Download This PaperPlacing Consumers at the Front of the Relief Effort: Redirecting Credit Card Interest Charges
4 Pages Posted: 6 Apr 2020 Last revised: 21 May 2020
Date Written: April 5, 2020
Abstract
Catastrophes including the COVID19 pandemic of 2019-2020 impose great financial stress on consumers. This op-ed proposes the distribution of economic relief directly to consumers by authorizing credit card issuers to bill Congress for portions of the interest that otherwise would be charged to cardholders. Significant benefits include expanding access to consumer credit when it otherwise would be expected to diminish, reduced consumer default rates and bank charge-offs, and greater stimulus to overall economic welfare.
Keywords: credit card, COVID, coronavirus, interest charges, banks, financial institutions
JEL Classification: K1, K2, K4, I3, O2, O4
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation
Norman I. Silber (Contact Author)
Hofstra University - Maurice A. Deane School of Law ( email )
121 Hofstra University
Hempstead, NY 11549
United States
516 463 5866 (Phone)
516 463 4962 (Fax)