http://www.bankrate.com/bos/news/debt/20050503a1.asp
This article took awhile to digest! First thought that came to me is this: what am I to do? Second: this policy seems awfully unfair, especially since the U.S. gov't just made it more difficult to declare bankruptcy. Third: it seems like my freedom to deal with my own debt load has been taken away from me. This strikes me as a really stupid move for all those involved politically! And a disaster for the economy...as the middle class is over its head in debt and any nudge will send this country into a recession or even depression.
I called Citibank by the way; it seems like their customer service department has been outsourced. I asked the fellow on the other line about the doubling of minimum payments, and he didn't understand me nor note whether in fact this doubling of minimum payments was even for real!!