Abstract
Over the period from 1981 during 1999, the relationship between bank card delinquencies and key macroeconomic variables is investigated. Changes in the proportion of accounts in default are statistically related to the consumer debt ratio. When the delinquency rate is calculated based on the number of dollars outstanding, it is related to the total amount of revolving debt. Evidence is also found consistent with the pattern of selective default behavior, in which consumers will default on bank card debt before defaulting on the other types of installment loans.