Home > Credit Card News, Featured Articles
Obama Proposes Initiative for Making Credit Terms Easier to Understand
December 12, 2011 - 10:13 amIn 2009, a number of improvements were made to credit card statements and agreements in an effort to help consumers better understand their credit card policies. The 2010 Dodd-Frank law created a federal agency, The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, for protecting consumers against potentially abusive practices of mortgage lenders and credit card companies. On Wednesday, December 6th, the Obama administration announced another initiative for helping consumers understand their credit card terms, as the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has discovered that consumers are still confused over credit card issues.
There are more than 500 million credit cards in circulation in the United States, accounting for about $700 billion of household debts.
Bank Industry Concerns
Banking industry officials expressed concerns over the initiative which would result in credit card agreements with fewer pages, fearing it would put them at a higher risk for lawsuits. A prototype credit card agreement was released by The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to the American Bankers Association. The association’s chief counsel, Kenneth Clayton, said while the association supports the bureau’s goal, he felt the credit card agreement prototype raises liability concerns that could be improved and made even shorter.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will allow the general public to view the prototype agreement and offer their opinion as well. Most banks use an average of 5,000 words in their credit card agreement, and the prototype uses just 1,100.
Similar Posts
Popular Cards
Fair Credit Score- 0% Intro APR on purchases for 9 months.
- 5% Cashback Bonus® in categories that change like travel, department stores, gas, groceries, restaurants, and more.
- Up to 1% unlimited Cashback Bonus on everything else you buy.
- $0 Fraud Liability
- No Annual Fee
- 0% Intro APR on purchases for 9 months.
- 5% Cashback Bonus® in categories that change like travel, department stores, gas, groceries, restaurants, and more.
- Up to 1% unlimited Cashback Bonus on everything else you buy.
- $0 Fraud Liability
- No Annual Fee
- Earn Cashback Bonus for your good credit management
- 3.99% intro APR on purchases and balance transfers for 15 months, then the variable purchase APR of 11.99% - 20.99%
- Up to 20% Cashback Bonus at popular online retailers when you shop through Discover.com
- Discover is ranked #1 in customer loyalty--15 years in a row! (2011 Brand Keys Customer Loyalty Engagement Index report)
- 24/7 access to a U.S. based Account Manager within 60 seconds
- $0 Fraud Liability plus automatic mobile and email fraud alerts
- Great rewards with no annual fee, no rewards redemption fee, and no additional card fee
- Check your Report
See who's been checking your credit. Look for potential inaccuracies and unauthorized activity. - Guard your Identity
We'll closely monitor** your Experian® Equifax® and TransUnion® Credit Reports every day. - Know your Score
Higher scores usually mean lower interest rates on new loans, which could save you money.







