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Credit Card Basics - Understing What You Need!
There are different credit cards to suit each individual. One
needs to assess his or her needs before applying for a credit
card online.
Many people feel that they have been through hell because of
credit cards and would not like to repeat...
Credit Cards
Credit cards are a form of unsecured credit. The issuer is extending you a line of credit, usually tacking on all sorts of little surprises in the fine print. This type of credit is probably the most commonly used. If you have a great credit...
Credit Protection Insurance -- Just Another Consumer Rip-Off
Credit protection insurance is a good example of a consumer rip-off that affects millions of people, yet receives little attention in the financial media. Simply stated, you should NEVER buy "credit protection insurance," or a "payment protection...
Perks of Citibank Credit Card
Citibank credit cards offer a wide range of benefits. Basically,
all of it features offer clients with security during
emergencies, the advantage of not bringing cash and checks, and
improving independence and responsibility in...
The Credit Repair Business
Despite the massive efforts of the credit reporting agencies to convince you otherwise, there are many credit repair companies that are no different than most other services. Like all industries, less-than-honest companies do exist and are damaging...
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Credit Cards – What is the “Universal Default Clause”?
Most people who carry major credit cards are well aware that the interest rates associated with them tend to be higher than for other types of lending, such as home or auto loans. Anyone who has paid their credit card bill late more than once or twice is also aware that doing so may cause the interest rate on their card to go up – sometimes by quite a lot. Many credit cards carry interest rates of as much as 20% or 25% annually, and customers who want to avoid interest rates in that range make an effort to pay their bills on time.
What many people do not realize, however, is that up to one third of all credit card issuers now include what is known as a “universal default clause” in their bills. This information, usually disclosed in the tiny print on the bill that few people bother to read, indicates that the interest rate on your credit card may be increased if you pay bills late to other lenders, even if you pay your credit card bill on time.
This means that paying any bill late that could show up on your credit report, such as an auto payment or a utility bill could cause your credit card interest rate to go up. This, in turn, could hurt your credit score. There is currently nothing in Federal law that prohibits this practice; the law only
requires that lenders disclose it in writing. Credit card companies justify this by saying that customers that make late payments to anyone increase the risk for all lenders. Nevertheless, many, if not most, credit card customers are unaware that such policies exist.
Not all credit card companies have such a policy; in fact, most do not. Customers who are not interested in having the interest rates of their credit card tied to their ability to pay their phone bill on time would be advised to read the fine print in their credit card statement. If such a policy exists, you could either complain to your credit card issuer about it or shop around for another credit card. The lesson to be learned here is a valuable one – when you receive your credit card bill or a notification that your credit card billing terms have changed, take a moment to read the fine print.
About the Author
©Copyright 2005 by Retro Marketing. Charles Essmeier is the owner of Retro Marketing, a firm devoted to informational Websites, including End-Your-Debt.com, a site devoted to debt consolidation and credit counseling, and HomeEquityHelp.net, a site devoted to information regarding home equity loans.
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