The CARD Act, passed in 2009, is meant to help safeguard consumers. One provision of bill requires something simple. That credit cannot be issued unless the person getting the credit can prove that they can repay the obligation. The law may have severe unintentional consequences, however. Some stay-at-home spouses may lose financial freedom. Resource for this article – CARD Act could strip stay-at-home partners of financial identity by MoneyBlogNewz.
Rules the CARD Act put together
There are lots of provisions in the CARD Act. The point is to stop credit card abuse and protect customers. In the Act, the way income is viewed changes. There are new rules for businesses. Community property and household income can no longer be considered as “income” on an application for credit. Applications can only have individual income. One person’s income is put there. Customers will not be able to over qualify for credit without money with this law.
How the CARD Act will impact customers
Stay at home parents may have difficulty with the CARD Act rules. There may be one person who works while the other stays at home. In this case, the CARD Act makes it very hard for that stay at home person to get credit. Anyone without money will be prevented from getting a charge card, which might be good. Nevertheless, it hurts stay-at-home spouses that have to build credit individually. Problems would take place if the relationship ended when it comes to finances if the person does not have credit.
Troubles with the CARD Act and property that belongs to a community
In all the 50 U.S., there is some “community property.” This is only in 10 of them though. This shared property law, which can be superseded by any pre- or post-nuptial agreement, means that partners in a marriage have equal share of anything earned during the marriage. The CARD Act demands finances to be split in half for couples in community property states. Any couples in other states won’t be able to help out the other partner when it comes to credit loans or debts with the CARD Act.
What the CARD Act means to you
Stay-at-home partners may have a difficult time with the CARD Act. This could be you. If you stay at home and don’t have paying employment, you may be required to get your partner’s signature on every little thing from credit card applications to unsecured loans. Try and get a good credit history. This can help you a lot. Try to keep some kind of employment going. Also, talk about finances with your partner regularly.
Information from
NCLC
nclc.org/
The Library of Congress
thomas.loc.gov/cgi-bin/bdquery/z?d111:HR00627:@@@D&summ2=m&