The Department of Education’s Public Service Loan Forgiveness program allows student borrowers a way to eventually erase federal student loan debt by working for the government or at a non-profit for 10 years. Students have already accused the government of failing to keep its promise, and a new report not only appears to bolster this claim but shines a light on other concerns about other roadblocks to loan forgiveness. [More]
consumer financial protection bureau
Surprise Charges: Feds Advise Retailers To Make “No Interest” Store Credit Offers More Transparent
By 6.8.17
Three years ago, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau warned consumers that some credit card companies weren’t clearly disclosing the risks of promotions, including deferred-interest offers that promise not to charge interest on purchases as long as the balance is paid off by a certain date. However, if that doesn’t happen customers can find their bill nearly doubled thanks to retroactive interest charges. Now the agency is setting its sights on retailers, urging them consider more transparent promotions for store-branded credit cards. [More]
AGs Blast Financial CHOICE Act, Urge Congress To Reject Proposed Bill
By 6.7.17 — Updated: 6.9.17
With legislation to roll back consumer protections and gut the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act expected to be discussed by the House as early as this week, several states are urging lawmakers to reject the legislation. [More]
Report: Financial CHOICE Act Would Harm Servicemembers
By 6.6.17 — Updated: 6.9.17
Since its creation, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has worked to protect servicemembers from ne’er-do-wells that aim to line their own pockets by taking advantage of those who protect us; from fining auto lenders for failing to issue refunds to servicemebers to ordering banks to pay for their bad debt collection practices. But with a bill to gut the agency’s power making its way through the legislature, these types of protections come to a screeching halt. [More]
Appeals Court Hears Arguments For, Against Letting President Fire Consumer Protection Chief
By 5.24.17 — Updated: 5.25.17
For the second time in a year, judges of the Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit have heard arguments about the constitutionality of the structure of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. How the court ultimately rules will determine whether or not the head of this watchdog agency can be fired and replaced at the whim of the President. [More]
Education Secretary DeVos To Give All Student Loan Accounts To One Company; Strip Away More Protections
By 5.22.17 — Updated: 5.25.17
Education Secretary Betsy DeVos has made another sweeping change to the student loan system that consumer advocates claim favors student loan collectors over the American people repaying those loans. [More]
90% Of At-Risk Student Loan Borrowers Not Signed Up For Affordable Repayment Plans
By 5.16.17 — Updated: 5.25.17
Paying back tens of thousands of dollars in student loan can be difficult, and more than 1 million Americans defaulted on their federal student loans just last year. But why are nearly all of these same borrowers failing to take advantage of programs to help them avoid defaulting again? [More]
‘Financial CHOICE Act 2.0’ Rolling Back Consumer Protections Moves Forward
By 5.4.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
The House Financial Service Committee approved the Financial CHOICE Act 2.0 today, signaling the first concrete move to roll back consumer protections and gut the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act. [More]
People Paying Back Student Loans Could Also Be Hurt By Outage Of FAFSA Tool
By 5.3.17
A Department of Education decision take down an online tool that helped student loan applicants file for aid isn’t just making things difficult on students. It’s also a problem for those who are repaying their student loans through a federal payment plan. [More]
Feds Sue Four Online Payday Lenders For Collecting On Void Debts
By 4.27.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
Last year, federal regulators released a report that found online payday lenders — despite their clean, professional websites — could be just as bad, if not worse, than their storefront counterparts. Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau provided yet another example of how these companies can wreak havoc on consumers’ finances by skirting the law. [More]
Auto Lender Fined Another $1.25M For Failing To Issue Refunds To Servicemembers Threatened By Debt Collectors
By 4.26.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
An Ohio-based auto lender that has already been penalized for $3.28 million for using aggressive debt collection tactics against members of the armed forces is once again in hot water with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for failing to issue refunds to the servicemembers that were harassed. [More]
‘Financial CHOICE Act 2.0’ Blasted By Retailers & Lawmakers
By 4.26.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
The retail industry has already politely asked Congress to please not roll back financial reforms involving debit card transactions, but as lawmakers on Capitol Hill inch closer to undoing these protections, retailers are once again voicing their concerns that undoing the 2010 law will lead to higher prices and hurt small businesses. [More]
Complaints About Student Loan Servicing Increase In Nearly Every State
By 4.25.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
Newly released complaint data from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau appears to support recent claims by nearly two-dozen states that Education Secretary Betsy DeVos may be making a big mistake by rolling back protections for student loan borrowers. [More]
‘Financial Choice Act 2.0’ Would Eliminate Government’s Ability To Go After Shady Payday Loan Operations
By 4.21.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
Even though recent surveys indicate that the overwhelming majority of Americans want more regulation of payday lending, federal lawmakers are attempting to strip the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau of any authority over these short-term, high-cost loans. [More]
Feds Sue Debt Collector That Allegedly Misrepresented Attorney Involvement
By 4.17.17 — Updated: 5.9.17
Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, it is illegal for debt collection firms to use false, deceptive, or misleading representations to collect a debt. One Ohio company apparently didn’t follow this rule when sending consumers letters that claimed attorneys were involved in the collection of their debts, and now it’s facing a lawsuit from federal regulators. [More]
Data Shows Too Many Americans Being Pestered About Medical Debt They Don’t Owe
By 4.12.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
What’s worse than being overwhelmed by medical debt after a hospital stay or doctor’s visit? Being told you owe money for healthcare procedures and services you never received. Yet, a new analysis of federal data shows that too many Americans are being pestered to pay off medical debt that they don’t actually owe. [More]
18 States Urge Congress Not To Stop Prepaid Card Reforms
By 4.5.17 — Updated: 5.10.17
Earlier this year, lawmakers on Capitol Hill began the process of dismantling the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s long-awaited prepaid card rules — meant to improve transparency and curb runaway fees — that are set to to go into effect. As Congress prepares to consider three bills that would erase these rules, attorneys general from 18 states have called on legislators to put consumers’ needs over those of the prepaid card industry. [More]
