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☆ Op-ed: My kids have credit cards and yours should, too
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-10 | by ( Winnie Sun | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Now, my three kids — ages 15, 12 and 10 — have had credit cards since before they entered kindergarten. Adding your child as an authorized user on your credit cards can be a smart way to set them up for financial success. I keep my kids' credit cards safe and have shown my teen how to store his cards in his phone's Apple Pay. We pull my younger kids' credit cards out at least once a year to help pay for their expenses such as school PTA donations, tutoring costs and teachers' gifts. I even have them take their credit card to school to buy some items at the school book fair.

Organizations: Visa, Chase, Citi, American Express

☆ Credit card late fees will soon be capped at $8—why you should aim to pay on time anyway
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

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. For the past decade, consumers have faced increasing credit card late fees with the average cost of a late payment rising from $23 at the end 2010 to $32 in 2022, according to the CFPB. However, the agency says many larger credit card issuers hiked those late fees each year without proving why the increase was necessary. I don't think $8 is enough of a deterrent [against making late payments]," he tells CNBC Make It.

Persons: Rohit Chopra, Ted Rossman Organizations: Consumer Financial, Federal, CNBC, American Bankers Association

☆ Credit card users can save over $400 a year by switching issuers, CFPB says
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Olga Rolenko | Moment | Getty ImagesCard balances and total debt at are all-time highsThe agency's findings come as average credit card balances and total credit card debt hit all-time highs at the end of 2023. The average credit card interest rate for all accountholders was more than 21% in November, also a record, according to Federal Reserve data. The federal agency's analysis defines large lenders as the nation's 25 biggest, and small lenders as all others in its sample. Credit scores didn't impact findingsThe CFPB's new interest-rate findings are consistent regardless of a consumer's credit score, it said. Why interest rates may not matter for some usersThe CFPB report doesn't necessarily offer a complete picture of the credit card market, Rossman said.

Persons: Olga Rolenko, spokespeople, Lindsey Johnson, CFPB, Ted Rossman, Rossman, cardholders, Bankrate, Rohit Chopra Organizations: Federal Reserve, Consumer Bankers Association, American Bankers Association, —

Our experts answer readers' credit card questions and write unbiased product reviews (here's how we assess credit cards). Annual fees increase between 18% to 52% on six consumer and business Delta SkyMiles credit cards. American Express and Delta Air Lines increased annual fees across their co-branded airline credit cards today for consumer and business credit cards alike. Delta SkyMiles® Platinum American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card, Delta SkyMiles® Reserve American Express Card, and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card cardholders will receive $2,500 Medallion Qualifying Dollars (MQDs) every qualifying year, beginning February 1, which will give them a jumpstart toward earning Delta status each year. Delta SkyMiles® Platinum Business American Express Card and Delta SkyMiles® Reserve Business American Express Card cardholders can now spend above their credit limit, albeit within a certain undisclosed extent.

Persons: Resy, Katherine Fan, I've, Guy, NerdWallet, I'm, you'll, Read Organizations: Delta, American Express, Delta Air Lines, Delta SkyMiles, Delta SkyMiles ®, Express, Finance, Business, Forbes, USA, Austin American, Statesman, Associated Press, Google, MSN, University of Texas Locations: Hawaii , Alaska, Mexico, Caribbean, Central America, delta.com, Delta, Austin, Southwest, Texas, Taiwan, New York City

☆ From loud budgeting to girl math, here’s what you should know before taking financial advice from TikTok
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Between girl math, loud budgeting and cash stuffing, the trendiest financial advice is increasingly born on TikTok. That's helped financial TikTok, also known as FinTok, take off. Now it's one of the most popular sources for financial information, tips and advice, particularly among Generation Z. The hashtag #FinTok, representing just the financial TikTok community, has more than 4.7 billion views on the platform. Finfluencers appeal to Gen Z investors because they produce educational and engaging content that is instantly accessible and, even better, free, the report found.

Persons: That's, Gen Z, Gen Zers, Young, Zers, Gen, Finfluencers, Rhodri Preece Organizations: Finance, YouTube, CFA Institute Locations: TikTok

☆ Lawmakers take aim at credit card interest rates, fees as cardholder debt tops $1 trillion
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-10 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

"We do not see a path forward for legislation to cap credit card interest rates," Seiberg said. There are 70 million more credit card accounts open now than in 2019, it said. Credit card interest rates have predominantly remained below 36% due to "self-restraint" by banks, though that's still "extremely high" for a credit card, said Lauren Saunders, associate director at the National Consumer Law Center. I think some of the [political] lines are starting to blur a little bit, at least on credit card issues. How to reduce your personal card rate to 0%Rossman's general advice to consumers: Make your personal credit card rate 0%.

Persons: Luis Alvarez, Rossman, Seiberg, There's, that's, Lauren Saunders, Ted Rossman, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Alexandria Ocasio, Glenn Grothman, Grothman, Hawley Organizations: Digitalvision, Getty, Cowen Washington Research Group, Republican, Federal Reserve Bank of New, Federal Reserve, National Consumer Law Locations: Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Alexandria, Cortez, Jesús, Chuy, García

The average interest rate for all credit card accounts hit 20.68% in May, the highest on record, according to most recent Federal Reserve data. "But credit cards do charge the highest interest rates of any mainstream consumer debt [by far]," he wrote in an e-mail. This is why it's so important to prioritize credit card debt payoff." Total credit card debt topped $1 trillion in the second quarter of 2023 for the first time ever. "Whenever the Fed has raised interest rates as they have, something usually tips or fails," he said.

Persons: Barry Glassman, Ted Rossman, Cardholders, Glassman, CreditCards.com, Rossman, Bankrate Organizations: CreditCards.com, Federal Reserve, Wealth, Westend61, Getty, Federal Reserve Bank of New, Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank Locations: Vienna , Virginia, North Bethesda , Maryland, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Silicon, U.S

☆ Bond rout will amplify Powell’s Jackson Hole words
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Ben Winck | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell testifies before a House Financial Services Committee hearing on "The Federal Reserve's Semi-Annual Monetary Policy Report" on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., June 21, 2023. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Aug 23 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The U.S. Federal Reserve might be done hiking rates, but the bond market has only just gotten started. That poses a lofty challenge for Fed Chair Jerome Powell when he speaks at the Jackson Hole, Wyoming symposium on Friday: calm the Treasury market without undoing the Fed’s own tightening. He can reiterate that, while the Fed keeps an eye on markets, its next policy decision rests on economic data, not ever-shifting bond yields. The U.S. Federal Reserve holds its annual symposium in Jackson Hole, Wyoming from Aug. 24 to Aug. 26.

Persons: Jerome Powell, Jonathan Ernst, Freddie Mac, CreditCards.com, Powell, Powell won’t, Christine Lagarde, Francesco Guerrera, Sharon Lam Organizations: Federal, Financial, REUTERS, Rights, Reuters, U.S . Federal, Futures, Fed, Treasury, U.S . Federal Reserve, European Central Bank, Thomson Locations: Washington , U.S, Government, , Wyoming, Jackson Hole , Wyoming

☆ Consumer credit card debt tops $1 trillion for the first time ever
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( Matthew Fox | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Consumer credit card debt just topped $1 trillion for the first time ever, according to the Federal Reserve. A recent survey from BankRate found 47% of consumers are carrying credit card debt from month to month. Consumer credit card debt increased 4.6% in the second-quarter to a record $1.03 trillion, compared to $986 billion in the first quarter. Lower-income households were more likely to carry credit card debt from month to month, according to the survey, with 53% of cardholders with annual incomes below $50,000 carrying debt. "Yes, that's a lot of credit card debt, but most people are worth a lot more."

Persons: Joelle Scally, BankRate, Bankrate, they're, Scally, Carson, Ryan Detrick Organizations: Federal Reserve, Federal Reserve Bank of New, New York Fed, Fed Locations: York, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, CreditCards.com

☆ With a record number of travelers expected to drive this July 4, here's how to save on gas
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-03 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

A record 43.2 million people are expected to travel by car this July 4 holiday, according to AAA, the motoring and leisure travel membership organization. The good news for those drivers is that gas prices around the country are lower than they were last year. The national average for a gallon of gas is $3.54 as of July 3, down from $4.81 one year ago, according to AAA. Last year's high prices prompted politicians on the state and federal level to call for gas tax holidays. A recent Bankrate survey found 63% of adults plan to take a summer vacation this year, up from 61% last year.

Persons: Ted Rossman Organizations: AAA, Finance, Social Security

☆ How many credit cards should you have? The answer isn’t zero, say experts
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-24 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Eighty-two percent of American adults had a credit card in 2022, according to the U.S. Federal Reserve. Benefits to having more than one credit cardHowever, there can be drawbacks to having just one credit card. In addition, having a second credit card, or more, can help build a person's credit utilization ratio, said Curtis, founder and CEO of Curtis Financial Planning. Credit utilization is an important determinant in one's credit score and having one that's too high can reduce your score. Having more than one card raises one's overall credit limit, and with responsible use, can reduce one's credit utilization ratio.

Persons: Jose Luis Pelaez, Ted Rossman, Strong, cardholders, Bruce McClary, McClary, Rossman, Cathy Curtis, Curtis, Xavier Lorenzo, Cardholders Organizations: Jose Luis Pelaez Inc, CreditCards.com, Consumer Federation of America, U.S . Federal, National Foundation, Credit, Mastercard, Curtis, Curtis Financial

☆ Americans are facing 'triple trouble' from credit card debt, with more cards, bigger balances, and higher rates than ever
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-20 | by ( Noah Sheidlower | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

According to a new CreditCards.com report, Americans are facing "triple trouble" from credit card debt. A new report from CreditCards.com released Tuesday determined the states with the highest and lowest credit card burdens by comparing each state's credit card debts to household incomes. According to Rossman, many Americans are facing "triple trouble" with more people carrying credit card debt, record-high total balances, and elevated credit card rates. Massachusetts had the lowest credit card debt burden, despite ranking 19th in debt and 3rd in income. Credit card interest rates aren't going down anytime soonDespite last week's Fed decision, relief for cardholders may not come anytime soon.

Persons: —, CreditCards.com, Ted Rossman, Rossman, It's, it's, we've, cardholders Organizations: Service, Federal Reserve Bank of New, Market, Fed, Chase, Bank of America, Transportation Locations: Mississippi, Massachusetts, Federal Reserve Bank of New York, Oklahoma , Louisiana, New Mexico, Nevada, Minnesota , New Hampshire, California

☆ Amid high inflation and pent-up demand, lower gas prices can help travelers save this summer. Here are some tips
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-16 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

For those who hit the road to travel this summer, there is good news: Gas prices are substantially lower than they were last year. As of Friday, the national average for a gallon of gas is $3.58, down from $5 one year ago, according to AAA. Last year's high prices made headlines, and even prompted politicians on the state and federal level to call for gas tax holidays. And barring any surprises during hurricane season, the outlook for gas prices is mostly stable, Gross said. The national average will probably stay in the range of $3.50 per gallon, he said.

Persons: Andrew Gross, Gross, Ted Rossman Organizations: AAA, Finance, Auto

☆ Some Uber and DoorDash drivers say rich people are the worst tippers, but they can count on the middle class
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-07 | by ( Jacob Zinkula | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Many gig workers rely on tips to make ends meet, but some say tipping is getting worse. Three gig workers told Insider that people who appear to be wealthy are the worst tippers. Several delivery drivers replied to the story, and while a few related to Jay's experience, most of the workers Insider heard from said that the opposite was true in their experience: Rich people are the worst tippers. Drivers for companies like Uber and DoorDash say they're reliant on tips to make ends meet, but many of them have told Insider that tipping has gotten worse in recent years. When reached for comment, an Uber spokesperson told Insider that tipping has risen considerably for both Uber and Uber Eats over the last few years.

In 2023, people typically tip anywhere from 15% to 25%. Consumers on average said they tipped more than 21%, according to a Creditcards.com survey in May 2022. During the height of those days, consumers started tipping for things they never had before to service industry workers. In February 2020, just before the pandemic began, in food and drink specifically, the share of remote transactions when tipping was offered was 43.4%, according to Square . But, with customers tipping more, where's the tipping point?

☆ It's becoming increasingly clear that fintech has a fraud problem
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Bianca Chan | Paige Hagy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

"With fast growth comes fast fraud," Frank McKenna, a longtime fraud expert who works with banks, lenders, and fintechs, told Insider. Cash App only requires a zip code, debit-card number, and either an email or phone number to create an account. Cash App's alleged fraud problem could also be the result of its large, active customer base, which numbers some 44 million, according to the company's 2022 annual report. The fact that Cash App offers peer-to-peer payments exacerbates the fraud issue, according to McKenna, the chief fraud strategist at Point Predictive, an anti-fraud software company. Digital-only bank Chime has had its own issues with fraud, Jason Mikula, a fintech analyst and consultant, told Insider.

☆ This credit card debt payoff strategy may sound 'too good to be true,' but it could save you thousands
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

If you don't know what a credit card balance transfer is, you're not alone. Say you have $5,805 in credit card debt, the average amount Americans hold, according to TransUnion. If you want to qualify for one, you need a good to excellent credit score. Pitfalls of credit card balance transfers to avoidThere are a few downsides to balance transfers. Commit to paying off credit card debt

☆ More than 5 million households still behind on rent — what to do if yours is among them
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Viorel Kurnosov | Istock | Getty ImagesConsider your options for rent aidMost rental assistance programs that opened during the pandemic are now closed, but some are still accepting applications. On the National Low Income Housing Coalition's website, you can find a state-by-state guide of relief options and their status. On March 14, The Texas Rent Relief Program began accepting applications for aid, but it's already scheduled to stop doing so on Thursday. Assess your financial resourcesIt's not a strategy experts recommend, but some tenants are using their credit cards to cover their rent. "The biggest potential issue is carrying a balance and paying interest on your rent," Rossman said.

Having multiple credit cards and playing the rewards game can save you hundreds of dollars each year — if you're smart about how you use the cards. "The one big downfall of credit cards is the high interest rates," he added. "But if you're paying in full and avoiding those, then yeah, credit cards are great." Chasing rewards can land you some substantial sign-up bonuses like the Capital One Venture Rewards credit card's 75,000 miles or Chase Ink Business Unlimited's $900 cash back. But getting the most out of your credit cards depends on your spending habits — and finding the perks that would save you the most money.

☆ Consumers keep spending. That might not be good news for them or the Fed
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Alicia Wallace | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

And by November and December, those predictions appeared to be materializing, when data showed consumers had pulled back during the holiday shopping season. During a month chock full of suprisingly strong economic data, the Commerce Department’s retail sales and consumer spending reports far surpassed expectations. “It’s not sustainable to keep spending above their means.”Eyes on the FedHearty consumer spending at a time like this is a double-edged sword, said Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst for Bankrate and CreditCards.com. “The resilience of consumer spending is probably the biggest thing that’s pushed this recession timetable out,” Rossman said. The Home Depot (HD) warned of flat sales for 2023 as consumers continue shift spending from goods to services.

☆ Billions of dollars are locked up in a present that's easily given and forgotten -- gift cards
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Such is the sad fate of gift cards – millions of which go unused each year and have a collective value estimated to be in the billions of dollars. Almost two-thirds of American consumers have at least one unspent gift card tucked away in a drawer, pocket, wallet or purse. A separate study on gift card usage found the average amount on unused gift cards last year was $175 per person, up from $116 in 2021. “I thought with high inflation, people would go to town with their gift cards. Some Visa, Mastercard and American Express gift cards add penalties if they’re not used in a specific period of time, said Stumpf.

U.S. credit card borrowing rates have never been higher and bank lending standards are at recession levels. Many of his colleagues have doubled down on their view that interest rates may need to stay higher for longer. The average U.S. credit card rate is now higher than it has been in at least half a century. This is easily the highest since the comparable data series was started in 2007.chart"It's triple trouble: credit card rates are at record highs, balances are up 15% over the past year, and more people are carrying credit card debt," said Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst at CreditCards.com. "Credit card debt is one of those things that's easy to get into and hard to get out of," he said.

☆ 3 key things to know before opening a home equity line of credit
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-31 | by ( Sarah O'Brien | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Westend61HELOC use rose as cash-out refis droppedLast year, as mortgage rates climbed higher, accessing home equity by taking cash against it during refinancing — a so-called cash-out refi — became less appealing. That compares with personal loan rates of above 10%, for consumers with high credit scores, and about 20% for credit cards, according to CreditCards.com. I would not use a HELOC to buy frivolous things or things you can't afford. "I would not use a HELOC to buy frivolous things or things you can't afford," said certified financial planner David Demming, president of Demming Financial Services in Aurora, Ohio. Here are three key things to consider before signing on the dotted line.

☆ Generation X carries the most credit card debt, study shows. Here's how to get those balances down
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Sarah O'Brien | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Maskot | Digitalvision | Getty ImagesWhen it comes to credit card debt, Generation X may be struggling the most. "I think Gen Xers can be especially squeezed by credit card debt because they're living expensive years right now," said Ted Rossman, senior industry analyst for CreditCards.com. The cost of carrying credit card debt has become higherCredit card balances across all age groups hit $930 billion in the third quarter of 2022, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York's latest quarterly report on household debt. The average credit card now charges a record-high 20.16%, Rossman said. Those calculations, made using Credit Karma's credit card calculator, also assume no additional credit card debt was incurred while paying off that amount.

☆ Premarket stocks: Bruised tech investors are hedging their bets
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-10 | by ( Nicole Goodkind | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

New York CNN —There are two certainties in today’s market: The tech sector has been beaten down and interest rates are higher. What’s happening: Investors are purchasing put options, a bearish bet that a stock will fall during a set period of time, on certain tech stocks at historic rates. The losses also created a booming market for investors who hold put option contracts that allow investors to sell shares of these stocks at a price higher than their current levels. Rising interest rates also dried up the easy money tech companies relied on to fuel big bets on future innovations, and cut into their sky-high valuations. Beyond that, the growing number of layoffs may also give certain tech companies some cover to take more severe steps to trim costs now than they may have otherwise done.

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