Every state has a set of exemption laws, intended to prevent creditors from pushing families into destitution. This report finds that few states’ exemption laws meet even the most basic standards.
NCLC’s comments focus on the relationship between DCWP’s proposed amendments, the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (“FDCPA”), and federal debt collection regulations issued to implement the FDCPA (“Regulation F”). Regulation F has many gaps and weaknesses, and we commend the DCWP’s proposal for its efforts to fill some of these gaps.
NCLC opposes S-2989, which would legalize certain for-profit debt adjusters. For-profit debt adjustment (also known as debt settlement) is bad for consumers and hurts honest businesses. Bankruptcy attorneys, non-profit credit counselors, and self-help are much better alternatives. The debt adjustment industry leads consumers to believe that they can negotiate reduced payoffs on unsecured debts. But…
Read More about Letter in opposition to NJ S-S2989; Debt Settlement Legalization Bill
NCLC is supporting S.5150- Strengthening Consumer Protections and Medical Debt Transparency Act, introduced by Sens. Murphy and Van Hollen. The law would help protect consumers from abusive debt collection practices, and would require more reporting from hospitals about their debt collection practices. NCLC provided a quote for the press release.
Read More about S.5150 - Strengthening Consumer Protections and Medical Debt Transparency Act
Published 12/12/2022; Updated 2/15/24 A new Guidance from the Department of Justice (Department), issued in coordination with the Department of Education (Education), has the potential to change bankruptcy practice dramatically. Until now, attorneys have not thought of bankruptcy as a way to help clients struggling with student loan debt. If the Guidance is implemented as…
Read More about New Process to Discharge Student Loans in Bankruptcy
Many states as well as the National Conference of Commissions on Uniform State Laws (NCCUSL) have attempted to regulate debt settlement through laws that mainly target debt management practices. In fact, debt management and debt settlement are very different businesses. By including debt settlement in laws that focus on debt management, policymakers are helping to…
Read More about An Investigation of Debt Settlement Companies: An Unsettling Business for Consumers
The National Consumer Law Center (NCLC) and the Electronic Privacy Information Center (EPIC), along with sixteen other national and state consumer and privacy groups representing a broad swath of individual telephone subscribers across the United States, urge the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to stand firm against requests to force cell phone carriers to allow unwanted…
Read More about Reply Comments to the FCC Regarding Unwanted and Illegal Text Messages
