A few of the banks that received federal government bail out money are raising credit card interest rates and fees, thus, angering some consumer groups and drawing the attention of a Congressional Oversight Panel. If your rates have been recently increased, debt management can help you manage your re-payments.
Rates are usually based on four different factors- your credit rating, your debt to income ratio, your employment history, and re-payment history. Interest rates are usually tied to the US Prime Rate, that is the interest rate set nationwide by the Federal Reserve Board (FRB). Credit Card Interest is usually calculated at the end of your statement period, and then charged to the consumers account on the last day of each statement period. Good management of your credit will have a definite impact on the credit card interest rates you qualify for.
Credit
Issuers have been drawing fire for raising up interest rates on card holders who aren’t even behind on payments, but whose credit scores might have fallen for different reasons. Debt counseling, or signing up for a credit management plan, is becoming very common in today’s economy. Lenders usually will grant lower interest rates on the condition that you have been making payments on time and continue to make the fixed monthly payment until the debt is paid in full. Companies have also been affected by the down-turn in the economy and because of this they are tightening restrictions to get credit and are even raising interest rates for a lot of card holders.
Debt
If you’re currently carrying a balance on your credit cards, even occasionally, the interest rate is the main key to controlling your debt. If you’re already behind on payments or have already been sent to collections, it is imperative that you contact a debt settlement company. Late or missed monthly payments can lower your credit score, which in turn can, affect the interest rate you pay on credit cards. One of the benefits of a debt settlement plan, other than the lower interest, is the willingness of many lenders to accept a lower pay off.
Now you should have a better understanding about credit card interest rates, it’s still wise to pay the total outstanding balance every month. However, financial experts recommend, cutting credit card spending. A tragic number of consumers are unaware that they have some control over their rates.