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☆ Debt ceiling deal would push student loan borrowers into repayment by fall
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-30 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Anadolu Agency | Anadolu Agency | Getty ImagesDeal ends the payment pause, likely for goodThe pause on federal student loan payments is one of the few remaining Covid-related relief measures still in effect. The policy has suspended the accrual of interest on federal student debt and allowed borrowers to forgo making their payments without facing any penalties. watch nowThe White House was aiming to restart student loan payments within months anyway, Kantrowitz said, and so "the legislation does not represent a change in that regard." The Biden administration has warned that resuming student loan payments without being able to carry out its debt forgiveness plan could trigger a historic spike in defaults and delinquencies. Student loan forgiveness, other relief, not in agreement

☆ Banks are finally admitting they have a problem with billions of dollars in looming real-estate defaults
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-01 | by ( Daniel Geiger | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

This earnings season, some major banks bucked tumult in the sector by raking in record revenues and surpassing Wall Street expectations. The bank separately disclosed $725 million of "non-accrual loans" tied to office assets — debts that are already delinquent on payments. That was a nearly fourfold increase in dollar volume of bad office loans over the previous quarter held by the bank. Even some loans tied the nation's robust market for apartment buildings have faltered recently. Anderson said about $760 billion of office loans were held by banks, which amounts to roughly 35% of their commercial-real-estate debt.

☆ Factbox: Canadian public servants' strike: demands and impact
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Ismail Shakil | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] PSAC National President Chris Aylward speaks to media after more than 155,000 public sector union workers with the Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) began a strike, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada April 19, 2023. The contract negotiations cover two main groups of employees: 120,000 workers under the Treasury Board and more than 35,000 revenue agency workers. Tax agency workers want a pay bump of 22.5% over three years, while the Treasury Board workers are seeking a 13.5% pay rise over three years. * New language in the agreement with the revenue agency to protect union members' work from being contracted out to private firms. About 48,000 union workers have been deemed essential and will continue to report to work during the labor disruption.

☆ A nonprofit just joined forces with a major student-loan lender in asking a federal court to end the payment pause, saying the relief has limited the 'financial incentive' to work in public service
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

A nonprofit filed a lawsuit on Thursday to end Biden's student-loan payment pause and prevent another extension. It comes after SoFi Bank filed a lawsuit last month to end the payment pause. The lawsuit targets Biden's continued extensions of the student-loan payment pause, and it asks the federal court in the Eastern District of Michigan to end the current pause and prevent Biden from issuing a further extension. As a result, Biden extended the student-loan payment pause, with waived interest, through 60 days after June 30, or 60 days after the Supreme Court issues a final decision on the relief's legality, whichever happens first. The bank cited revenue loss that is said was directly caused by the continued payment pause extensions.

Companies Amgen Inc FollowMarch 14 (Reuters) - Amgen Inc (AMGN.O) has been sued in a proposed class action accusing the drugmaker of waiting too long to tell investors it might owe the Internal Revenue Service $10.7 billion in taxes and penalties. In a complaint filed on Monday night in Manhattan federal court, a Detroit-based pension fund said Amgen artificially inflated its stock price by concealing the dispute over its international tax strategy between July 2020 and April 2022. Though Puerto Rico is a U.S. territory, it is considered a foreign country for corporate tax purposes. 149 Pension Fund, said Amgen's share price fell 6.5% on Aug. 4, 2021, and 4.3% on April 28, 2022, because the company waited until those dates to disclose its potential liabilities. 149 Pension Fund v. Amgen Inc, U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No.

☆ What to do if Supreme Court strikes down Biden's student loan forgiveness plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-06 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Demonstrators in favor of canceling student debt gather outside the U.S. Supreme Court in Washington, D.C., on Feb. 28, 2023. Bloomberg | Bloomberg | Getty ImagesKeep your payments on holdThe Covid pandemic-era policy suspending federal student loan payments and the accrual of interest is still active. Those are the ideal ways to postpone your federal student loan payments, because interest doesn't accrue. For example, full-time teachers who work for five consecutive years in a low-income school may be eligible for up to $17,500 in loan forgiveness under the Teacher Loan Forgiveness Program. And lawyers in Texas who work for specific legal aid programs may be eligible for the Texas Student Loan Repayment Assistance Program.

The SEC in 2016 warned companies that non-GAAP measures that replace GAAP-based methods with individually tailored disclosure could violate its rules. That is up from 11 companies in letters released in January and February 2022. The SEC has long expressed concerns about companies placing too much emphasis on their non-GAAP disclosures compared with GAAP disclosures. Changing how certain non-GAAP measures are calculated can be embarrassing and even costly for companies, accountants said. Graham Holdings said it isn’t violating SEC guidance because it didn’t substitute an alternative recognition or measurement method for the related adjustments.

☆ Supreme Court to Hear Cases on Biden’s Student Loan Cancellation Plan
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-28 | by ( Adam Liptak | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Tuesday over the legality of one of the most ambitious and expensive executive actions in the nation’s history: the Biden administration’s plan to wipe out more than $400 billion in student debt because of the coronavirus pandemic. The administration faces a conservative court that has been hostile to other programs justified by the pandemic and insistent that government initiatives with major political and economic consequences be clearly authorized by Congress. The law the administration relies on, the Higher Education Relief Opportunities for Students Act of 2003, usually called the HEROES Act, gives the secretary of education the power to “waive or modify any statutory or regulatory provision” to protect borrowers affected by “a war or other military operation or national emergency.”In March 2020, President Donald J. Trump declared that the coronavirus pandemic was a national emergency, and his administration invoked the HEROES Act to pause student loan repayment requirements and to suspend the accrual of interest.

☆ Record-high credit card debt outpaces savings for nearly one-third of the country — here's what you can do
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( Elizabeth Gravier | Jason Stauffer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Here's what credit cardholders with debt can doThe following advice can help set you on the path toward solvency if you feel you're drowning in credit card debt. Transfer debt to a balance transfer credit card If you're carrying a credit card balance month to month that you just can't pay off, your first priority should be putting a halt to the interest it's accruing. And, once you can pause the interest accrual on your credit card, you can then also focus on growing your savings. Consolidate debt with a personal loan Those with credit card debt may want to also think about taking out a personal loan to consolidate their debt into one monthly payment. Bottom lineIf you're struggling under the burden of credit card debt, you're far from alone.

☆ UBS says these stocks posted high-quality earnings this season
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Sarah Min | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Now that Wall Street is about to close the books on yet another earnings season, it's time to see which names posted higher-quality earnings than others, according to UBS. In the S & P 500, about 86% of companies reported quarterly earnings thus far, according to FactSet data. However, UBS' strategist Keith Parker worries that earnings quality is an "overhang," saying the divide between earnings and operating cash flow for companies points to roughly 15% earnings-per-share downside for at-risk stocks. These stocks are in the S & P 1500, have a market cap greater than $3 billion, excluding stocks in financial, real estate and utilities. Meanwhile, Humana demonstrated strong earnings quality because of its leading position in the Medicare Advantage market, according to UBS analyst Kevin Caliendo.

☆ UBS warns that a historically reliable indicator shows earnings could fall 15% — and shares 24 high-quality stocks that will be immune from the drop
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( James Faris | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Normally, a company's earnings — what's left from revenue after subtracting all expenses — are closely tied to its money made from operations, or operating cash flow (OCF), Parker wrote. UBSWhile that sounds promising at first, the bad news for investors is that OCF is actually a more reliable measure of profitability than earnings, Parker wrote. A low accrual suggests that a company's earnings are higher quality, while a high accrual implies lower quality earnings. UBS found 24 stocks that have low earnings risk since their OCF is high relative to net income. "We combine the accruals factor with change in valuation and EPS revisions to identify stocks that have 'de-risked earnings' vs 'at-risk earnings,'" Parker wrote.

☆ Savers poised for 'biggest win' in 2023 as inflation falls. Where to put your cash now
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-06 | by ( Lorie Konish | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Xavier Lorenzo | Moment | Getty ImagesAs interest rates go up, 2023 is shaping up to be a good time for savers who stand to earn more money on their cash. As the unemployment rate hit a 53-year low in the latest jobs report, the interest rate increases are expected to keep coming. Online savings accounts tend to pay the highest rates, with rates like 4% or 4.5% becoming more common. Series I bonds have 'become a better deal'Series I bonds are accrual type savings bonds tied to inflation that are issued by the government. If you cash in the I bond in the first five years, you will lose three months' interest, McBride said.

☆ More student loan borrowers may have $0 payments under Biden's new plan. What you need to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Silverkblack | Istock | Getty ImagesIn the new student loan repayment plan proposal rolled out this month by the Biden administration, more borrowers could see their monthly payments drop to $0. The new REPAYE plan could officially be available July 1, 2024, according to higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz. Yet under the new proposal, those who have fallen behind may be able to sign up for the income-based repayment plan, another one of the income-driven repayment plan options. Borrowers will need to enrollOnce the new REPAYE plan is available, borrowers can call their student loan servicer to enroll in the option, or apply at StudentAid.gov. The pandemic-era relief policy suspending federal student loan bills and the accrual of interest has been in effect since March 2020.

☆ President Biden just announced updates to student loan repayment—here's what borrowers need to know
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Kamaron Mcnair | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Biden Administration released details this week on its plan to overhaul the current income-driven repayment plan known as Revised Pay As You Earn plan (REPAYE) for federal student loan borrowers. All student borrowers with direct federal loans (not parent PLUS loans) are eligible for REPAYE repayment plans. The change would also stop interest from accruing on balances while borrowers qualify for $0 monthly payments. No interest accumulation while making regular paymentsUnder the current REPAYE plan, sometimes borrowers' monthly payments are lower than the interest accrued on the loan. Those who borrowed $12,000 or less would be eligible for loan forgiveness after 10 years of monthly payments.

☆ Bernie Sanders calls out Trump pausing student-loan payments as a reason why Biden's debt relief plan is legal
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Trump used the HEROES Act to extend the student-loan payment pause in March 2020. Biden used the same law to cancel up to $20,000 in student debt for federal borrowers, but that plan is held up in court. Sen. Sanders said Trump's past usage of the Act supports the legality of Biden's broad relief plan. "Let's be clear: If Trump had the authority to pause student debt payments, President Biden has the authority to cancel student debt," Sanders wrote on Twitter on Friday. "The Supreme Court must reject the Republicans' baseless lawsuits to take away student debt relief to 40 million Americans who desperately need it."

☆ Student loan forgiveness is headed to the Supreme Court. What that means for the payment pause
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-16 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The pandemic-era relief policy suspending federal student loan bills and the accrual of interest has been in effect since March 2020. That development is why borrowers have gotten even more time without a student loan bill. Student loan bills could resume as soon as May 1The Education Department has left things a little open-ended when it comes to the timing of federal student loan payments resuming. During the extended payment pause, however, the Education Department is also ceasing all collection activity, it said. And while interest rates on federal student loans are at zero, it's also a good time to make progress paying down more expensive debt, experts say.

☆ Student loan forgiveness could fall through for 30 million borrowers. If it does, consider these 4 relief options
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Defer payments (once they resume)The pandemic-era policy suspending federal student loan payments and the accrual of interest is still active. Those are the ideal ways to postpone your federal student loan payments, because interest doesn't accrue. Use the Public Service Loan Forgiveness programThe Biden administration has recently made a number of improvements to the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, which allows those who work for the government and certain nonprofits to get their debt cleared after a decade of payments. To reach forgiveness, you need to have made 120 qualifying, on-time payments in an income-driven repayment plan or the standard repayment plan. Lenders will likely be overwhelmed when they have to begin collecting loan payments from tens of millions of people again.

☆ Student loan payments may not resume until August. Here's what borrowers need to know
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

With so much still up in the air, the Biden administration has pushed back the due date on student loan bills again. With previous extensions of the payment pause, the Education Department provided one date for when student loan bills would resume. Betsy Mayotte, president of The Institute of Student Loan Advisors, warned borrowers to first understand the federal protections they're giving up before they refinance. "Refinancing can generate a lower interest rate than federal student loan rates," Mayotte said. Could it make sense to still pay my student loans?

☆ This Is Your Brain on ‘Deep Reading.’ It’s Pretty Magnificent. - The New York Times
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-22 | by ( The Ezra Klein Show | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +57 min

But if over time, we have begun to elaborate this brain so that it includes deep reading, the unnatural apex of the achievement of reading is what deep reading provides. And every time I get off of a plane, I say to myself, I’m going to do that more. I’m going to sit and I’m going to have quiet time with a book. I’m going to bring this to me in a second, so I’m not just putting this on little kids. maryanne wolfThe first thing I do is understand the purpose of whatever I’m reading.

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☆ Millions of student-loan borrowers risk a 'financial catastrophe' if Biden doesn't 'immediately' extend the debt payment pause, 225 advocacy groups say
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-21 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Over 200 advocacy groups urged Biden to extend the student-loan payment pause on Monday. After two federal courts blocked the relief, they said borrowers should not have to face payments. Two conservative lawsuits have blocked indefinitely the president's plan to forgive up to $20,000 in student loans for federal borrowers. The advocacy groups argued that until borrowers receive the relief they were promised, they cannot be forced back into repayment. The administration also appealed to a lower court the federal judge in Texas' decision to block the relief two weeks ago.

☆ Elections 2022 shows the Latino vote moving to the right. Here's why.
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Keith Humphreys | Keith Humphreys Is The Esther Ting Memorial Professor Of Psychiatry At Stanford University School Of Medicine. He Served As A Drug Policy Advisor In The Bush | Obama White Houses | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +5 min

In the five years prior to the pandemic, Hispanic median household income grew more than twice as much as whites. It follows that, just as people rarely consider quitting jobs or divorcing spouses that they like, they find political change unappealing when they are satisfied with their life situation. There are certainly many Hispanic Americans who are poor and oppressed, but there’s considerable evidence that many are doing better than ever. In this year’s entering class at the University of California, the largest racial and ethnic group is Hispanics. But it’s easy for political junkies to assume that most people follow political nuances closely, when in fact they don’t.

☆ Biden will ask the Supreme Court to allow his student-loan forgiveness plan to move forward after lower courts blocked the relief
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The 8th Circuit Court blocked Biden's student-debt relief from moving forward on Monday. On Thursday, the Justice Department said it's planning to ask the Supreme Court to reverse that decision. It also appealed another ruling from a Texas judge who declared the debt relief illegal. On Thursday, Politico first reported that the Justice Department is planning to ask the Supreme Court to allow Biden's debt relief plan to move forward. Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett has already dismissed two requests from different conservative lawsuits that were seeking to block Biden's debt relief, but it's unclear how the Court will rule on the lawsuits Biden's administration is challenging given the lower courts' decisions to block the debt cancellation.

☆ Biden's Education Department says it's 'examining' extending the student-loan payment pause to remedy the 'significant confusion' among borrowers after federal courts blocked debt relief
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-16 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Education Department said it is "examining" extending the student-loan payment pause. This comes after two federal courts blocked the department from implementing debt relief. "Most borrowers have been told that all they need to do is submit an application to obtain one-time student loan debt relief. Now, as a result of litigation they are left to wonder when, if at all, if debt relief will be effectuated. Advocates and some Democratic lawmakers have been amplifying their calls to extend the payment pause in recent days.

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☆ Piraeus Bank swings to 9-month profit, ups full-year guidance
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-11 | by ( George Georgiopoulos | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

The bank reported net earnings of 729 million euros ($746.86 million) after a loss of 3.085 billion euros in the nine-month period in 2021. Net earnings in the third quarter grew to 116 million euros from 92 million in the second quarter. Piraeus Bank generated 0.28 euros of earnings per share in the nine-month period and expects to outperform its previous 0.35 euro full-year 2022 guidance, he said. Its performing-loans portfolio expanded by 800 million euros in the third quarter and by 2.3 billion in the nine-month period, topping a revised annual target of 2.0 billion euros. Likewise, net fee income rose 12% year-on-year in the nine-month period thanks to new loan originations and bancassurance.

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