THUMBS DOWN: Paying Bills Late Is at an All-time High

If you're a physician who has paid abill late at one time or another, you'renot alone. Chronic bill-paying tardinessis becoming a national epidemic. Infact, increasing numbers of Americansare paying their bills more than 30 dayslate, according to the Association of IndependentConsumer Credit CounselingAgencies (AICCCA). A report by theAmerican Bankers Association revealedthat credit card payments made over amonth late rose to a record high of4.81% for the April to June 2005 period.If you're having trouble with late payments,the AICCCA recommends thatyou take steps to correct the problem.Figure out precisely what you owe, soyou know where you stand. Then, take aclose look at your daily spending habitsto determine what you can cut back onto save money to apply to the creditpayment. And most importantly, stopcharging altogether so you don't makethe problem worse. If you find thatyou're still ringing up charges and yourpayments are out of control, seek helpfrom a certified credit counselor. Call800-450-1794 or visit www.aiccca.orgto find a credit counselor near you.