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NPR: Massachusetts is going after a company collecting on 'zombie second mortgages

November 1, 2024

Airing on NPR on November 1, Chris Arnold talks to NCLC senior attorney Andrea Bopp Stark about how the Massachusetts AG is cracking down on a company collecting on “zombie second mortgages” — old loans that homeowners thought were dead but rise from the grave. “I think it’s groundbreaking. I think it’s really hopeful, because…

CNBC: Here’s how an 86-year-old grandmother got her nearly $32,000 private student loan debt forgiven

November 2, 2024

Appearing in CNBC on November 2, 2024, Annie Nova talks to NCLC staff attorney Anna Anderson about the difficult process disabled borrowers face when navigating the student loan debt forgiveness process. “Even the borrowers who allegedly have access to it, it’s still very, very difficult for them to actually seek and receive a discharge.” Anna…

The Hill: ‘Positive’ medical debt credit reporting is a Trojan horse

November 6, 2024

In an op-ed appearing in The Hill on November 6, 2024, NCLC senior attorney Chi Chi Wu calls the Reporting Medical Debt Payments as Positive Consumer Credit Information Act of 2024 a “Trojan horse”, with hidden traps and backward steps for consumers. One of the biggest problems with the bill is that it simply doesn’t…

Continuing the Fight for Economic Justice

November 6, 2024

The results of yesterday’s presidential election pose serious challenges for low-income consumers, consumer advocates, and everyone in the fight for racial and economic justice. The first Trump administration undermined core consumer protections and attacked policies that promoted racial and economic justice. Working with our broad community of allies and partner organizations, we were effective in…

Money: New CFPB Rule Could Make It Easier to Switch Banks

October 22, 2024

Appearing in Money Magazine on October 22, 2024, Martha C. White discusses the longer-term benefits of cash-flow underwriting with NCLC senior attorney Chi Chi Wu. “We think it’s a promising alternative to traditional credit reports and credit scores,” she says, adding that it could lead to better, more accurate determinations of borrowers’ creditworthiness than traditional…

Consumer Advocates Urge Regulators to End Predatory Bank-Fintech Partnerships

October 31, 2024

WASHINGTON — The Center for Responsible Lending (CRL), National Consumer Law Center (NCLC), and the Student Borrower Protection Center (SBPC) submitted comments urging bank regulators to end bank-fintech partnerships that engage in predatory lending, evade the law, and pose a high risk of unfair, deceptive, or abusive practices and violations of consumer protection laws. “Banks should…

Nursing Homes Aggressively Pursue Family Members and Friends When Residents’ Bills Go Unpaid, Often Violating the Law

October 31, 2024

Report Demonstrates Improper Facility & Collection Practices; Consumer Advocates Propose Laws and Policies to Address Problem WASHINGTON – Even though federal law prohibits nursing homes from requiring a third party to guarantee payment of their loved one’s bill, nursing homes still frequently pursue payment from friends and family. Nursing homes have been suing residents’ children,…

50+ Consumer, Civil Rights & Privacy Groups Urge CFPB to Eliminate Junk Fees in Remittances

October 29, 2024

Hidden and Predatory Remittance Fees Plague Immigrant Families WASHINGTON – A coalition of over 50 consumer, civil rights, academics and privacy organizations submitted a letter this week urging the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to take meaningful actions to reduce and eliminate junk fees in international remittance transactions – fund transfers frequently used by immigrants…

Florida Attorney Janet Varnell Receives Consumer Law’s Highest Honor

October 26, 2024

Illinois’ Daniel J. Schneider earns ‘Rising Star’ award.

New Rules Provide Relief to Student Loan Borrowers Facing Long-Term Financial Hardship

October 25, 2024

BOSTON – Today, the Department of Education announced it would be proposing new rules to provide relief to federal student loan borrowers based on financial hardship, consistent with the recommendations of a federal rulemaking committee. Kyra Taylor, staff attorney at the National Consumer Law Center and member of the rulemaking committee, issued the following statement…

CFPB Personal Financial Data Rights Rule Promotes Competition While Safeguarding Consumer Rights

October 22, 2024

Rule Serves as Model for Consumer Data Privacy WASHINGTON – Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) issued a comprehensive and protective final Personal Financial Data Rights Rule. Advocates at the National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) strongly support the rule, which implements Section 1033 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act and…

The Healthy Project Podcast: Breaking Down Medical Debt – How it Impacts Under-Resourced Communities & Solutions for Change

October 15, 2024

Jenifer Bosco discusses medical debt and how it disproportionately affects under-resourced communities.

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