Although Americans’ average credit scores recently dropped for the first time in a decade, many appear to be maintaining a relatively healthy score. The average credit score dipped by one point, from 718 to 717, according to FICO’s March 6 blog post. Your FICO and VantageScore credit score can fall anywhere between 300 and 850, … Read more
Hinterhaus Productions | Digitalvision | Getty Images Savings accounts Higher rates mean that consumers have to pay more to service their debt, but it also means that banks pay higher rewards to savers. It’s one of the silver linings to the current rate environment, said Ted Rossman, chief credit card analyst at Bankrate. “There’s also … Read more
Economists expect the Federal Reserve to leave interest rates unchanged at the end of its two-day meeting this week, even though many experts anticipate the central bank is preparing to start cutting rates in the months ahead. In prepared remarks earlier this month, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said policymakers don’t want to ease up too quickly. Powell … Read more
The days of double digit late fees for late credit card payments may be coming to an end. On Tuesday, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule that will cap credit card late fees at $8. Currently, card users are typically hit with a $32 fee for late payments, according to the agency. The … Read more
Runstudio | The Image Bank | Getty Images Credit card interest rates have ballooned to record highs in recent years â and the growing portion of the formula that generates profit for card issuers is partly to blame, according to a new analysis by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. The average consumer paid a 22.8% … Read more
Total credit card debt in the U.S. has reached a record high â but people are putting less money toward paying it down. Americans collectively hold $1.13 trillion in credit card debt as of the end of December, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s latest Household Debt and Credit Report. On an … Read more
With consumer prices still rising due to higher inflation, there is one way to save money that you may be overlooking: raising your credit score. Increasing your score from fair (580 to 669) to very good (740 to 799) may help you save $22,263 over the life of your credit and loans, according to a … Read more
Olga Rolenko | Moment | Getty Images The nation’s largest credit card companies typically charge higher interest rates than small banks and credit unions â and switching may save the average cardholder hundreds of dollars a year, according to an analysis issued Friday by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. However, some consumers, depending on their … Read more
Credit cards are an Achilles’ heel for many people. Collectively, Americans now owe $1.13 trillion on their cards, and the average balance per consumer is up to $6,360, both historic highs. Not only are more cardholders carrying debt from month to month but more are increasingly falling behind on payments, recent reports show. “Even though dealing with $1 … Read more
The Federal Reserve announced Wednesday it will leave interest rates unchanged, setting the stage for rate cuts to come and paving the way for relief from the combination of higher rates and inflation that have hit consumers particularly hard. Although Fed officials indicated as many as three cuts coming this year, the pace that they trim interest … Read more
