Retirement Strategies - Credit Cards

Having a credit card is often a necessity for most senior citizens – from paying for medicine and emergencies to booking a vacation. But for seniors living on a fixed income, there are concerns about carrying a large balance from month to month and running up significant interest charges. In the worst cases, the debt becomes unmanageable and a major source of stress for the account holder and the family.

Another problem for seniors is having too many credit cards. That's because the more cards you have, the more opportunities you have to get into debt. And that possibility could make it tougher for you to get the best deal the next time you apply for a loan, insurance, a mortgage or an apartment. Having a lot of cards also can make it harder to keep track of when your monthly payments are due or to even realize that a thief may have stolen one of your cards.

More information regarding credit cards may be found in the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) publication Choosing and Using Credit Cards at www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/choose. You can also call the FTC toll-free at 1-877-382-4357.