MONEY SAVVY : Consumers’ Debt Records Improving : Finance: Bankers group reports rise in on-time credit card payments in second quarter. Loan delinquencies at 4-year low.

More U.S. consumers paid their credit card bills on time in the second quarter of 1999 and consumer loan delinquencies hit a four-year low, the American Bankers Assn. said Tuesday.

The number of credit card accounts that were at least 30 days overdue decreased to 3.33% of all accounts from 3.58% in the first quarter. That compares with a peak of 3.72% at the end of 1996.

Based on the total dollar amount of outstanding credit card debt, delinquencies also fell in the second quarter to 4.10% from 4.44% in the first quarter.

“The favorable economy coupled with strong job growth has helped consumers make timely payments,” ABA senior economist Keith Leggett said in a statement. “Savvy consumers reduced their debt burden by refinancing their mortgages and are using the additional money to pay their bills.”

Leggett said banks, too, were being more careful about extending credit and trying hard to head off consumers’ credit problems before they became acute.

“Banks have tightened their consumer credit underwriting standards in the past three years,” he said. “Banks also are using technology to help them identify customers who are having trouble paying their loans. They are contacting customers sooner--before they get deeper in debt--to work out payment plans.”

The ABA’s composite delinquency ratio for eight types of closed-end consumer installment loans--including car, home equity and personal loans--hit a four-year low in the second quarter, falling to 2.09% from 2.32% in the first quarter.

This was the lowest level since the third quarter of 1995, when the ratio stood at 1.98%.

The number of late payments on home equity lines of credit dropped in the second quarter to 0.55% from 0.69% in the first quarter. Closed-end home equity loan delinquencies decreased to 1.19% from 1.29%.

Direct auto loan delinquencies decreased to 1.80% from 1.96%, while the number of late indirect auto loan payments dropped to 2.13% from 2.43%.