Debt & Bankruptcy

Debt Collection

Millions of Americans have debts in collection, mostly due to a financial catastrophe. Debt collectors are consistently a top source of consumer complaints. NCLC works to strengthen debt collection laws to protect consumers from abusive debt collection, to improve consumer protections in collection lawsuits, and to shield essential income and assets from creditors. NCLC supports attorneys defending consumers with debts or suing collectors violating consumer protection laws.

No Fresh Start 2022: Will States Let Debt Collectors Push Families Into Poverty as the Cost of Necessities Soars?

December 21, 2022

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.

Read More about: No Fresh Start 2022: Will States Let Debt Collectors Push Families Into Poverty as the Cost of Necessities Soars?
October 7, 2022
December 14, 2021

Featured

View All for Featured
Evaluating Regulation F: A Six-month Check-up on New Federal Debt Collection Regulations

November 4, 2022

NCLC & NHLP Comments to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Regarding Fees Imposed by Providers of Consumer Financial Products or Services

April 11, 2022

Letter to CFPB Regarding Rental Debt Survey of Legal Aid and Non-Profit Attorneys

December 14, 2021

Model Family Financial Protection Act

October 1, 2021

Pandemic Lawsuits in California: Credit Card Issuers & Debt Buyers Top Litigants in 2021

July 15, 2022

Letter Supporting California’s AB 1119

March 16, 2023

Why We Need the Debt Collection Fairness Act (DCFA) (H.1107/S.629)

March 15, 2023

An Arm and a Leg Podcast: Wrestling With a Giant: April Kuehnhoff discusses how to dispute a hospital bill

March 2, 2023

Comments to New York Department of Financial Services Regarding Draft of Revised Proposed Amendment to 23 NYCRR 1

February 13, 2023

Comments & Letters

View All for Comments & Letters
Comments to New York Department of Financial Services Regarding Draft of Revised Proposed Amendment to 23 NYCRR 1

February 13, 2023

Testimony in Support of Legislation to Improve State Exemption Laws in Washington State

January 17, 2023

Testimony in Support of Legislation to Improve State Exemption Laws in Maryland

January 17, 2023

Comments Regarding New York City’s Proposed Amendments to Rules Related to Debt Collectors

December 19, 2022

Letter to Rohit Chopra Regarding Additional Actions the CFPB Should Take to Protect Consumers with Medical Debt

March 22, 2022

Group Letter to CFPB Acting Director Uejio regarding Additional Modifications to Debt Collection Rule to Better Protect Consumers

March 3, 2021

Non-Regulatory Actions Needed on Debt Collection

February 1, 2021

Comments on Debt Collection Practices, Supplemental Proposal on Time-Barred Debt

August 3, 2020

Group Long Comments to CFPB on its Proposed Debt Collection Rule

September 18, 2019

Issue Briefs

View All for Issue Briefs
Pandemic Lawsuits in California: Credit Card Issuers & Debt Buyers Top Litigants in 2021

July 15, 2022

Why We Need the Debt Collection Fairness Act

March 9, 2022

Assisting Consumers with Rental Debt During COVID-19: Legal Aid and Non-Profit Attorneys Share Their Experiences

December 14, 2021

DCFA Fact Sheet: Support an Equitable Economic Recovery

March 30, 2022

H.R.9224: Protecting Wages of Essential Workers Act of 2022

October 27, 2022

Consumer Protection and Court-Sponsored Online Dispute Resolution in Collection Lawsuits

June 1, 2021

Feed Families, Not Debt Collectors: Protect New Stimulus Payments and Child Tax Credits from Garnishment

March 1, 2021

Issue Brief: CFPB Changes Needed to Prevent New Debt Collection Rules from Hurting Consumers

January 1, 2021

COVID-19 Medical Debt: First 100 Day Priorities for the Biden Administration

December 1, 2020

Reports

View All for Reports
Evaluating Regulation F: A Six-month Check-up on New Federal Debt Collection Regulations

November 4, 2022

The High Cost of a Fresh Start: A State-by-State Analysis of Court Debt as a Bar to Record Clearing

February 1, 2022

No Fresh Start 2021: Will States Let Debt Collectors Push Families Into Poverty as Pandemic Protections Expire?

November 1, 2021

No Fresh Start 2022: Will States Let Debt Collectors Push Families Into Poverty as the Cost of Necessities Soars?

December 21, 2022

Unfair Debts With No Way Out: Consumers Share Their Experiences With Rental Debt Collectors

October 7, 2022

Report: An Ounce of Prevention

November 1, 2021

Press Releases

View All for Press Releases
Consumer Advocates Applaud Biden Administration’s New Actions to Lessen the Burden of Medical Debt 

April 11, 2022

Advocates Applaud Maine Legislature’s Passage of  Bill to Protect Basic Necessities from Garnishment by Debt Collectors

July 1, 2021

CFPB Debt Collection Rule a Mixed Bag for Consumers 

October 30, 2020

CFPB Fails to Protect Consumers from Abusive Collection of Time-Barred Debts (Again)

February 24, 2020

CFPB Moves Forward with Flawed Debt Collection Rules 

August 2, 2021

CFPB Proposal Allows Abusive “Zombie” Debt Collection to Continue

August 4, 2020

NCLC Publishes 2023 Edition of Surviving Debt: Expert Advice for Getting Out of Financial Trouble

February 1, 2023

Report: Will States Let Debt Collectors Push Families Into Poverty as the Cost of Necessities Soars?

December 22, 2022

Rep. Adams Introduces Bill to Protect Essential Workers from Wage Garnishment

December 5, 2022

From the NCLC Digital Library

Fair Debt Collection

The leading treatise on the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, with all the tools a practitioner needs to recover actual and statutory damages and attorney fees for both individual and class action cases. NCLC’s unique FDCPA Case Connector provides access to over 15,000 FDCPA case summaries.

Read Chapter One

More articles from our digital library

View All for More articles from our digital library
FDCPA Litigation Using New Reg. F: Pleading Tips & Recently Alleged Violations

June 15, 2022

Consumer Advice: Dealing with Debt Collectors—Including the New Federal Rules

January 31, 2022

The FDCPA Year in Review: 2021

January 5, 2022

Comprehensive New FDCPA Regulation F Takes Effect November 30

September 24, 2021

Support NCLC

Please support NCLC's work to advance consumer rights and economic justice with a tax-deductible contribution today!

Donate