‘It doesn’t seem fair’: I’m retired and have plenty of money. Why can’t I qualify for a retail credit card?

Why can’t I qualify for a retail credit card? I haven’t started collecting Social Security yet. My gross pension is about one-third of my previous salary, but it’s still enough to cover my everyday expenses.

Copyright ©2026 MarketWatch, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8 Oil could top $150 a barrel if supplies tighten further, Bank of America warns Princeton’s 15-year run as the nation’s top-ranked university is over. Meta’s stock is enjoying its best month in 13 years thanks to the company’s hot new AI assistant Quentin Fottrell is MarketWatch's managing editor for advice columns and writes the column The Moneyist.

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