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This study by Bankrate surprised me as it showed 63% of millenials don’t have credit cards.  Two questions for students:

1. Why do you think almost 2/3 of millenials don’t have a credit card?  This account from a millenial (Money) provides some of the reasons why:

• 2009 law that makes it difficult to get card before age of 21
• Don’t trust banks
• Student loan debt
• Seen the damage caused by excessive credit card debt
• Don’t know what we are missing

2.  What are implications of not having credit card?  It may be difficult to build a credit history so when you are ready to borrow to buy a car or get a mortgage you may be turned down or pay higher interest rates.  I expect that credit bureaus are hard at work to establish other measures to help lenders determine credit risk since this is an issue with a majority of millenials.

About the Author

Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.