The student-loan defaults have hit their highest level in nine years due to the weak economy and high unemployment rates. It could eventually cost the government billions of dollars and harm the creditworthiness of the next generation.

The federal student loan borrowers are said to be in default if they don’t pay for 270 days. According to the most recent figures given by the Department of Education, the default rate rose to 6.7% for fiscal 2007 from 5.2% in fiscal 2006.

The rate depicts the number of borrowers whose first loan repayments were due between Oct. 1, 2006, and Sept. 30, 2007, and who defaulted before Sept. 30, 2008.

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Even in this difficult time, credit card companies have been seen increasing interest rates on unwary customers throughout the country. Moreover, there is no limit to the rise in rates, as some customers have even had there rates doubled.

Earlier this year, when the Congress passed the legislation to protect consumers against unfair practices, many banks started making changes to their credit card terms. This was done because once the law is enforced; it will prohibit banks from increasing interest rates unexpectedly on existing balances unless the debtor is more than 60 days behind on payments.

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There have been several changes in the college financial aid system. Here are the six most important developments.

1. More generous Pell grants

The Pell grant is one of the most important kinds of federal student aid that is available. Dependent students with family incomes up to about $50,000 are eligible for this kind of grant. Independent students who have low incomes can also avail this grant. Every year, the Congress sets the maximum grant. The maximum grant was $4,731 in 2008-09; and in 2009-10, it will be $5,350.

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It might be unbelievable for many, but the Federal Reserve Bank has actually succeeded in making profit from the financial crisis.

The Fed has had $14 billion as profits made on loans disbursed in the past two years, according to an internal estimate obtained by the Financial Times.

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Recently, the congress passed a misguided credit card law, the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009, which makes you pay more on every credit card bill, even if your credit is good, or your credit card balance is low.

You may end up paying an annual fee, losing your percentage rebates, your cash back, or your rewards program.

The new law puts a limit to the credit card companies’ ability to increase rates on credit card balances, even if a cardholder’s balance has been rapidly increasing.

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If we look into history of different countries we will find that different countries faced the financial crises at different times. As the world is facing now financial crisis now also, the question comes in mind that who are those who run this finance horse, what are the reasons which leads to financial crises? Or is there is someone who is holding all the strings and keep them pulling? So many questions come in mind when mind starts thinking about it.

Well I had searched about this and compiled these ten nasty crises. Check out these ten dramatic crises.

1 – Argentine economic crisis (1999 – 2002)

Argentinean economy was destabilized in 1980s when Latin American Crisis struck it. Argentine was an import dependent country where people usually convert their peso into dollars to feel secure. The high inflation rate leads its currency to lose the confidence and adding oil to fire the government that time spent generously on itself while ignoring the country’s crumbling industrial infrastructure.

Mexico and Brazil were the major trade partners of the Argentine in 1980s both countries suffered the economic crises which spread out in Latin America. Brazil’s currency was devalued in 1999 that damaged a lot Argentinean exports and adding fuel to fire the dollar was revalued giving a harsh blow to Argentinean Peso.

Till 1999 the country was having 3^rd consistent year of economic decline but the government haven’t devalued the peso, which made the crisis worse. In such conditions the investors ran on banks for dollars to send abroad for safety. Meanwhile the government freezes everyone’s bank accounts. This step of the government raised violence amongst citizens and protests through out country were started. The government was collapsed in 2001. While in crisis the people were bartering for goods because lack of cash, many people eked out a living by scavenging cardboard for recycling plants.

The new government 1^st tried to setup a third currency between dollar and peso but that failed. Then it instructed the banks to convert all dollars into pesos. That step worked and peso was lead to diminish in value. Because of that exports got higher and in meanwhile the government tightened its tax policies, improves social welfare, encourages business growth and put the reserve dollars up for sale in market. The country got the surplus trade because of its agricultural products anyhow its still struggling with inflation.

Lesson

Freezing bank accounts leads the crises to get worst. It can’t be a smart step to tackle the crisis.

2 – Russian Financial Crisis (1998)

The Russian government in 1993 introduced inflation-free short-term treasury bills known as GKOs to finance the country’s deficit. GKOs were traded on currency exchanges. Most of it was state owning while only 1/3 of funding came from foreign speculators who were attracted by high interest rates. Like a classic Ponzi scheme the government used proceeds from sales of new GKOs to payoff interest on matured bills.

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Federal regulators have seized the Omni National Bank of Atlanta. It has become the 21st bank in 2009 to fail. As the recession began, it has become the 46th bank in the list to fail. Six former branches of Omni National Bank will be operated by the Sun Trust Bank of Atlanta until April 27. This closure has caused the highest unemployment in a quarter century.

The status of the bank on March 09 was that it was containing $956 million in assets and in deposits $796.8 million. It was shut by the Office of Comptroller of Currency and Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). FDIC has further announced that Omni’s six branches will be controlled by SunTrust Banks Incorporation of Atlanta.

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