Revolving cards: A financial analysis of the credit repayment and legal implications

Abstract

The framework of this paper is credit card holding by users and consumers, more specifically, the so-called revolving cards. In most cases, the true interest rate applied to a credit is much higher than its nominal interest rate. Usually, this is due to the existence of some fees to be paid by the holder, and to the process of splitting the periods of interest. However, the contracted annual interest rate of revolving cards is very high which, together with the peculiar amortization system, gives rise to an excessive amount of interests. The objective of this paper is to describe and analyze, from a legal and financial point of view, the main characteristics of the credit repayment in revolving cards. We conclude that the complete amortization of the principal needs a long duration and the payment of a high amount of interests.