CFPB: Spring 2017 Rulemaking Agenda
An important part of the CFPB’s statutory mandate from the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act) is to make rules governing consumer finance markets more effective and to create new rules when warranted. Under the Regulatory Flexibility Act, federal agencies must publish regulatory agendas twice a year. As an independent regulatory…
CFPB: How to Respond When a Debt Collector Contacts You in Three Easy Steps
By Courtney-Rose Dantus Receiving a call from a debt collector can be stressful. Your first instinct may be to hide or ignore the situation and hope it goes away. But that can make things worse. We have resources to help you respond to debt collectors. 1. First, know your rights There are laws that…
CFPB: Announcing the 30 New Organizations Joining the Focus on People with Disabilities 2017 Cohort
People with disabilities, like all consumers, deserve fair treatment and access to the information, tools, and support they need to enhance their financial well-being. Earlier this year, we invited organizations serving people with disabilities to submit letters of interest to participate in the Financial Empowerment: Focus on People with Disabilities 2017 cohort. We selected 30…
CFPB: How to Help Employees Improve Their Financial Well-Being
Here are eight steps business and HR leaders can take to create a financial wellness program at their workplace. By Dubis Correal Day after day, employees arrive at work carrying the stresses of their lives, and money issues can be part of their stress. Maybe one of your employees has a past-due medical bill…
CFPB: Building Credit at a Local Level
By Sarah Bainton Kahn We recently published a report on ways people without a credit history start building one. In order to bring visibility to this issue and spur action at the local level, we’re releasing credit profiles on states and cities across the country. A person is considered “credit invisible” if they do not…
CFPB: Changes Proposed to HMDA Mortgage Data Rule Reporting Threshold for Community Banks and Credit Unions
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today issued a proposal on reporting requirements for banks and credit unions that issue home-equity lines of credit. Under rules that are scheduled to take effect in January 2018, financial institutions are generally required under the Home Mortgage Disclosure Act (HMDA) to report home-equity lines of…
CFPB: Rule Issued to Ban Companies from Using Arbitration Clauses
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today announced a new rule to ban companies from using mandatory arbitration clauses to deny groups of people their day in court. Many consumer financial products like credit cards and bank accounts have arbitration clauses in their contracts that prevent consumers from joining together to sue their…
CFPB: Buying a Home? Watch out for Mortgage Closing Scams
Summer is a busy homebuying season. If you’re in the market for a new home this year, watch out for email phishing scams. According to reports, the scams target homebuyers who are nearing the closing date on their mortgage loan. The scammers attempt to steal the homebuyer’s closing funds—for example, their down payment and closing…
CFPB: Updates to “Know Before You Owe” Mortgage Disclosure Finalized
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today finalized updates to its “Know Before You Owe” mortgage disclosure rule with amendments that are intended to formalize guidance in the rule, and provide greater clarity and certainty. The changes will facilitate implementation of the Know Before You Owe rule by the mortgage industry. The…
CFPB: New Advisory Board and Council Members Announced
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced the appointment of new consumer experts from outside the federal government to the Consumer Advisory Board, Community Bank Advisory Council, Credit Union Advisory Council, and Academic Research Council. The four bodies provide advice to CFPB leadership on a broad range of consumer financial issues…