1.   If the card issuer raises the interest rate, it will apply only to new purchases.

2.   In recent months, credit card issuers have been raising fees, strictly enforcing due dates for payments and sharply boosting interest rates for customers they consider risky.

3.   Municipal bonds were little changed Tuesday as issuers raised yields on some offerings in response to investor concerns about potential revisions in the tax code.

4.   Once a consumer starts falling behind on payments or exceeds his or her credit limit, these issuers often just raise their limit.

5.   Sometimes card issuers are raising rates, lowering credit limits, or doing both in a pre-emptive move to lessen damage from the recession.

6.   The IRS revised the guidelines last month to address questions raised by issuers.