legal Definition of Truth in Lending Act
required consumer credit institutions to provide customers with accurate written information about the cost of credit, including the annual percentage rate charged and the finance charges added to the loan. Sufficient information must be provided to allow the consumer to make a valid comparison of different lending institutions' loan schedules. In cases where the borrower's home is used to secure the loan, three days must be allowed for the cancellation of a signed credit agreement. The Act also prohibited the unsolicited distribution of credit cards and limited the card owner's liability in the case of lost or stolen cards. The Act was significantly amended in 2008, 2010, and 2013 in response to the housing crisis that was part of the economic recession affecting the U.S. beginning in 2007.
