Credit card delinquencies predicted to remain low in 2012

TransUnion recently took a look at credit card delinquency trends and put forth some predictions for the coming year.

According to the report, credit card delinquency rates (counted as those more than 90 days late on a credit card payment) – which reached their lowest levels in 17 years earlier in the second quarter (Q2) of 2011 – are expected to stay at low levels in 2012.

“Credit card delinquencies are expected to remain fairly steady in 2012 ranging between 0.69% and 0.76% — levels far below those typically observed in the last 15 years,” Steve Chaouki, group vice president in TransUnion’s financial services business unit, said in a statement.

More specifically, TransUnion forecasts credit card delinquency rates to drop about 7 percent in the coming year – from 0.74 percent in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2011 to 0.69 percent in Q4 2012.

“In today’s uncertain economy, consumers have found that credit cards are among their most valued assets due to the flexibility they provide,” Chaouki said. “As a result, consumers have made a concerted effort to make on-time payments and maintain relatively low balances.”

According to Chaouki, both credit card delinquency rates and overall credit card debt levels have been showing positive trends lately.

“In fact, credit card debt per borrower in the third quarter of 2011 stood at $4,762, approximately $1,000 less than the second quarter of 2009, the quarter in which the recession ended,” Chaouki said.

Only eleven states should see an increase in credit card delinquency rates in 2012, TransUnion said. The remaining 39 states (plus the District of Columbia) should all see credit card delinquency rates drop in the next twelve months.

Delaware, Oklahoma and California are forecasted to see the most positive improvement, while Connecticut, Missouri and Louisiana might see delinquency rates jump the most.

Posted in: Business Credit Cards, Consumer Credit Cards, Student Credit Cards

Business Credit Cards News: This article was published on 12-22-2011 at 10:07 am.

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