Research & Policy

SUMMARY We commend NCUA for its efforts to encourage federal credit unions (FCUs) to offer responsible small loan products. However, we encourage NCUA to think of this program in the context of two realities: 1) short-term loan products, whether they are called "payday loans" or are offered through a credit union, are likely to trap already vulnerable customers in costly...

The Comments of Michael Calhoun, President, of the Center for Responsible Lending to the Federal Trade Commission regarding the Notice of Proposed Rule-Making: Telemarketing Sales Rule Debt Relief Amendments Matter No. R4110011.

Debt settlement is a rapidly growing industry in which companies advertise that they can eliminate consumer debt by negotiating reduced debt payoffs with a consumer's creditors, usually for unsecured debt such as credit card debt and medical bills. What's the Problem? Flawed model: The debt settlement model is an inherently flawed one, in that it requires consumers who are deep...

CRL's, Consumer Federation of America and the National Consumer Law Center's comment letter to the OTS regarding the agency's Supplemental Guidance on Overdraft Protection Programs.

CRL and other consumer groups provide comment on the Office of Personnel Management's proposed rule regarding garnishment of federal benefits.

Louise Golden's backyard is a showplace. She planted everything with her own hands: crepe myrtle, pink peonies, azaleas, and roses of four colors. She and her husband, Stanley, bought the split-level house on Kepner Court in Lanham, Maryland, in 1980. She loved the place from the start, because of its roomy kitchen, and because of the possibilities she saw in...

Read our report >> Our new research shows that the foreclosure crisis is not over, and runaway foreclosures continue to drain hundreds of billions of dollars in wealth from families, hitting communities of color the hardest. An estimated 2.5 million foreclosures were completed from 2007 – 2009, and an estimated 5.7 additional ones are imminent. An estimated 17% of Latino...

The auto dealer lobby successfully fought to receive a special exemption in the House from the rules of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) in the financial reform bill even when the dealers act as creditors and brokers on car loans. But fair, honest and ethical competition requires a level playing field, as well as a fair and consistent system...

Reconciling H.R 4173 and S. 3217 During recent years, regulators stood by and allowed the most costly reckless lending in history, largely because they were heavily influenced by the very businesses they were supposed to oversee. Lax regulation has already cost trillions of dollars. For the final financial reform bill, these four issues will be vital in protecting taxpayers from...

Today's financial troubles were triggered by a massive failure of home loans—a foreclosure epidemic that will continue to cost all homeowners billions of dollars each year. To avoid repeating this crisis, the final financial reform legislation must include three major elements: Better lending standards: Both the House and Senate bills (H.R. 4173 and S. 3217, respectively) include crucial minimum mortgage...

An Examination of Credit Card Late Fees Read the entire "A Just Fee or Just a Fee?" 13 page research report. Brief background on the report plus report findings: The CARD Act of 2009 brought strong credit card reform to the industry and benefits to cardholders, but the penalty late fee issue remains to be addressed. Congress assigned the Federal...

To ensure that the CFPA is independent of the industry it is trying to regulate, Congress must ensure that the funding source remains independent of political pressure.

To ensure that the CFPA is independent of the industry it is trying to regulate, Congress must ensure that the funding source remains independent of political pressure.

The Consumer Financial Protection Agency should be headed by a strong, independent-minded director, rather than a five-member commission, to ensure that the Consumer Financial Protection Agency is free from industry influence and costly delays.

The Snowe-Pryor Senate financial reform bill proposal would create a layer of bureaucracy that is redundant and dangerous. This language would prioritize small businesses over families, taxpayers and other key stakeholders.

Three servicers. Three California homeowners. Three avoidable foreclosures. Three Ways SB 1275 Would Help Stop the Foreclosures that can be Stopped Patricia and Manuel Mondoy, Hayward, Calif. Under SB 1275, GMAC would have been required to complete its evaluation of Patricia and Manuel M.'s loan modification before recording a Notice of Default. If GMAC had completed the evaluation process before...

Summary of SB 1275 (As Amended 5-18-10) Section 2923.4: New Notice for Delinquent Borrowers on Foreclosure Process, Rights and Obligations Requires a state agency to create and translate a notice for delinquent borrowers that describes a borrower's rights and obligations, and outlines what to expect in the foreclosure process. (Specific text included in bill). Section 2923.5: Pre-NOD Determination for Loan...

The Problem SB 1275 Addresses Foreclosures Continue at Record Pace: The foreclosure crisis continues to rage in California, with little sign of easing in the near future. Nearly 200,000 foreclosures were completed in California last year, and are on pace to exceed that number in 2010. At the same time, the main federal loan modification program (HAMP) has produced fewer...

Four Tips to Rid Yourself of Credit Card Debt Sooner and Save Money The CARD Act of 2009 has provisions that enable borrowers to pay down their existing credit card debt sooner, save money in future interest, and improve their credit score. These key protections took effect on February 22, 2010, and have forced credit card issuers to reform the...

A brief by the National Consumer Law Center shows state-by-state markups on auto loan rates by race, revealing wide disparities between costs for African-American and white car buyers.

The current financial system has left America's families, its military, its community banks, and its responsible auto dealers unprotected from the minority of dealer-lenders who sell unfair auto loans with hidden fees. Such practices can tarnish the reputation of the entire industry. Exempting irresponsible dealers would help Wall Street at the expense of America's families and honest dealers and lenders...

What the CFPB Really Means for Washington and Americans 1. Myth: The proposed agency would duplicate the work of existing agencies and increase regulatory burden on businesses. FACT: The CFPB would consolidate and streamline existing functions to reduce regulatory burden. The new Agency would consolidate consumer protection rulemaking and enforcement that is now scattered across several agencies, creating unnecessary conflicts...

What the CFPB Really Means for Washington and Americans Myth: The proposed agency would duplicate the work of existing agencies and increase regulatory burden on businesses. FACT: The CFPB would consolidate and streamline existing functions to reduce regulatory burden. The new Agency would consolidate consumer protection rulemaking and enforcement that is now scattered across several agencies, creating unnecessary conflicts and...

Here's a quick reference on what the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau would do, what it wouldn't do, and the most important parts of proposed financial reform legislation to help ensure strong consumer protections.

Financial companies are lobbying hard to strip states' rights to make and enforce consumer protection rules, but states must stay on the front lines of fighting predatory lending.