Research & Policy

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...

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.

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.

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...

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...

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 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...

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...

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.

The Military Coalition expressed opposition via letter to the Senate Banking Committee about exempting car dealers from the financial reform bill on April 15 2010. The Department of Defense wrote a similar letter in February 2010 because car dealers have abused servicemembers.

CRL and other consumer groups comments to the Federal Reserve on proposed credit card rules related to the implementation of the Credit CARD Act and penalty rates and fee increases.

CRL and other consumer groups comments to the Federal Reserve on proposed credit card rules related to the implementation of the Credit CARD Act and penalty rates and fee increases.

Auto dealers are heading to Capitol Hill seeking a special carve-out from the "Restoring American Financial Stability Act of 2010" (S. 3217), which aims to put an end to the reckless practices of Wall Street and the abusive and discriminatory tactics by finance companies of all stripes. In their search for a loophole, auto dealers claim that the bill will...

The need for mortgage relief continues to grow, but too often companies that promise mortgage assistance relief services (MARS) turn out to be scammers. CRL and its allies recently submitted comments to the Federal Trade Commission, which is considering tighter rules to ensure that people who pay for mortgage assistance actually have a fair chance of receiving help.

CRL and other consumer groups provide comment on the Federal Reserve's opt-in rule and the proposed changes to Regulation DD.

Provision Senate Bureau of Consumer Protection House Consumer Financial Protection Agency Administration Consumer Financial Protection Agency Presidentially Appointed Director Yes, confirmed by the Senate. Yes, confirmed by the Senate. Yes, confirmed by the Senate. Independent source of funding Yes, from the Federal Reserve Board budget. Yes, from the Federal Reserve Board budget. Yes, with fees on "entities and transactions" within...

Provision Senate Bureau of Consumer Protection House Consumer Financial Protection Agency Administration Consumer Financial Protection Agency Presidentially Appointed Director Yes, confirmed by the Senate. Yes, confirmed by the Senate. Yes, confirmed by the Senate. Independent source of funding Yes, from the Federal Reserve Board budget. Yes, from the Federal Reserve Board budget. Yes, with fees on "entities and transactions" within...

15 Fast Facts The magnitude of foreclosures and associated costs are daunting; the numbers tell the story. 1. Number of foreclosures initiated since 2007 6.6 million 2. Projected foreclosures during next 5 years Up to 12 million 3. Portion of all homeowners seriously delinquent on their mortgage 1 in 9 4. Portion of homes where owners owe more than property...