New credit card reform or the CARD Act of 2009, goes into effect on February 22, 2010. This legislation signed by President Obama, will serve to protect credit card consumers more than ever before and is the largest piece of legislation ever to be passed related specifically to credit cards.

But, how will it affect you if you are a college student?

In the past, credit card companies have aggressively marketed to college students, spending a great deal of marketing time and money towards students. Credit card companies target college students and convince them to get a credit card now…before they graduate. These companies often “sweetened” the deal with freebies and introductory 0% offers.

In the United States, the age of eighteen seems to be the magic number for young adults. It is the age at which teenagers officially become ‘adults.’ However, the CARD Act will add one more thing to the list of “can’t do’s” for young adults until they reach the age of 21. The new CARD Act will prohibit consumers under the age of 21 from obtaining a credit card.

Of course, there are a few exceptions. These exceptions are:

• If the consumer has a steady flow of income, they may be eligible to get a credit card.
• If the consumer has a responsible co-signer, they may be eligible to get a credit card.

Why?

Barbara Mikulski, a Senator from Maryland, says that the Act is in college students’ best interest. It is supposed to prohibit the old practices of credit card companies…to “weigh” students down with credit card debt before they even graduate.

The CARD Act will help protect college students from what is an ever-increasing amount of credit card debt. Rather than graduating with credit card debt, more college students will graduate with little or no credit history.

Here’s how you can work with the CARD Act to make sure that you can graduate with a credit history.

1. Get a job. It is possible to complete your college studies and have a job at the same time. Millions of students have done it and so can you; proving that you have adequate income to cover your credit card account.

2. Find a co-signer. Find a parent, guardian or spouse that is willing to co-sign with you. This gives you the opportunity to build your credit before you graduate.

It is extremely important for students to graduate with an established credit history. Having an established credit history or not can affect your ability to get a job, buy a home or car and even the rates you pay for insurance. The CARD Act has been established to help all consumers, so let it help you establish credit; even while finishing college.

The new Zync from American Express is the first credit card of it’s kind that let’s applicants choose a “lifestyle pack” that fits them and their purchase habits best. American Express lets you choose one of the following lifestyle packs:

Go Pack - Earn double points on eligible airline tickets and enjoy car rental discounts when you book through American Express Travel. Car rental discounts up to 25% are available from Avis, Budget and Hertz. All points are credited to your Membership Rewards points account and the annual cost is just $25.

Social Pack - Earn double points at qualified resturants and on qualified concert, movie and show tickets. Applicants will also be automatically enrolled to receive emails for advanced ticket access and other benefit information. All points are credited to your Membership Rewards points account and the annual cost is just $25.

Connect Pack - Earn double points on eligible cell phone, cable, broadband and internet services through qualified providers. Applicants who choose this pack will also be eligible to receive 25% discount on the number of Membership Rewards points require for redemption of cell phones and other electronic communication devices. All points are credited to your Membership Rewards points account and the annual cost is just $25.

Eco Pack - Earn double points on eligible purchases at select green merchants rated by Greenopia®. Greenopia selects and rates merchants based on their impact to the environment. Applicants who choose this pack will receive discounts of 25% when redeemed for qualified eco-friendly merchandise and carbon offsets. American Express will also donate $1 to TerraPass to fund reductions in carbon emissions at dairy farms and landfills. All points are credited to your Membership Rewards points account and there is no annual cost.

The Zync from American Express credit card has an annual fee of $25 and features all of the standard cardmembers benefits of an American Express card: Memberships Reward points on every purchase, car rental insurance and road side coverage, and purchase protection. Purchases made through the Bonus Points Mall earn triple points on every purchase with over 250 retailers and all balances must be paid in full each month.

We are pleased to announce the re-release of three American Express credit cards. The highly sought after Blue cards from American Express are once again available on our website and the feature the same great reward programs or cash back. The following Blue cards are now available:

• Blue Cash from American Express - Earn up to 5% cash back
• Blue from American Express - Earn Membership Rewards on every purchase
• Blue Sky from American Express - Earn airline miles or travel rewards on every purchase

Each of the cards also feature a 0% APR for 6 months on purchases and exclusive American Express cardholders benefits.

Diamonds are a girls best friend but sapphires are everyone’s best friend now with the new Chase Sapphire(SM) card.

With the new Sapphire card, Chase is also unveiling it’s new Ultimate Rewards Program. This program lets your rewards be redeemable for almost anything you want.

Some competitor’s reward credit cards charge you an annual fee, but not the Chase Sapphire(SM) card. What sense does it make to let you earn cash back and then take it all away by charging an annual fee? Chase understands you, the customer. That’s exactly why they are giving you the Sapphire card.

Once you apply and are approved for the Chase Sapphire(SM) credit card, you can start using it. Once you make your first purchase, Chase will give you 10,000 bonus points. That’s right, 10,000 bonus points just for using your card.

As with some other reward credit cards, you can earn one point for every dollar you spend. If you shop online with Chase’s preferred retailers, at the Ultimate Rewards Mall, you can earn up to 10 bonus points for every dollar. That gives you the opportunity to earn ten times the rewards when you shop with over 300 retailers. With that kind of opportunity, you should almost always earn ten times the rewards.

The Chase Sapphire(SM) credit card doesn’t just come with cash rewards though. The Sapphire card allows you to earn double bonus points on airfare. In order to receive double bonus points, you must book your flight(s) through Chase’s Online Travel Booking Tool. So, you can take all of the hassle out of your next trip by booking online and earning double bonus points.

This Sapphire comes with many great Travel Benefits as well. You will have complete access to Trip Cancellation Insurance, Travel and Emergency Services, Travel Accident Insurance and Trip Delay coverage. Additionally, Chase offers Lost Luggage Reimbursement, Baggage Delay, Roadside Dispatch and Auto Rental Collision Damage Waiver.

With the Sapphire credit card comes Chase’s unbeatable customer service. You can get personalized customer service 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Chase is confident that you’ll appreciate their customer service. That’s why they put a guarantee on all customer service transactions. You will also be able to use Chase’s complimentary concierge service, Global LifeLine and the Online Account Management feature.

Just wait…it gets so much better with the Chase Sapphire(SM) card. Have you heard of Chase’s new Blueprint program? This program allows you to manage your finances your way. Choose from the Full Pay feature, the Split feature, the Finish It feature, the Track It feature or a combination of the four. You can maximize your credit card experience with Blueprint because it allows you to manage your credit card on your time and the way you want.

No other credit card has it all. The Chase Sapphire(SM) with Ultimate Rewards card does. Go online to see how Sapphires can become your best friend today.