Originally appearing in The New York Times on May 19, 2023, Ann Carrns interview Abby Shafroth in a look at how interest rates on new federal student loans are expected to exceed 5 percent for the first time in five years, adding to the pressure on families already struggling to pay for college. While it’s…
Read More about The New York Times: Expect Interest Rates on Federal Student Loans to Rise
Originally appearing in American Banker (by subscription), Miriam Cross interview Lauren Saunders in a look at attempts across state legislatures to regulate earned wage access services. “California is not banning the product, but it is making clear they are loans, that they are generally subject to California financing laws and they must comply with fee…
Read More about American Banker: State efforts to regulate earned wage access are heating up
Appearing in the Washington Post on May 18, 2023, Spencer Tierney of NerdWallet talks to Carla Sanchez-Adams about bank accounts for college students. Carla Sanchez-Adams, senior attorney at the National Consumer Law Center, recommends looking into Bank On certified accounts, which don’t have overdraft or NSF fees. Transactions that would bring an account balance below zero get…
Read More about The Washington Post: Pick a college bank account as carefully as your college
Originally appearing in The Washington Post on May 15, 2023, patient advocates and attorneys, including Berneta Haynes, offer strategies to help consumers save on costs, avoid unexpected charges and negotiate with health insurers. Don’t put [medical debt] on a credit card or take out a loan to pay for it before you seek assistance, said Berneta…
Read More about The Washington Post: 9 tips to help you negotiate a medical bill
Airing on NPR WAMU (DC) on May 17, 2023, the latest installment of the 1A series Life and Debt looks at the different ways debt shows up in our lives. NPR invited Jenifer Bosco to join a panel to discuss medical debt in the U.S. and how we deal with it.
Read More about NPR: Life and Debt: Getting the hospital bill
Consent orders target SoLo Funds platform offering loans as high as 511%-4,280% APR WASHINGTON – Advocates applauded new consent orders from California, Connecticut, and the District of Columbia that block the fintech payday loan website SoLo Funds from offering unlicensed payday loans that use “tips” and “donations” to conceal annual percentage rates (APRs) of 511%…
Read More about CA, CT, DC Issue Orders Against Fintech Payday Loans that Solicit “Tips”
Proposed rule would require lenders to comply with California law, but triple-digit interest rates could remain.
The Fifth Circuit's decision in the case of CFPB vs. CFSA, if confirmed, would undermine the critical work of the CFPB.
Read More about Consumer Groups Urge Supreme Court to Uphold Constitutionality of the CFPB
Co-published with The Dallas Morning News and Shelterforce and appearing in ProPublica on May 11, 2023, Anjeanette Damon, Byard Duncan and Mollie Simon detail a ProPublica investigation that found HomeVestors franchisees used deception and targeted the elderly, infirm, and those close to poverty and quotes NCLC’s Sarah Bolling Mancini. “If your business model is convincing homeowners to sign…
Read More about ProPublica: The Ugly Truth Behind 'We Buy Ugly Houses'
Originally appearing in the New York Times on May 12, 2023, Ann Carrns looks at patients increasingly being offered special financing to cover medical treatments. Consumer advocates, including NCLC’s April Kuehnhoff, say it can turn out to be more costly than using conventional credit cards. Patients should consider other more affordable financing options, including loans…
Read More about The New York Times: More Options to Pay for Medical Care, but Some May Be Costly
WASHINGTON— Nketiah “Ink” Berko, a former NCLC intern, will return to the National Consumer Law Center upon his graduation from Yale Law School as an Equal Justice Works fellow to spend two years advancing access to justice for underserved communities. Equal Justice Works, the nation’s largest facilitator of opportunities in public interest law, named Berko,…
Read More about Nketiah “Ink” Berko Returns to NCLC as Equal Justice Works Fellow
Originally appearing in USA Today on May 9, 2023, Hanna Horvath and Jenn Jones quotes John Rao in coverage of the impact of medical debt on consumers and whether bankruptcy can help. “It’s not just about the actual medical bill. It’s also all the other bills that can’t get paid while you deal with medical…
Read More about USA Today: Can medical bankruptcy help with medical bills?
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