The bill arrives and nothing looks unusual—until the interest rate does. It’s higher than expected, higher than last time, and higher than what a lifetime of on-time payments seems to deserve.
For many older Americans, this moment has become oddly common. No missed payments. No maxed-out cards. Just a creeping sense that the rules changed while no one was watching. They did, and the ripple effects are landing squarely on borrowers who thought experience counted for something.
