Credit Card Act

Recently, the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 (the Credit CARD Act) went into effect. Congress saw a pressing need to protect consumers from abusive fees, penalties, interest rate increases, and other unjustified changes in the terms of credit card accounts. A new hike in the penalties for violators of the Act will provide extra incentive for compliance. A few of the highlights of the Act are:

* The Act prohibits rate increases on existing balances due to "any time, any reason" or "universal default" and severely restricts retroactive rate increases due to late payments.

* Contract terms must be clearly spelled out and must remain in place for all of the first year. Companies may continue to offer promotional rates with new accounts or during the life of an account, but these rates must be clearly disclosed and must last at least six months.

* Institutions are required to give credit card holders a reasonable time to pay the monthly bill--at least 21 calendar days (up from 14) from the time of mailing.

* Credit card companies are required to apply excess payments first to the highest interest balance (usually for new purchases), as most consumers would expect them to do but which some companies have not done because it is not as profitable.

* The Act ends the confusing practice by which issuers use the balance in a previous month, even if all or a part of it was paid off, to calculate interest charges on the current month. Many consumers likely were not even aware of this particular practice, called "double-cycle" billing.

Credit card holders will find it easier to avoid over-limit fees because institutions now have to obtain a consumer's permission to process transactions that would place the account over the limit. So that consumers can better avoid unnecessary costs and manage their finances, creditors must give them clear disclosures of account terms before they open accounts and clear statements of the activity on their accounts afterwards.

The Act contains new protections for college students and young adults, formerly a favorite target for blanket marketing of credit cards. Among other things, there is a new requirement that no card be issued to anyone under 21 unless he or she submits a written application, with either the signature of a co-signor over 21 or information showing independent means for repaying the credit card debt.

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