Featured News Archives

USA Today: Student loan borrowers in default now able to keep tax refunds

January 22, 2026

Originally appearing in the Detroit Free Press on Jan. 22, 2026, Susan Tompor talks to Abby Shafroth, managing director of advocacy at the National Consumer Law Center about how millions of student loan borrowers in default risked seeing their wages garnished and tax refunds seized. Student loan borrowers are “buckling under the weight of outdated…

American Banker: Proposed EWA legislation would undercut state regulations

January 15, 2026

Appearing in American Banker on Jan. 15, 2026, Joey Pizzolato talks to NCLC Senior Attorney Patrick Crotty about the Earned Wage Access Consumer Protection Act that would prevent EWA products from being classified as credit and preempt any state from classifying them as such. “Earned wage payday loans exploit low-income workers and are designed to extract high…

USA Today: Credit history is still a barrier to Section 8 tenants

January 15, 2026

Originally appearing in Capital & Main on Jan. 15, 2026, Robin Urevich talks to Chi Chi Wu, director of consumer reporting and data advocacy at the National Consumer Law Center, about how credit history does not predict tenant success. “It’s especially illogical to use credit reports and credit scores [for vetting Section 8 tenants] because…

The New York Times: If You’re Struggling With Student Loans, Here’s What to Know for 2026

January 2, 2026

Appearing in The New York Times on Jan. 2, 2026, Ann Carrns talks to Abby Shafroth, managing director of advocacy at NCLC about how millions of borrowers who are behind can expect the government to tighten repayment options this year. Any why experts say take action now to get help. What’s more, an additional seven…

The Hill: Student loan borrowers face major changes to repayment options, loan limits this year

January 8, 2026

Appearing in The Hill on Jan. 8, 2025, Lexi Lonas Cochran spoke to Abby Shafroth, managing director of advocacy at the National Consumer Law Center about changes coming to student loan repayment that will impact low-income borrowers. “We’re looking at, pretty soon, being at a place where there are 10 million Americans with federal student…

USA Today: States advance medical debt protections as federal support fades

December 19, 2025

Appearing in USA Today and KFF Health News on December 19, 2025, Rae Ellen Bichell interviews NCLC Director of Consumer Reporting and Data Advocacy Chi Chi Wu for coverage of how lawmakers in several states are working to expand medical debt protections for patients, even after the Trump administration reversed course and told states they…

MarketWatch: It’s been illegal to make women have a man co-sign their loans since the ’70s. Now the Trump administration could change that.

December 17, 2025

Appearing in MarketWatch on December 17, 2025, Aarthi Swaminathan interviews NCLC Senior Attorney Jeremiah Battle, Jr. for coverage of proposed changes to a rule barring banks from discriminating against certain borrowers that advocates say are ‘alarming,’ and a ‘step backwards.’ “This rule would invite discrimination to persist in the credit market and create barriers to…

The New York Times: What Is a ‘Zombie Mortgage,’ and How Can You Avoid It?

December 13, 2025

Appearing in The New York Times on December 13, 2025, Jill Terreri Ramos interviews NCLC Senior Attorney Andrea Bopp Stark to help answer a reader’s question about an outstanding “zombie mortgage” held by the previous owners of a home, who didn’t disclose it during the sale. Hopefully, hiring your own attorney will help you understand…

NPR: Should you use buy now, pay later? Experts share 4 tips to know

December 13, 2025

Airing on NPR’s Planet Money on December 13, 2025, Vito Emanuel talks to NCLC Associate Director and Director of Federal Advocacy Lauren Saunders about how more shoppers are choosing to buy now, pay later this holiday season. Saunders warns it’s easy to borrow too much and lose track of how much you’re paying and when…

The Hill: The Trump administration takes a wrecking ball to rulemaking

November 26, 2025

In an op-ed for The Hill that ran on November 26, 2025 by Rebecca B. Bond, former chief of the Disability Rights Section, Civil Rights Division, in the U.S. Department of Justice and Diane Thompson, deputy director and chief advocacy officer at the National Consumer Law Center discuss a dry, technical memo that declared the end of…

Associated Press: Voters’ anger at high electricity bills and data centers looms over 2026 midterms

November 8, 2025

Appearing in the Associated Press on November 8, 2025, Marc Levy and Jesse Bedayn talked to Jen Bosco, Managing Director of Energy Advocacy at the National Consumer Law Center about how voter anger over the cost of living is hurtling forward into next year’s midterm elections, when pivotal contests will be decided by communities that…

American Banker: Ruling on high-cost loans has nationwide implications

November 12, 2025

Appearing in American Banker on November 11, 2025, Kevin Wack talks to NCLC Associate Director and Director of Federal Advocacy Lauren Saunders about a federal appeals courts finding that Colorado has the authority to apply its own interest rate caps to state-chartered banks from the other 49 states when they make loans to Coloradans. The decision…

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