Source: Michelle Singletary, Washington Post ( Free Registration )

The reports just keep coming that consumers are still having difficulty paying their debts.

One of the latest is the Consumer Credit Delinquency Bulletin from the American Bankers Association. The bulletin found that the percentage of home-equity lines of credit that were more than 30 days past due rose 14 basis points, to 1.1 percent, during the first quarter (seasonally adjusted). This was the highest recorded rate for this category since 1997. Bank card delinquencies rose 13 basis points, to 4.51 percent. Auto and personal loan delinquencies also increased.

“It was a tough quarter for some people,” said James Chessen, the ABA’s chief economist. “Faced with rising food and gas prices and little income growth, fewer resources have been available to manage debt.”

Read Full Article: Creditors garnishing protected funds