The bad economy means parents can't afford tuition, which means kids are taking on more of the cost themselves, which means their credit cards are busting at the seams. Are we going to be paying for that trickle down for years to come?

Your card's been cut off abruptly -- that's bad news. Here's some worse news: You found out when you tried to use it in front of clients, at a restaurant. Furious? Here's the worst news of all: It's happening more and more, and there's not much you can do after you've been cut off without warning. But a couple of tips might keep you from getting dumped. Find out how.

Some Citibank cardholders have been encouraged to make a deal this spring: pay more than the minimum, and get as much as $550 credited to your account. Oh, and stop using your card for up to eight months. And agree to have your credit limit lowered, whether you complete the promotion or fail. Sound like a good deal? Well, maybe for the right customer. But for others, it's a serious gamble. So what's this offer really about, for Citibank and its customers? Read on to learn more about the perils of the cash-back offer.

Faced with rising unemployment and falling home values, skittish consumers are trimming their credit card balances at the fastest rate since 1976, data from the Federal Reserve shows. Banks' moves to reduce card limits are reinforcing the trend.

While nearly three-quarters of identity-theft victims scratch their heads, wondering just how their security was compromised the rest of us know exactly whodunnit: a desperate relative, an untrustworthy co-worker -- even, believe it or not, a so-called "friend." For more results from a shocking survey, read on.

A list of credit-card reforms sought by the nonprofit foundation Pew Charitable Trust would end credit-card industry practices it deems "unsafe and deceptive" to consumers, including bait-and-switch interest rates and severe late-payment penalties. Read on for the details.

Have you noticed recent changes to your credit cards that you hadn't counted on? Perhaps a hike in your interest rate, or in the minimum payment due? Or maybe something's dropped -- say, your credit limit? Well, you wouldn't be alone. Seems these days that anything goes in the wild, woolly, desperate world of credit cards, and the risk-averse institutions that issue and back them.

So how can you protect yourself from the unexpected? Read on for a handy guide to today's minefield of credit-card booby-traps.

Your credit card just got hit with an interest-rate hike and you're furious -- maybe furious enough to cancel it. But before you do, think it over. Canceling could hurt you just as easily it might help. Read on to find out why.

April 15 doesn't have to be a day of dread. Think of it as a chance to get your finances in order, addressing credit-report problems, building an account to cushion unexpected expenses, setting savings goals -- and even allowing yourself a little fun. Read on for more details about how to grant yourself greater financial tranquility.