Payday loans are debt traps by design

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Diane Standaert | The Washington Examiner
Tim Worstall recently took issue with the Center for Responsible Lending’s position that payday loans should be capped at a 36% annual rate. He seemed troubled by the fact that with such a rate cap in place, payday lenders choose to no longer make their predatory loans. I’d like to offer some clarity. First, yes, it’s true — we do want to see an end to dangerous lending practices such as unaffordable payday loans carrying 300% and 400% interest rates. And second, I’d like to explain why payday loans are predatory.

Payday Loans: What are they and how are they affecting Blount County?

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Shelby Harris | The Daily Times
You’ve seen them scattered along the outskirts of highways. It seems that around every corner, you’re bombarded with the opportunity to “get cash now!” And though the promise of instant funds is captivating, how wise is it to get that cash now? Not very, according to statistics. Payday loans, as they’re commonly referred to, are less about receiving money instantly and more about the heaps of interest piled atop the instant cash.

Lawmakers Approve Oversight for Companies Servicing Student Loans

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CARLY SITRIN | NJ Spotlight
State lawmakers have again taken aim at the growing student-debt crisis in New Jersey, releasing a bill that former Gov. Chris Christie let die when he left office. The Assembly Higher Education Committee on Thursday passed S-1149/A-455 which would establish a student-loan ombudsman within the state Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI). It would give DOBI the power to enforce state standards on loan servicers who manage and collect student debt and to fine violators who give students conflicting, inconsistent or inaccurate information.

Civil rights groups urge consumer bureau to root out discrimination in the student-loan servicing industry

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Danielle Douglas-Gabriel | The Washington Post
Civil rights organizations are urging the director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to step up oversight of the student-loan servicing industry and root out discrimination. It has been two years since the bureau identified student-loan servicing as posing substantial risk of credit discrimination and pledged further investigation into disparate outcomes for borrowers. That level of evaluation requires records and data from servicing companies that manage student-loan payments on behalf of the federal government and private lenders.

FAIR bill aims to eliminate forced arbitration for credit card disputes

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Poonkulali Thangavelu | Credit Cards.com
In a bid to give consumers more choice when it comes to credit card and other disputes with corporations, two Democratic lawmakers are pursuing the Forced Arbitration Injustice Repeal Act. The bill would do away with forced arbitration clauses relating to credit card disputes. This means consumers would have the choice of opting for arbitration after a dispute erupts, instead of being forced into arbitration.

OP-ED: New Jersey can help students with their loan debt

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BEVERLY BROWN RUGGIA AND STEPHAN LALLY | NJ Spotlight
Last month 400 extremely fortunate Morehouse College graduates flipped their tassels to the amazing revelation that they would be starting their post-college careers without student debt. Richard Smith, an incredibly generous billionaire from Texas, has pledged to pay off all of their student loans. Smith’s gesture is noble, but unfortunately most other college graduates can’t count on the generosity of billionaires to pay off their loans. His gesture won’t cover the $1.5 trillion that 44 million Americans owe in student debt or the even $43 billion that 1.1 million New Jersey student-loan

NAREB Takes Fight for Black Homeownership to Congressional Hearing

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The Charleston Chronicle
The rate of Black homeownership in America – now at 41.1 percent, according to 2019 U. S. Census numbers – is even lower than it was when the U. S. Fair Housing Act was signed into law 51 years ago on April 11, 1968. This means Black homeownership is 32.1 percentage points lower than that of Whites, which stands at 73.2 percent. It also means Black homeownership is 6.3 percentage points lower than that of Latino-Americans, which stands at 47.4 percent. These are just a few of the facts presented to a recent U. S. Congressional hearing by homeownership advocates. The hearing, held by the House

Viewpoint: Temper Ideals with Reality in Housing Reform

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Michael Delehanty | Scotsman Guide
This spring, the Community Home Lenders Association (CHLA) hosted a roundtable in Washington, D.C., on federal government mortgage programs and their role in ensuring access to credit and affordable homeownership. This included a discussion on government mortgage programs and government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) focusing on mortgage lending since the housing crisis of 2008. The roundtable covered the financial performance and risks of these programs and the central role they have played in promoting access to mortgage credit since the crisis. This discussion took place at time when major

Schooled in Debt

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Sam Silverstein, Lauren Tussey | Realtor Magazine
Consumers saddled with student loan debt often have to delay financial goals, like buying a home. But for those who want the benefits of ownership before their student debt is paid off, Fannie Mae has options that can make it easier to qualify and handle the monthly payments. While you can’t give specific financial advice to clients, you can help them understand the benefits and risks. “We can be advocates for our clients and potentially direct them to the right place,” says Mary Shanley Aloisio, a sales associate with Dream Town Realty in Chicago.

Sanders, Ocasio-Cortez interest rate plan has credit unions sweating

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Melissa Angell | Credit Union Times
Credit unions are warning that a proposal from Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez would significantly reduce access to financial services. Sanders, I-Vt., and Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., introduced their Stop Loan Sharks Act in mid-May, a policy proposal that would cap interest rates at 15% for consumer loans, including credit cards and payday loans. But some credit union executives are wary of the measure, noting that interest rate regulation could also limit options for borrowers, especially for those categorized as high risk.