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Credit Card Interest Rates Hit Highest Level in More Than 25 Years

The average is now almost 18% and it’s likely to move higher soon. 

     

Photographer: David Paul Morris/Bloomberg
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The average interest rate for credit cards just reached the highest level since 1996 — and it’s likely to get even worse soon.

Consumers who carry a balance on credit cards are paying an average annual interest rate of 17.96%, according to Bankrate.com. That compares to 16.21% at this time last year.