalating, Americans need to budget more carefully than ever before, including resisting the short-term solution of charging up debt on credit cards. ... (more)

When is a debt too old for collection? -- Saddled with an 8-year-old credit card debt, a senior citizen living on just Social Security wants to know what her rights are. ... (more)

After creating a debt management plan, stick to it -- CreditCards.com columnist Todd Ossenfort strongly recommends that once you're in credit counseling, stick to the goals set up in a debt management plan and avoid temptation to get into more debt. ... (more)

Is selling your house to pay down debt a good idea? -- A reader who has $75,000 in credit card debt wants to know if selling her house to pay off debt is a good idea. ... (more)

Who's responsible for a deceased spouse's card debt? -- When a spouse dies, credit card debt may or may not be passed along to a widow. ... (more)

Canceling a credit card vs. keeping a bad one: Compare costs -- Weighing the true cost of canceling a credit card with an annual fee: How much will it hurt your credit score? ... (more)

To detect fraud, credit card issuers monitor all your purchases -- Credit card company fraud departments monitor their cardholders purchases to detect unusual patterns or purchases. ... (more)

Five-year-old credit card debt has debt collectors calling -- With a job loss and 5-year-old credit card debt and only Social Security income, a reader needs a lot of help -- starting with knowing her rights, says Maturing Loans columnist Alan Klayman. ... (more)

Saving for emergencies, retirement come before paying off credit card debt -- Creating an emergency fund and contributing to your retirement fund should always come before paying off credit card debt. ... (more)

Charging up a storm before filing bankruptcy is considered fraud -- Thinking of loading up your credit cards before you file bankruptcy is considered fraud. ... (more)

Relatives must be careful when asked to co-sign on a credit card. -- Relatives must be careful when asked to co-sign on a credit card. ... (more)

Managing on-time credit card payments -- When transferring balances to 0 percent cards, it's critical to make on-time payments or you'll lose out. ... (more)

Debit vs. credit: Which offers more protection? -- Debit card issuers are increasing consumer protections similar to credit cards. ... (more)

When your parents' debt problems need attention -- Seniors can easily become overwhelmed with credit card debt. Here's some advice how to help them. ... (more)

Good credit customers: Shop around for the best interest rates -- If you have good credit, it pays to shop around for lower interest rates. ... (more)

Setting up investments to create guaranteed income in retirement -- Maturing Loans columnist Alan Klayman weighs the benefits of creating an income strategy in retirement against the standard investment strategy. ... (more)

Helping your college-age child establish credit -- Students with their first credit card can be dangerous, so parents of should help their college-age children create a spending plan, says The Credit Guy. ... (more)

One-stock investments are risky ventures in retirement -- Maturing Loans columnist Alan Klayman advises against the one-stock retirement bet and says the best way to generate income is through a well-planned income strategy. ... (more)

Are you a credit card rookie? Here's how credit cards work -- There are all kinds of credit cards with all kinds of different rules. Make sure you pick the right card for you. ... (more)

How canceling a credit card will impact your credit score -- Elements to consider when canceling a long-standing credit card and how that cancellation will impact your credit score. ... (more)

In retirement, the thinking about retirement and income changes -- In retirement, the thinking about retirement and income changes ... (more)

Authorized user or joint account holder? -- There are major differences between an authorized user and joint account holder for credit card accounts. One is liable for unpaid balances and the other is not. ... (more)

When balance transfers make sense -- There's no sense in delaying balance transfers to lower interest rate credit cards if your credit is good. ... (more)

8 tips for squeezing the last dollar out of a budget -- It's tough to make ends meet on a fixed income. To do it, you have to squeeze the spending hard as you can, says 'Maturing Loans' columnist Alan Klayman. ... (more)

Questions to ask to check out your credit counselor's credentials -- Before you hire a credit counselor, make sure you check out their credentials. ... (more)

Two years behind on credit card payments -- How do you even begin to pay back credit card debt that is two years old? ... (more)

Entering retirement with credit card debt -- Carrying credit card debt into retirement requires a plan. ... (more)

Card issuers apply payments to lower interest rate balances first -- Balance transfers, cash advances and purchases typically have different APRs. Card issuers apply payments to lower interest rate balances first. ... (more)

Self control and credit cards -- Don't shun credit because you've had trouble with overspending in the past. A strategy of taking on credit in small doses is better for you, says Sally Herigstad. ... (more)

Compare and analyze investment choices after retirement funds are maxed out -- With extra cash on hand, is it best to invest in paying down the mortgage or investing in mutual funds? Maturing Loans columnist Alan Klayman knows. ... (more)

Credit inquiries and your credit score -- The Credit Guy explains how credit inquiries negatively impact your credit score and how long these inquiries remain on your credit report, as well as advises readers to not needlessly shop for credit. ... (more)

How to ask for a lower credit card interest rate -- A reader asks To Her Credit columnist Sally Herigstad just how to go about asking for a reduction in her credit card APR. ... (more)

Retired, with too little income and too much in property taxes -- Living just off her Social Security income, a 72-year-old woman asks columnist Alan Klayman how to go about paying her property taxes on such a small fixed income. ... (more)

Is your credit card ripe for fraud? -- When credit card account information is stolen, the thief uses your card information to request a change in the billing address and an additional card. The thief can then use your account for as long as it takes you to realize that your card has been compromised. ... (more)

To co-sign or not to co-sign -- A mother wants to help her daughter buy a house, but due to the daughter's bad credit, will have to co-sign the loan. 'To Her Credit' columnist Sally Herigstad weighs the benefits and the risks of co-signing on someone else's loan. ... (more)

How to maintain retirement lifestyle while managing debt -- Debt complicates the calculation on how much you'll need to retire in comfort, says 'Maturing Loans' columnist Alan Klayman. ... (more)

Understanding how credit scores work -- Find out all the different elements that are considered when your credit score is compiled. ... (more)

Establishing credit after divorce -- A stay-at-home mom who finds herself divorced with no credit of her own gets a path to her own credit history from 'To Her Credit' columnist Sally Herigstad. ... (more)

Laid off, debt climbing -- If you have savings, there are ways to decrease reliance on credit cards by setting up a short-term income strategy, says Alan Klayman in the debut 'Maturing loans' column. ... (more)

Improving credit to refinance a truck or auto loan -- Steps to take to build a strong credit score. ... (more)

While paying off debt, learn investing, says 'To Her Credit' columnist Sally Herigstad -- If put off investing, you may get bogged down in trying to pay off your debts and never be able to start your portfolio. ... (more)

Credit, credit scores and walking away from truck, auto lease -- Seven months after leasing a new truck, a woman realizes she's in too deep and needs to get out of her lease. ... (more)

Starting over and getting new credit after a bankruptcy -- A woman pays off her bankruptcy and is ready to build her credit again. ... (more)

Consider all options before filing for bankruptcy, says The Credit Guy -- The reason that bankruptcy is recommended only as a last resort is because of the personal and financial toll a bankruptcy has on a person or family, The Credit Guy advises a reader. ... (more)

Car's too small, loan's upside down -- A woman who needs a bigger car but who is upside down on her car loan should focus on paying down the debt before looking at bigger vehicles, says The Credit Guy. ... (more)

Rich lady, big overdue card debt -- A woman with $16,000 in delinquent credit card debt, but plenty of money to pay it off, needs to do more than just write a check if she hopes to avoid repeating her mistake, says The Credit Guy. ... (more)

Keeping up credit while in jail may not be possible -- It's noble to want to help a jailed friend keep up his credit score while serving time, but unless you want to pay his bills, some things just aren't possible, says The Credit Guy. ... (more)

Dad co-signed, I messed up his credit. Now what? -- You ruined Dad's credit score by running up a big debt on a card he co-signed for you, but no, you didn't cost him his house, The Credit Guy advises a reader. ... (more)

How to opt out of credit card rate increases -- If you've been notified that your interest rate is going to jump, you can pay your credit card off at the old rate, but you lose use of the card, says The Credit Guy. ... (more)

When do credit card balance transfers make sense? -- Having a firm repayment plan makes the difference, The Credit Guy tells a CreditCards.com reader. ... (more)

Pay off credit card debt or declare bankruptcy? -- It's painful, but a reader who took $13,000 in credit card cash advances and lost it to an Internet scam needs to pay the money back, says The Credit Guy. ... (more)

Q&A: Pawn off $10,000 credit card debt on son? No way! -- The Credit Guy, who answers readers' questions for CreditCards.com, thinks this parent can pay off the delinquent bill. ... (more)

Expert Q&A: Budget for debt, but not too tightly -- A recent college graduate saddled with debt needs a spending and paydown plan, but it's bound to fail unless it includes some fun, says The Credit Guy. ... (more)

Ask The Credit Guy: Do credit rehab myself? -- Credit counselor Todd Ossenfort, also known as The Credit Guy, answers a CreditCards.com reader's question about whether it's wise to embark on do-it-yourself credit repair. ... (more)

CreditCards.com editorial corrections policy -- CreditCards.com strives to publish accurate information. If you believe we have published something in error or wish to comment on an article, please e-mail us at editors@CreditCards.com. ... (more)