HUD: Aid Offered to U.S. Virgin Island Disaster Victims
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today announced the implementation of federal disaster assistance for the U.S. Virgin Islands and ordered federal aid to supplement territory and local recovery efforts in the areas affected by Tropical Storm Ernesto from August 13 to August 16, 2024. President Biden issued a major disaster declaration in the…
CFPB: CMS and CFPB Take Action to Stop Illegal Billing of Lowest-Income Medicare Recipients Living at or below the Poverty Line
New statement warns healthcare providers, Medicare Advantage plans, and debt collectors about improper billing and collections Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued a joint statement to protect millions of people with Medicare living at or below the poverty line from unlawful medical bills. These people in…
ABA: New National Consumer Polling Data on Major Bank Policy Issues Unveiled
Strong majorities value credit cards and overdraft protection, oppose lowering debit interchange fees, and support cannabis banking A new survey conducted by Morning Consult on behalf of the American Bankers Association found that a strong majority of U.S. consumers are happy with their credit cards and do not want the government to interfere with their…
FHFA: HUD and FHFA Expand Scope of Public Appraisal Data to Ensure Fairer Home Appraisals
The Federal Housing Finance Agency released its latest update of the Uniform Appraisal Dataset (UAD) that now includes appraisal data on loan applications submitted to the Federal Housing Administration The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) today jointly released new appraisal data from loan applications on single-family…
FHFA: Updates to Enterprise Policies on Appraisals, Loan Repurchase Alternatives, and Pricing Notifications Announced
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) announced updates today to several Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac (the Enterprises) policies that are intended to enhance efficiencies and promote cost savings in the single-family mortgage market. “Today’s announcements highlight actions that will better ensure the Enterprises are reliable sources of liquidity for lenders of all sizes and…
ABA: National Survey Finds U.S. Consumers are Happy with Their Bank, View Banks as Source of Strength for the Economy
Poll also finds Americans trust banks more than other industries to protect them from fraud In a nation deeply divided just a week ahead of Election Day, a new national survey shows Americans agree on one thing: they like their bank. Nearly 9 in 10 Americans with a bank account (85%) say they are “very…
SBA: New Report Reveals Historic Surge in Small Business Financing
Dramatic FY24 Growth Driven by Small-Dollar 7(a) Loans and Loans to Women, Black, and Latino Entrepreneurs Today, Vice President Kamala Harris and Administrator Isabel Casillas Guzman, head of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and the voice for America’s more than 34 million small businesses in President Biden’s Cabinet, announced(Link is external) that the SBA delivered a transformative $56 billion…
CFPB: Personal Financial Data Rights Rule Finalized to Boost Competition, Protect Privacy, and Give Families More Choice in Financial Services
Rule will help lower prices on loans and empower people to more easily fire financial companies that provide bad service Today, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) finalized a rule that will give consumers greater rights, privacy, and security over their personal financial data. The rule requires financial institutions, credit card issuers, and other financial providers to…
ABA: Bank Employees Across U.S. Celebrate 21st Annual Get Smart About Credit Day
Bank employees across the country will celebrate the American Bankers Association Foundation’s Get Smart About Credit campaign today and throughout the year by educating teens and young adults about a range of personal finance topics. Get Smart About Credit Day, celebrated annually on the third Thursday of October, is one of three ABA Foundation youth financial education…
ABA: Bank Economists Expect Credit Conditions to Improve for Both Consumers and Small Businesses for First Time Since 2022
For the first time in nearly three years, lending conditions are expected to strengthen over the next six months for both consumers and businesses, according to the American Bankers Association’s latest Credit Conditions Index released today. The latest summary of ABA’s Credit Conditions Index examines a suite of indices derived from the quarterly outlook for credit markets…