The nation's second largest co-branded program, the 'General Motors MasterCard', is beefing up pricing next month, according to CardWatch (www.cardwatch.com). Household Bank, the card's issuer, has notified U.S. cardholders, that effective May 1, it is adding an annual fee for closed accounts with outstanding balances, raising the minimum cash advance fee and increasing its punitive interest rate. Cardholders opting to close an account but continuing to make payments on an existing balance will now face a $29 annual fee. Household also increased the minimum cash advance fee from $3.00 to $15.00. The 'GM MasterCard' cash advance fee is 3% with no maximum. Household has also ratcheted up the punitive interest rate from prime +12.4% to prime +15.4%. Household states it has expanded its punitive interest rate policy to include cardholders who have become delinquent on other non-related accounts and cardholders with a significant change in credit worthiness. The Household punitive rate policy mirrors the current policies of other major players, notably Capital One and Discover.