(snip)"In an effort to curb out-of-control credit lending, the U.S. Comptroller of the Currency, the office responsible for regulating the industry, has mandated a doubling of the minimum payment debtors must make each month on their credit cards.

Most creditors put the increases into effect in January.

In the long run, Isla said, this is a good thing.

More debtors will be less tempted to spend beyond their means and will pay off debts more quickly. In the meantime, however, [ bankruptcy attorney Roger ] Isla said he’s seen a spike in clients whose finances can’t handle their payments’ doubling.

“We started seeing a big influx of people about three weeks ago,” he said Friday.