Congress is considering two bills that would restrict the fees and penalties credit card companies can charge consumers.

The House bill, authored by New York Democrat Carolyn Maloney, was approved by the House Financial Services Committee on Wednesday. It now  goes to the House floor for debate.
The Senate bill, regarded as one with tougher terms, was written by […]

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Getting a credit card is a major rite of passage. But many parents wonder whether their teens are ready for the very adult rights and responsibilities that come with the card.
There are significant pros and cons to consider, from safety and convenience to the potential to create long-term credit problems. Just don’t think too long. […]

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Plenty of grown children worry about their parents’ debts, especially if they think they may have to pay it. One reader, for instance, said she only discovered her mother had unpaid credit cards after she died. “She owned a house, where two of my siblings are now living, but that was her only asset. Are […]

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They say death and taxes are inevitable. But monthly bills are just as predictable - and far more consistent. “I’ve never paid a bill late, always send more than the minimum payment due, yet feel as if I’m in a never-ending bill-paying cycle,” a New York woman complained. “The finance charges are outrageous, and I feel as if […]

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TrueCredit.com estimates nearly one in six potential employers are using pre-employment credit reports as part of the applicant screening process. So in addition to polishing resumes and portfolios, job seekers should also review their credit.

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Ask yourself whether the items you plan to buy will really make people happy, improve their lives, serve a need or fill a wish. Unless they do, put them back on the shelves.

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No one likes to expect the worst. But it’s better to plan for a disaster that never strikes than be unprepared. Start by getting your financial documents, medical records, photographs and other important papers in order. If all of those items are up-to-date, in one place, and portable, or better yet, backed up to a […]

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Banks are failing, stocks are falling and houses are hard to sell. But no matter how unsettled you feel about the economy, the least productive thing you can do is panic.

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Mortgage loan delinquency (ratio of borrowers 60 or more days past due) increased for the sixth straight quarter, hitting a national average high of 3.53 percent for the second quarter of 2008.

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David Pecoraro pays his Chase credit card in full each month. “When I have one,” he adds. He didn’t receive a billing statement in June, so he assumed the account had a zero balance.
That was a mistake. In July, he received a statement that showed he failed to pay a $7.46 balance in June. “The […]

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