Top Features
Who Borrows From Payday Lenders?
Analysis from Amanda Logan and Christian E. Weller of newly available data gives insight into who turns to payday lenders for help and why.
Putting Credit Card Debt on Notice
Report from Tim Westrich on using electronic reminders to give consumers the right information at the right time.
House of Cards
Report details the relationship between slowly growing U.S. mortgage markets and the suddenly aggressive growth of credit card debt.Other Credit & Debt Features
November 2, 2011
Unburdening America’s Middle Class
Christian Weller outlines ways for American workers and their families to get out of high indebtedness.
April 1, 2010
Extending Credit to Lower-Income Americans Safely and Fairly
Former Comptroller of the Currency Eugene Ludwig addresses the question of how to extend credit to lower-income Americans safely and fairly.
July 10, 2009
The Payday Lending Trap
A new report from the Center for Responsible Lending verifies pernicious payday lending practices, yet another indication of dangerous consumer lending practices, writes Amanda Logan.
April 7, 2009
A Word of Caution on Payday Loans
Payday loans end up being very costly for families, particularly minorities and those of low income, writes Raul Arce-Contreras.
April 7, 2009
Ask the Expert: A Close Look at Payday Lending
Amanda Logan on what payday loans are, who uses them, and why policymakers are concerned.
March 19, 2009
Warning: Credit Card Practices Can Be Detrimental to Your (and Their) Health
Here is another example from the list of “things that we saw coming, but nobody cared.” Credit card companies are suffering from record default rates. In the fourth quarter of 2008, credit card companies charged off—declared as uncollectible—a whopping 6.3 percent of their debt. Aside from a fluke spike in the data in the first quarter of 2002, this was the largest charge-off rate since the Federal Reserve began collecting these data in 1980.
December 16, 2008
What Bank Mergers Mean for Credit Cards
Consolidation under the financial crisis could mean higher penalties and fees for consumers, write David Balto and Tim Westrich.
October 2, 2008
Video: Fixing the Credit Markets
Ed Paisley on what happened in the credit markets, why it happened, and what we can do.
September 29, 2008
Bailout Package Necessary, but Only the First Step
The Center for American Progress argues that President Bush’s financial rescue plan requires overwhelming congressional support even though more needs to be done to help Main Street.
September 24, 2008