CREDIT CRUNCH HITS AUTO LOANS, TOO

It's not just home-loan borrowers who are feeling the current credit pinch -- auto-loan holders are finding it a tough road, too.
According to the American Bankers Association, delinquencies on indirect auto loans reached more than 3 percent in the fourth quarter of last year -- the highest rate in at least 17 years.

What may or may not make loan holders happy? "If you're going through it right now, you're not alone," says an ABA spokesperson about the current fiscal stress. What to do? Lenders suggest borrowers contact them as soon as they feel their financial burden is becoming too heavy to bear -- rather than just stop paying, which could severely hurt their credit rating.

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