What happens if my card payment is returned?
Returned card payments can bring on a variety of fees and may harm your credit.
3 min read
Dec 07, 2022
EXPERTISE
- Consumer law
- Monetary policy
- Debt management
- Mortgages
EDUCATION
- MBA and BA in Economics from accredited Indian universities
- M.A. in Journalism, University of Mississippi
Making good financial decisions enables people to get more out of life, and I’m happy to contribute to that endeavor.
— Poonkulali Thangavelu
Highlights
- Extensive journalism experience covering personal finance and business topics
- Covered home price fluctuations leading up to the housing market crash
- Views credit cards as a good financial resource to draw on, if used wisely
Experience
Poonkulali Thangavelu is a senior writer and columnist at CreditCards.com and Bankrate, addressing debt and credit card-related legal and regulatory issues.
She believes that making good financial decisions enables people to get more out of life and is happy to contribute to this endeavor. She uses credit cards extensively and sees them as a good financial resource to draw on, if used wisely.
She has extensive journalism experience covering personal finance and business topics. She draws on her financial expertise (she holds an MBA degree, with finance and marketing concentrations, as well as a BA in economics from accredited Indian universities, in addition to an M.A. in journalism from the University of Mississippi, where she was awarded a graduate assistantship) and likes to simplify the subject matter to enable readers to make good decisions. And she has participated in the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton seminars for business journalists program to keep abreast of business topics.
While covering the mortgage market for National Mortgage News, she curated and edited a newsletter targeting the home-equity lending niche of the mortgage industry. In this role, she cautioned that home prices were getting out of hand in the period leading to the housing market crash that started in 2006.
She has also contributed to multiple business and consumer-oriented publishers, including Investopedia, CreditKarma and Multi-Housing News. Her work has been picked up by various national publishers such as the San Francisco Gate, Chicago Tribune and McGraw Hill, along with being syndicated to Fidelity, MSN, Nasdaq, Yahoo! and others.
Her career includes a stint doing consumer market research for global advertising agency Ogilvy (formerly Ogilvy & Mather) as well as experience as an equity analyst and writer.
Making good financial decisions enables people to get more out of life, and I’m happy to contribute to that endeavor.
— Poonkulali Thangavelu
Poonkulali's latest articles
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I received a store card I didn’t apply for. Should I cancel it?
What do you do if you receive a credit card you didn’t apply for?
3 min read Dec 05, 2022 -
Can a hotel charge a friend’s card on file for damage I caused?
If someone else pays for your stay, are they on the hook for your damage?
3 min read Dec 02, 2022 -
Should I go with BNPL or credit card?
Should you go with BNPL financing or credit cards?
5 min read Nov 22, 2022 -
Can a credit card lender come after my rental property?
Can credit card issuers seize a rental property if the owner falls behind on payments?
3 min read Nov 10, 2022 -
Is it safe to give out my card details over the phone?
How much protection do you have when giving out account info over the phone?
3 min read Nov 08, 2022 -
Credit card debt continued to rise in October, per Fed report
Credit card debt rose 10.4 percent annualized in October, while overall consumer debt gained 6.9 percent.
4 min read Nov 07, 2022 -
Why you should avoid deferred interest offers
Deferred interest offers make it hard to avoid paying high interest rates
4 min read Nov 04, 2022 -
Why are credit card APRs so high?
Credit card interest rates have a high mark up over the prime rate. Why are card APRs so high?
4 min read Nov 02, 2022 -
How the Fed affects credit cards
The Fed continues its fight against inflation and is expected to take rates higher in September.
4 min read Nov 02, 2022 -
5 ‘must-haves’ in a bankruptcy lawyer
Selecting the right lawyer can mean the difference between eventual rebound and long-term pain.
4 min read Oct 17, 2022 -
Is it safe to give an app my credit card information?
Is it safe to give an app my credit card information?
2 min read Oct 13, 2022 -
Can you use a credit card for political donations?
You can use a card to make political donations, but there are pitfalls to avoid.
3 min read Oct 12, 2022 -
How high can a credit card’s interest rate go?
There’s no limit on how high your credit card interest rates can go
3 min read Oct 04, 2022 -
Can a credit card charge a late fee on a late fee?
Late fees get charged interest once they’re part of your balance.
3 min read Sep 30, 2022
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What are usury laws and maximum interest rates?
The CARD Act doesn’t set a cap on interest rates, but there are things you can do if your rate rises.
5 min read Dec 23, 2021
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Capital One Quicksilver vs. Citi Double Cash Card
The Citi Double Cash earns the most rewards, but the Capital One Quicksilver offers some additional benefits that might be more valuable to some cardholders.
6 min read Dec 09, 2022 -
Citi Premier vs. Chase Sapphire Preferred
The Citi Premier and Chase Sapphire Preferred are both solid rewards cards.
5 min read Dec 07, 2022 -
A complete guide to Amazon financing and payment plans
Need extra time to pay for your Amazon purchases? Find out your financing options here.
6 min read Nov 21, 2022 -
Debit vs. credit: What’s the best way to pay?
Credit versus debit is an age old debate, but there are pros and cons to each.
7 min read Sep 20, 2022 -
Capital One Spark Cash Plus vs. Chase Ink Business Cash
Business owners looking for cash back rewards may want to consider the Capital One Spark Cash Plus or the Ink Business Cash Credit Card.
7 min read Apr 04, 2022 -
How to cancel a credit card without hurting your credit score
Canceling a credit card delivers a hit to your credit score, but you can minimize the damage. Here’s how.
3 min read Mar 29, 2022 -
Should I use a personal loan to pay off credit card debt?
Using a personal loan to pay off credit card debt can be a huge financial relief—but is a personal loan your best option?
7 min read Mar 29, 2022 -
Will your credit card work abroad?
Your credit card might not work in a foreign country. Here are some tips when traveling.
4 min read Mar 24, 2022 -
Why the Amex Gold is great for traveling foodies
Use the Amex Gold to earn rewards on dining, groceries and travel. Then, take advantage of boosted rewards redemption through the Amex Travel portal.
4 min read Mar 24, 2022 -
Why I made my child an authorized user on my credit card
Learn the benefits of making your child an authorized user on your credit card.
5 min read Feb 11, 2022 -
What income do you need to get a credit card?
Learn the minimum income requirements needed to qualify for a credit card and what counts as income.
4 min read Feb 01, 2022 -
How to apply for a credit card with an ITIN number
The Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) may be the key you need to open that elusive credit card door.
3 min read Jan 25, 2022 -
When to apply for a credit card after bankruptcy
After a bankruptcy filing, the task of repairing your credit begins. But how soon can you apply for new credit?
4 min read Jan 19, 2022 -
How to help your kids build credit
Parents have many options, from debit cards and prepaid cards to secured credit cards and making their child an authorized user. Which is best?
8 min read Jan 14, 2022 -
What happens if you don’t use your credit card?
Here’s how you should be thinking about those unused credit cards in your wallet.
3 min read Jan 11, 2022