This week’s money news

This week’s top story: Congress delays shutdown again, extends funding to March. In other news: What to do about debt in retirement, 4 strategies for using side hustles to fund retirement savings, and ‘enormous’ savings for Americans by limiting overdraft fees.

Congress Delays Shutdown Again, Extends Funding to March
On Jan. 18, Congress approved yet another stopgap that will avoid a possible government shutdown until March.

What to Do About Debt in Retirement
From taking on side work to strategically downsizing, here are ways to help you tackle retirement debt.

4 Strategies for Using Side Hustles to Fund Retirement Savings
Side hustles can be used to pay for everyday expenses, but they can also help fund your retirement goals.

CFPB: ‘Enormous’ Savings for Americans by Limiting Overdraft Fees
With billions in revenue at stake, banks are lining up against the proposal.

 

This week’s money news

This week’s top story: Smart Money podcast on money scams, and renting credit card tradelines for cash. In other news: AI and hiring decisions,  June 2023 rent report, and CFPB warning that student loan borrowers will struggle with repayment.

Smart Money Podcast: Money Scams, and Renting Credit Card Tradelines for Cash
This week’s episode starts with a discussion about new scams, including Google Voice and AI scams.

AI Could Prevent Hiring Bias — Unless It Makes It Worse
Advocates say AI can eliminate human biases in hiring. Skeptics point out that AI tools are trained by … humans.

June Rent Report: Rent Growth Is Cooling, but Prices Remain High
The May data, released June 6, shows typical rent prices in the U.S. are now $2,048.

Student Loan Borrowers Will Struggle With Repayment, CFPB Warns
One in five borrowers could struggle when student loan payments resume later this summer.

Monday’s need-to-know money news

Today’s top story: How to say no to co-signing – and yes to helping. Also in the news: How to rake in cash at your yard sale, fighting against auto loan bias, and 401(k) mistakes to stop making.

How to Say No to Co-Signing — and Yes to Helping
Protecting yourself while helping others.

Rake in Cash at Your Yard Sale
One person’s trash is another person’s treasure.

You Can Fight Auto Loan Bias, Despite Congress’ Reversal
You still have options.

Stop Making These 401(k) Mistakes
Stop hurting your retirement.

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

Today’s top story: Does the CFPB still care about students? Also in the news: How to use your tax return to map out a better financial future, paring down the price of a move to a new state, and 6 strategies to get a divorce without going broke.

Does the CFPB Still Care About Students?
Borrowers could be losing protection.

Use Your Tax Return to Map Out a Better Financial Future
Using your tax refund strategically.

Pare Down the Price of a Move to a New State
Finding ways to cut costs.

6 strategies to get a divorce without going broke
How to avoid a big bill.

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

Today’s top story: Suing banks will get easier – if CFPB rule survives. Also in the news: 2017 Driving in America report, 7 tips for preparing your taxes in a divorce, and why you need to stop beating yourself up over past money mistakes.

Suing Banks Will Get Easier — if CFPB Rule Survives
And that’s a big “if.”

2017 Driving in America Report: The Costs and Risks
A NerdWallet report.

7 Tips for Preparing Your Taxes in a Divorce
Don’t ignore Uncle Sam.

Why You Need to Stop Beating Yourself Up Over Past Money Mistakes
Stop dwelling.

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

Today’s top story: 6 myths about IRAs you can’t afford to believe. Also in the news: New loan modifications from Fannie and Freddie, tax refund loans, and what the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau offers consumers.

6 Myths About IRAs You Can’t Afford to Believe
IRA mythbusting.

New Loan Modification From Fannie, Freddie: What to Know
Keeping your home out of foreclosure.

Tax Refund Loans Offer Fast Cash for Early Filers
But pay close attention to the fees.

What Is the CFPB and What Does It Offer Consumers?
And why it’s in danger.

Bureaus fined for credit score confusion

51w4H0Y7W7L._SX333_BO1,204,203,200_The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau today ordered Equifax and TransUnion to pay more than $23 million in restitution and fines for deceiving consumers about the usefulness and actual cost of credit scores they sold to consumers. Regulators said the bureaus also lured customers into expensive subscriptions when people thought they were getting free scores.

The CFPB said the bureaus were selling scores without making it clear that they weren’t the FICO scores lenders typically use in their decisions. TransUnion was selling VantageScores and Equifax sold a proprietary score. (Important to note here that VantageScores are now offered for free by many sites, including my employer NerdWallet.)

Credit scoring can be complex, and people are easily confused about the different types of scores and how they’re used by lenders. For example, many people think they have one credit score, when in fact we have many, and those scores change all the time.

People often don’t understand that the scores they’re seeing aren’t necessarily the ones used by lenders. Most lenders use some version of the FICO credit scoring formula, but FICOs come in many different versions and iterations. There are different generations of FICO scores and formulas tweaked for different industries, such as credit cards or auto loans. Furthermore, the FICOs you get from one major credit bureau will differ from the FICOs you can get from the two other bureaus.
Before VantageScore, the bureaus often sold proprietary scores that were used by few, if any, lenders. That led consumer advocates to label these proprietary scores as “FAKO” scores. VantageScores definitely aren’t FAKOs, since they’re used by 20 of the 25 largest financial institutions. But they may be used behind the scenes–for marketing or testing, rather than for deciding whether you get a loan or the interest rate you’ll get.
A VantageScores can give you a general idea of how lenders might view you as a credit risk. If you’re in the market for a major loan such as a mortgage or auto loan, however, you should consider buying the appropriate FICOs from MyFICO.com to get the clearest idea of where you stand.

President-elect Trump, save the CFPB

Ten years ago, bullies had taken over the playground. Financial service firms preyed on their customers with impunity:

—Lenders made expensive, risky mortgages to people who couldn’t afford to pay the money back.

—Credit card issuers foisted overpriced insurance and other add-on products on millions of unsuspecting customers.

—Credit bureaus ignored evidence submitted by people disputing errors in their credit reports.

—Companies sold delinquent debts to collection agencies that ran amok, violating fair debt collection laws and strong-arming people into repaying debts they didn’t even owe.

People’s complaints fell on deaf ears, since consumer protection wasn’t a priority at any agency. Huge swaths of the credit and debt industries, including credit bureaus, collection agencies and payday lenders, operated with little government oversight.

Then the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau pushed back.

In my latest for the Associated Press, why President-elect Donald Trump needs to save the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Big changes afoot for credit bureaus and your scores

check-credit-report-easilyCredit bureaus will have to hold off on reporting delinquent medical bills and supply actual human beings to review disputes under an agreement announced today with New York’s attorney general.

The Wall Street Journal reported that the agreement, to be announced later today, will change how credit bureaus operate nationally. Bureaus will have to wait 180 days before reporting any medical debt on people’s credit reports. When an insurance company pays a medical bill, all references to it will have to be deleted from the individual’s reports.

This is a big deal, since the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau estimates about 43 million Americans medical collection accounts on their credit reports. One such collection can devastate an otherwise pristine credit report and cause credit scores to plunge.

Having human beings review disputes is another significant change. Currently, humans stick a code on disputes before they’re sent to lenders, but the process is highly automated. Errors that have been removed from a report can crop up again (and again and again) when the lenders upload their data files to the bureaus. Getting problems fixed can be a frustrating process when you can’t get a human being to intervene.

The changes won’t happen overnight. The bureaus have three and a half years to roll them out.

Regulators sue for-profit college chain

DrowningCorinthian Colleges–which includes the Everest, Heald and WyoTech schools–has just been sued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for what regulators call its “predatory lending scheme.”

The CFPB alleges that the for-profit college chain exaggerated students’ job prospects to get them to take out private loans to cover its schools’ high tuition costs. The bureau says Corinthian then used illegal debt collection tactics “to strong-arm students into paying back those loans while still in school.”

The Bureaus wants the courts to halt these practices and grant relief to people who have taken out more than $500 million in private student loans.

As I wrote in my Reuters column “What to do when your college shuts down,” Corinthian is in the process of closing or selling its schools as part of an agreement with the U.S. Department of Education. People who have federal student loans have a shot at getting their debt discharged when a school closes, but those with private student loans are often stuck with the debt, even if they get no value from the education.

If you or anyone you know attended a Corinthian school, getting educated about your options is key. (The CFPB posted information for current and former students here.) So is alerting the CFPB if you feel you were deceived about the value of your education or your career prospects. You can file a complaint here.