Contributor
Report from Tim Westrich on using electronic reminders to give consumers the right information at the right time.
Consolidation under the financial crisis could mean higher penalties and fees for consumers, write David Balto and Tim Westrich.
Banks tapping the government’s $700 billion financial rescue package are raising interest rates instead of helping the economy recover, observes Tim Westrich.
Tim Westrich details why conservatives are responsible for the subprime mortgage mess, not the Community Reinvestment Act.
Key indicators show that minorities continue to fare poorly in the current economy, write Amanda Logan and Tim Westrich.
Landmark credit card protections passed by the House in the midst of bailout negotiations are good news for consumers, writes Tim Westrich.
Both Congress and the Fed could pass much-needed protections to help consumers manage rising credit card debt, writes Tim Westrich.
Even checking accounts—probably the most basic account in banking—contain a plethora of hidden traps these days and practice a type of “gotcha capitalism” that will get you if you don’t take a few steps to avoid the most common pitfalls.
So, you’re finally on your own with a new job. If you’re like most Americans, a car is a necessary item—88 percent of Americans use their car to get to work. The path to getting an auto loan is full of pitfalls that can extract extra money over the course of the loan. And with the price of gas at record levels, getting a car that will serve your needs and fit into your budget may require some planning.
As consumers are less able to access home equity loans, they are turning to credit cards to continue their consumption—meaning it’s more important than ever to improve credit card terms.
High fees, high interest rates, and complex terms that come with credit cards are particularly damaging to increasing numbers of young people who use plastic.
A new House bill would give borrowers and servicers more time to renegotiate mortgages so that homeowners can keep their homes, writes Tim Westrich.
Regulators and lawmakers shouldn’t miss the opportunity to help Americans avoid “credit card hell.”
Hispanic and African-American households are likely to suffer first and to suffer more in the current economic downturn, write Tim Westrich and Amanda Logan.
Credit card debt hits record high as U.S. consumers try to cope with economic downturn, writes Tim Westrich.
Every day, average American families' financial health is challenged on all fronts: fewer job opportunities, declining home values, and rising prices for necessities like health care, education and child care. With the prospect that gas could approach $4 per gallon this summer, many Americans' budgets will reach a breaking point. Too many families are only a layoff or medical emergency away from financial ruin.
A hearing in Congress this week calls for a reality check on convoluted cardholder agreements, writes Tim Westrich.
Report details the relationship between slowly growing U.S. mortgage markets and the suddenly aggressive growth of credit card debt.
The conservative agenda has not served African Americans well, according to key economic indicators.
The mortgage bill up for vote cannot be weakened if policymakers are to truly stabilize the home lending market, writes Tim Westrich.
A bill scheduled for vote today would ban the worst abuses in home mortgages for future borrowers. The bill cannot be weakened, says Tim Westrich.
Home foreclosure crisis requires more than reforms at the Federal Housing Administration, writes Tim Westrich, even though that’s a positive first step.
New overdraft protection legislation will give Americans a clear choice about whether they want to pay fees to have their transactions covered.