Payday and Other Small Dollar Loans

Georgia has long been a national leader in the fight against predatory lending, imposing strict usury limits on small loans. In 2004, Georgia legislators closed loopholes used by payday lenders to charge triple-digit interest rates; they reaffirmed their commitment to keeping payday lending out by increasing fines and criminal penalties for making small loans at illegal interest rates. These laws...

In South Carolina, payday and car-title lenders charge working families 395% interest, creating a debt trap that can keep South Carolina families in a cycle of debt for years. In fact, these lenders drain more than $245 million from South Carolinians, primarily from low-income families and communities of color. South Carolinians want reform that has been proven to stop the...

Morning Consult conducted a survey, commissioned by Center for Responsible Lending, of approximately 10,000 registered voters. The results are presented in categories as short Powerpoint-style slide decks with key takeaways, charts, and maps. Dangers of Rent-a-Bank Schemes Bipartisan Support for Stopping Predatory High-Interest Loans Broad Support for Interest Rate Cap Among Payday Loan Borrowers

For most of Michigan’s history, state laws prevented payday lenders from operating, most recently by limiting interest on consumer loans at 25%. However, in 2005, Michigan became the last state to authorize payday lending when payday lenders pushed for a carve out allowing them to charge rates of 340% APR or higher. Payday lenders drain over $103 million in fees...

Morning Consult conducted a survey, commissioned by Center for Responsible Lending, of approximately 10,000 registered voters. The poll is presented as a short Powerpoint-style slide deck with key takeaways, charts, and maps. Key findings include: Two-thirds of voters (66%) are concerned about the ability of high-cost lenders to arrange loans through banks at rates higher than the state laws allow...

We, the consumer and civil rights groups named above, write to strongly oppose the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)’s proposed rule on Federal Interest Rate Authority (proposal or proposed rule). The proposed rule would allow predatory non-bank lenders to route their loans through banks to evade state interest rate caps. The proposal is outside the FDIC’s statutory authority; it is...

Borrower story from the testimony of Graciela Aponte-Diaz: California borrower story: I currently have an installment loan in the amount of $2600.00 from Speedy Cash . . . . At the same time, I also have [x] $300.00 payday loans from [x] different storefronts in my neighborhood, including Speedy Cash. So basically, I have both a $300.00 payday loan from...

The undersigned community, consumer, civil rights, faith and small business organizations write to strongly oppose the FDIC’s proposed rule on “federal interest rates,” which threatens to eviscerate state interest rate limits around the country and encourage the spread of predatory lending. Download the letter to continue reading. (PDF)

The Center for Responsible Lending and the National Consumer Law Center (on behalf of its low income clients), as part of a coalition of consumer and civil rights groups wrote the comment letter included on this page, which details the groups' strong opposition to a proposed rule from the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)’. The proposed rule...

From the letter: Interest rate limits are the single most effective tool states have to protect their residents from predatory loans. Predatory loans include payday and car title loans that often carry annual interest rates as high as 300% or more. Predatory loans also include high-cost installment loans and lines of credit with rates approaching and well exceeding 100%. These...