Record numbers of people are falling behind on their financial obligations and their debts are being sent to collections. If you're one of them, you know that being contacted by debt collectors can be stressful, especially if they are harassing you, threatening you, and/or…
Managing Money Topic: Credit
A listing of news items, events, books, and publications on credit.
News & Headlines
- February 21, 2013 New survey shows consumers benefit from CARD Act Consumer Action’s hotline sees nosedive in consumer credit card complaints Consumer Action conducted an online survey of 706 credit cardholders to learn what impact the CARD Act of 2009 has had on credit card users.
- November 09, 2012 Election results strengthen consumer protection
- November 02, 2012 Banks offer loans, credit limit hikes to Sandy victims
- September 18, 2012 After job loss leads to debt, rebuild your credit score
- September 13, 2012 Should you use an IRA to pay off debt?
Publications
Wednesday, February 27, 2013
Get Credit for Your Hard Work (2012 Tax Year) (Chinese) Low income working taxpayers may qualify for the Federal EITC. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) helps low income, working taxpayers and families get more money back when they file their federal income tax forms.This publication contains EITC guidelines for the 2012 tax year.
Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Get Credit for Your Hard Work (2012 Tax Year) Low-income working taxpayers may qualify for the federal EITC. The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) helps low-income, working taxpayers and families get more money back when they file their federal income tax return. This publication contains EITC guidelines for the 2012 tax year.
Friday, February 08, 2013
Good Credit - Build it and keep it (English). A fact sheet that explains what a credit history is, how to get your credit report, how to establish good credit and where to complain if you have a problem.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Teens & Money - Talking to teens about money (Korean). 24페이로 구성된 이 소책자는 일, 예산, 구매에 있어서 필요한 것과 원하는 것 구분, 은행 이용, 개인 수표 사용, 저축, 신용 카드, 신용 보고서, 운전과 휴대폰 등의 여러가지 주제에 대해 설명하고 있으며 부모들을 위해 만들어 졌지만 청소년들에게도 도움이 될 수 있습니다. 이 소책자는 또한 주간 지출 분석, 월급 명세서, 비교구매를 통한 절약, 개인 수표 사용 등에 대한 예와 삽화를 싣고 있으며 부모들과 자녀들에게 도움을 줄 수 있는 웹 사이트들에 대해서도 안내히고 있습니다.
This 24-page booklet is designed primarily for parents but may also be useful for older teens. It covers many topics, including working, budgeting, figuring out if a purchase is a "need" or a "want," banking, writing checks, savings, credit cards, credit reports, driving and cell phones. The booklet contains illustrations and examples of a weekly spending evaluation, a paycheck stub, how comparison shopping can save money and how to write a check. It also contains a list of helpful web sites for parents and kids.
Monday, October 22, 2012
Teens & Money - Talking to teens about money (Chinese). This 24-page booklet is designed primarily for parents but may also be useful for older teens. It covers many topics, including working, budgeting, figuring out if a purchase is a "need" or a "want," banking, writing checks, savings, credit cards, credit reports, driving and cell phones. The booklet contains illustrations and examples of a weekly spending evaluation, a paycheck stub, how comparison shopping can save money and how to write a check. It also contains a list of helpful web sites for parents and kids.
CA News & Special Reports
2009 Credit Card Survey Consumer Action's 2009 Credit Card Survey contains information on credit card rates, fees, terms and industry practices for 39 cards from 22 issuers. ( Wednesday, August 12, 2009 )
On Our Radar
- April 23, 2010 Can financial education head off early conomic woes? A commentary in the Huffington Post delves into the problem of twentysomethings who are struggling to make financial ends meet and how financial education can play a role in heading off disaster earlier.
- August 13, 2009 Prepaid cards: New report finds fees, gotchas A new report finds that upon close examination, prepaid debit cards are laden with numerous types of fees and other gotchas.
- February 05, 2009 FDIC study: Serving the unbanked and underbanked In the first national survey of banks' efforts to serve unbanked and underbanked individuals and families in their market areas, the FDIC found that improvement may be possible in certain areas.
- January 30, 2009 Reasons you can't get your credit report fixed A noted national consumer law organization releases a report documenting the abysmal quality of the credit report dispute system provided for by law to protect consumers from errors in their credit reports.
- December 03, 2008 Old debt gets new rates: Citigroup raises credit card rates An article by Tim Westrich of the Center for American Progress discusses Citigroup's announcement that it would raise its credit card interest rates on 20 percent of its customers, just weeks after accepting $25 billion from the federal government.
Coalition
- May 20, 2011 Real debt help Consumer groups provide solid advice on debt relief Consumer Action partnered with other national consumer groups to provide tips on how to avoid debt relief scams and bogus mortgage relief assistance. The Get Real Debt Help fact sheet explains debt relief danger signs, rules on upfront fees, and where to turn for real debt help. (Available in Spanish and English).
- April 14, 2011 Old exceptions to risk-based pricing rule must be removed before Dodd-Frank can work Consumer Action signed onto comments that point out problems with provisions proposed by the Federal Reserve and the FTC that would fail to remove currently-existing exceptions to the risk-based pricing rule (if the creditor makes a credit scoring disclosure) in the Dodd-Frank bill.
- November 18, 2009 Protect debt-strapped consumers from unscrupulous industry practices Consumer Action filed joint comments, along with 18 other consumer organizations, with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) supporting amendments to the Telemarketing Sales Rule that would protect debt-strapped consumers from unscrupulous practices by companies that offer to arrange payment plans with their creditors, get their interest rates or fees reduced, or settle their debts for pennies on the dollar.
- April 17, 2009 Shareholders target predatory credit card practices Consumer Action and the Center for Responsible Lending joined socially responsible MMA Praxis Mutual Funds and the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility to discuss anti-consumer credit card practices that could have a negative impact on shareholders of major card issuers, and the larger economy.
- March 31, 2009 "Opt-in" fundamental to consumer overdraft protection The Federal Reserve's move to curb abuses in bank overdraft practices prompted Consumer Action and its coalition partners to write a letter demanding that the Fed ask institutions to first obtain consumer "opt-in" or agreement before imposing any fees for the service.
BookNotes
How YOU Can Profit from Credit Cards
Curtis Arnold, founder of Cardratings.com, passes along techniques he has used to escape credit card debt, "creatively finance" his wedding, car, and home purchases, and earn thousands in credit card "perks" every year. Along the way, he offers advice targeted to young…
Liz Pulliam Weston is a personal finance columnist whose twice-weekly columns for MSN Money reach more than six million people each month. In her new book she provides a complete action plan for improving your credit score. Credit scores—numbers that sum up your credit…
Everything you need to get out of debt and repair your credit, from the Nolo Press, the pre-eminient self-help legal publisher.
Feeling overwhelmed by your debts? If you're ready to regain your financial freedom, this book is exactly what you need! To make…
In Deal with Your Debt, personal finance columnist Liz Pulliam Weston provides strategies for managing debt effectively and reveals how some debt can contribute to your fiscal health and even help build wealth. Weston identifies "toxic debts" and offers advice on paying them off…
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