Jamie Feldman

She worked for nearly 20 years for some of the heaviest hitters in the banking world, Visa, JPMorgan Chase, and Citi in the marketing department.

She worked for nearly 20 years for some of the heaviest hitters in the banking world, Visa, JPMorgan Chase, and Citi in the marketing department.

Not to brag, but I was the perfect credit card customer. I carried my balance diligently for 10 years, only ever making the minimum payments.

Not to brag, but I was the perfect credit card customer. I carried my balance diligently for 10 years, only ever making the minimum payments.

Elena says that most people get charged late fees when they pay their bill mere hours after it's due.

Elena says that most people get charged late fees when they pay their bill mere hours after it's due.

Everyone we spoke to echoed the sentiment.

Everyone we spoke to echoed the sentiment.

Just building credit. If Americans know one thing about credit, it's that we need to have a good credit score.

Just building credit. If Americans know one thing about credit, it's that we need to have a good credit score.

We need one to get an apartment, a phone plan, a mortgage, a business loan, utilities, a second phone plan. And we think that we have to have a credit card to build that good score. But not everyone thinks this way.

We need one to get an apartment, a phone plan, a mortgage, a business loan, utilities, a second phone plan. And we think that we have to have a credit card to build that good score. But not everyone thinks this way.

Sarah's beat is finance, but it was only when she came to America that she had to learn about consumer debt.

Sarah's beat is finance, but it was only when she came to America that she had to learn about consumer debt.

And that's the way it used to be in America as well. Credit bureaus have existed since the 1800s. But back then, they were only used to determine credit for business loans, not to determine your ability to do things like buy a house.

And that's the way it used to be in America as well. Credit bureaus have existed since the 1800s. But back then, they were only used to determine credit for business loans, not to determine your ability to do things like buy a house.

Whoa, that's the year I was born. So the credit score is just a little baby like me and Taylor Swift?

Whoa, that's the year I was born. So the credit score is just a little baby like me and Taylor Swift?

Oh, OK. So the credit score is meant to standardize lending, like to make it less subjective. So women like Donna and minorities and basically anyone else locked out of the old boys club could get access to lending, too.

Oh, OK. So the credit score is meant to standardize lending, like to make it less subjective. So women like Donna and minorities and basically anyone else locked out of the old boys club could get access to lending, too.