There have many articles regarding an increase in the required minimum payment on credit cards. I am having trouble locating any creditiable information that clearly defines what the guidelines are and whether or not it is mandatory that issuers follow these guidelines. Has anybody else found this to be an issue?

Look for "Guidance for Credit Card Lending" from the OCC, OTS, FDIC, or Federal Reserve. A good starting point is available at: http://www.fdic.gov/news/news/financial/2003/FIL0302a.html

If you are a consumer, you will not find much that will convince you the requirements are "mandatory." It might be easiest to consider what it really means when a parent tells a child "I suggest you come here right now."

If you are referring to the guidelines the amend the minimum payment for credit card issuers that was passed as part of the the bankruptcy reform, the following is the link to the proposed guidelines. There is not a finalized version yet.

http://www.federalreserve.gov/boarddocs/press/bcreg/2005/20051011/default.htm