titutions are falling over each other to try and sign consumers up to their credit services. The average household receives 20 unsolicited credit card invitations each year and many of these offers require no credit check, credit history review or income verification. Today, the average American family carries 12 different credit card accounts and we seem to be using them all!

In 2004, 1,562,174 Americans sought protection from creditors through bankruptcy court – a per capita rate over ten times higher than during the worst years of the Great Depression! According to the Consumer Federation of America, in 2003 alone over 9 million consumers made initial calls with a credit counseling agency and in 2004 close to 2 million consumers were actually enrolled in varying types of assistance plans. These numbers clearly indicate that personal debt in the United States is higher than it has ever been and financial stress is very much a reality for millions of Americans, across all segments of society.

But how did this come to be? The economy has been relatively strong for over a decade so it can’t be about slow economic cycles. Why are so many Americans finding it difficult to handle debt loads? Is bankruptcy the inevitable conclusion for many of us? All financial experts are in agreement that in most cases, bankruptcy is not a pre-ordained outcome if help is sought early. However, given the type of consumer driven society we live in today, there is nothing to suggest that the rate of bankruptcies is going to decline.

IT HAS NEVER BEEN EASIER TO GET CREDIT

Personal debt in this country has now surpassed the 1.7 trillion dollar mark and continues to soar. 1995 was the first year American consumers used credit cards more than cash in the economy and there has been no looking back. The financial services sector is an extremely competitive multi-billion dollar industry and financial institutions are falling over each other to try and sign consumers up to their credit services. The average household receives 20 unsolicited credit card invitations each year and many of these offers require no credit check, credit history review or income verification. Today, the average American family carries 12 different credit card accounts and we seem to be using them all!

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varying types of assistance plans. These numbers clearly indicate that personal debt in the United States is higher than it has ever been and financial stress is very much a reality for millions of Americans, across all segments of society.

But how did this come to be? The economy has been relatively strong for over a decade so it can’t be about slow economic cycles. Why are so many Americans finding it difficult to handle debt loads? Is bankruptcy the inevitable conclusion for many of us? All financial experts are in agreement that in most cases, bankruptcy is not a pre-ordained outcome if help is sought early. However, given the type of consumer driven society we live in today, there is nothing to suggest that the rate of bankruptcies is going to decline.

IT HAS NEVER BEEN EASIER TO GET CREDIT

Personal debt in this country has now surpassed the 1.7 trillion dollar mark and continues to soar. 1995 was the first year American consumers used credit cards more than cash in the economy and there has been no looking back. The financial services sector is an extremely competitive multi-billion dollar industry and financial institutions are falling over each other to try and sign consumers up to their credit services. The average household receives 20 unsolicited credit card invitations each year and many of these offers require no credit check, credit history review or income verification. Today, the average American family carries 12 different credit card accounts and we seem to be using them all!

so many Americans finding it difficult to handle debt loads? Is bankruptcy the inevitable conclusion for many of us? All financial experts are in agreement that in most cases, bankruptcy is not a pre-ordained outcome if help is sought early. However, given the type of consumer driven society we live in today, there is nothing to suggest that the rate of bankruptcies is going to decline.

IT HAS NEVER BEEN EASIER TO GET CREDIT

Personal debt in this country has now surpassed the 1.7 trillion dollar mark and continues to soar. 1995 was the first year American consumers used credit cards more than cash in the economy and there has been no looking back. The financial services sector is an extremely competitive multi-billion dollar industry and financial institutions are falling over each other to try and sign consumers up to their credit services. The average household receives 20 unsolicited credit card invitations each year and many of these offers require no credit check, credit history review or income verification. Today, the average American family carries 12 different credit card accounts and we seem to be using them all!

.

IT HAS NEVER BEEN EASIER TO GET CREDIT

Personal debt in this country has now surpassed the 1.7 trillion dollar mark and continues to soar. 1995 was the first year American consumers used credit cards more than cash in the economy and there has been no looking back. The financial services sector is an extremely competitive multi-billion dollar industry and financial institutions are falling over each other to try and sign consumers up to their credit services. The average household receives 20 unsolicited credit card invitations each year and many of these offers require no credit check, credit history review or income verification. Today, the average American family carries 12 different credit card accounts and we seem to be using them all!

titutions are falling over each other to try and sign consumers up to their credit services. The average household receives 20 unsolicited credit card invitations each year and many of these offers require no credit check, credit history review or income verification. Today, the average American family carries 12 different credit card accounts and we seem to be using them all!

And if it wasn’t enough that the financial services companies are trying to tempt everyone with credit they might not be able to afford, retailers have also joined this game. Merchant specific credit cards were originally introduced as a way to gain customer loyalty by providing a convenience when shopping at the same store. As major ticket consumer goods have risen in price, retailers have had to come up with innovative ways to keep moving these products. Advertising no down payments, or no payments for a full year has appealed to our collective desire to enjoy today and pay tomorrow. It has allowed retailers to continue moving their products and whether planned or not, has resulted in a new cash cow because most people don’t pay off their cards every month. In fact, 88% of all consumers who buy products under deals where there is a grace period before any payment is due or interest is charged end up converting and keeping the amount on their credit cards. At interest rates of between 20 and 30% for most retail cards, this has become a very profitable activity for the merchants.

This last point bears further analysis. Financial institutions and retailers offering credit terms make an enormous sum of money on interest fees and late payments. Again, consider the average American household. The debt carried on those 12 credit cards equates on average to $8000.00 dollars. According to VISA, 48% of us cover only minimum payments from month to month so assume for this example $200. Provided these cards will not be