Has Credit CARD Act Protected Gen Y Consumers?

May 2, 2012 by Tamara Bell

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Eboni S. Nelson, law professor, University of South Carolina

Eboni S. Nelson is a University of South Carolina law professor who teaches Contracts, Commercial Law, and Consumer Law. Her analysis of the Credit CARD Act of 2009 in protecting young consumers appeared in the April issue of the Banking and Financial Services Policy Report. A graduate of Harvard Law School, Eboni’s interests include education law and policy.

It’s been two years since the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility, and Disclosure Act went into effect. It was supposed to stop the predatory policies that banks were using to lure middle- and lower-income Americans, including college students, into deeper debt while lining their own pockets. But how successful has it been in helping Gen Y in changing attitudes about credit card usage and overcoming indebtedness? Eboni joins Keeping Up with Gen Y to break down the specifics of the CARD Act and how effective it has been in protecting the next generation’s financial futures. She also provides tips on how Gen Y can use credit cards wisely as well as how those in trouble can fix their credit problems now.

Filed Under: Business Tagged With: college students, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Credit CARD Act of 2009, credit card industry, credit cards, debt, Eboni S. Nelson, Federal Reserve Board, Generation Y, Keeping Up with Gen Y, tamara bell, U.S. Congress, University of South Carolina, young consumers

About Tamara Bell

Tamara Bell is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of Y Gen Out Loud, a nonprofit, nonpartisan news organization that provides a platform for Generation Yto discuss national politics and public policy issues.

Tamara began her journalism career as a staff reporter for the Dallas Times Herald. A few years later, she moved to York, Pa., as a political reporter for the York Dispatch, covering local, state, and national government as well as writing investigative stories for the mid-sized daily newspaper.

A Texas girl at heart, Tamara returned to Dallas a year later to work as press relations director for the re-election campaign of U.S. Rep. John Bryant. The next year, she moved to Austin and the Texas Legislature, where she stayed for 15 years. While at the Legislature, Tamara worked for Democratic House members as Chief-of-Staff and Press Secretary, and as a Senior Policy Analyst for the Senate State Affairs Committee chaired by a Republicansenator.

In 1996, Tamara became co-owner of a political newsletter covering state issues and elections. As Editor-in-Chief, Tamara helped shape the weekly publication into a must-read for state officials, legislative aides, and lobbyists. More recently, Tamara wrote a regular column analyzing coverage by the Texas Capitol Press Corps for an online political publication. She also works as a lecturer in the Advertising Department at The University of Texasat Austin.

Tamara has also been a judge for the 2010 Bright Ideas Award given by the Texas Daily Newspaper Association, served as a panelist at the Society of Professional Journalists 2010 Region 8 Conference where the theme was How to Save Journalism, and has been a guest lecture for the Advertising Department’s Internship course, speaking about the jobs outlook for graduating seniors.

Tamara earned her M.A. and Ph.D. in Journalism from The University of Texas at Austin, and her B.A. in Journalism from Texas A&M University. She resides in Austin with her son, Jackson.

Tamara Bell is also the Host of Keeping Up with Gen Y on WomensRadio. Keeping Up with Gen Y offers discussions, interviews, and commentary about important issues of the day from the perspective of Generation Y (18-to 30-years-old). Aimed at all generations interested in learning about and inspiring young people, this show features professionals, experts, researchers, and members of Gen Y who share insights and experiences about the topics on the minds of today’s young adults.