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☆ Here are some big money blind spots you need to avoid, advisors say
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-04 | by ( Greg Iacurci | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

Here are some of the biggest financial blind spots, according to several certified financial planners on CNBC's Digital Financial Advisor Council. 1. Credit scoresConsumers often don't understand the importance of their credit score, said Kamila Elliott, CFP, co-founder and CEO of Collective Wealth Partners based in Atlanta. The average person with a credit score between 760 and 850 would get a 6.5% interest rate, according to national FICO data as of April 1. The latter's monthly payment would cost $324 more relative to the person with a better credit score — amounting to an extra $116,000 over the life of the loan, according to FICO's loan calculator. "Ten out of 10 people couldn't explain how the tax withholding system works," said Ted Jenkin, CFP, CEO and founder of oXYGen Financial based in Atlanta.

Persons: Kamila Elliott, Wills, Barry Glassman, I'm, Glassman, Elliott, That's, Ted Jenkin, Uncle Sam, Jenkin Organizations: Getty, Digital Financial, CFP, Wealth Partners, Consumer Financial, Bureau, Wealth Services, Westend61, Collective Wealth Partners, Business, Employers, Workers Locations: Atlanta

☆ The No. 1 factor that makes people feel financially secure—and how to achieve it
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

For many people, credit card debt is standing between them and financial security. And although many people feel that financial security means having little to no debt, achieving that goal is typically easier said than done. 1 factor that makes them feel financially secure, according to CNBC's International Your Money Financial Security Survey conducted by SurveyMonkey. While there are many different kinds of debt, from student loans to mortgages, by far one of the most expensive forms of debt is credit card debt. The majority of Americans wouldn't be able to cover a $1,000 emergency expense with their savings, per Bankrate's 2024 emergency savings report.

Persons: Ted Rossman, wouldn't, Matt Schulz Organizations: Financial Security, SurveyMonkey, Financial, CNBC

The role of credit bureaus in credit card applicationsCredit bureaus play a pivotal role in the credit card application process. How credit bureau information influences approval decisionsCredit bureau information plays a pivotal role when financial institutions make credit decisions. Credit bureau reporting frequently asked questionsDo all banks use the same credit bureau for credit card applications? Even though the three credit bureaus score credit slightly differently, improving your credit habits will typically raise your score across the board. Our guide to the best credit cards for pre-approval can help you identify which credit cards you're most likely to be approved for.

Persons: you'll, Here's, TransUnion, Experian, Banks, Chase, —, cardholders, Discover's, Wells, Wells Fargo, Wells Fargo's, that's Organizations: Vantage, Bank, American Express, American Express American, Credit, Bank of America Bank of America, Bank of America, Chase Chase Bank, Chase, Capital, Citi Citi, Citi, Discover Discover Locations: Equifax, Transunion, Wells Fargo Wells, Experian, Wells, Chevron

☆ Opinion: Conservatives game the system to drag Supreme Court further into culture war
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-01 | by ( Steve Vladeck | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

He is the author of the “One First” Supreme Court newsletter. Both cases were filed in federal district courts in which the plaintiffs could literally hand-pick the specific federal judge who would be assigned to hear the dispute. Indeed, the Supreme Court granted emergency relief in both the social media and mifepristone cases. But the Supreme Court is another matter. For once, the Supreme Court is the victim of right-wing litigation behavior, not the culprit.

Persons: Steve Vladeck, Stephen I, Biden, they’ve, Terry Doughty, Donald Trump, Matthew Kacsmaryk, Trump, —, Neil Gorsuch, Gorsuch Organizations: CNN, University of Texas School of Law, Monroe Division, Court, Western, Western District of, Amarillo Division, Northern, Northern District of, Appeals, Fifth, Fifth Circuit, Democratic, Ninth Circuit, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Securities, Exchange, Conference, United, Northern District of Texas, Judicial, Federal, FDA Locations: Murthy v . Missouri, Monroe, Western District, Western District of Louisiana, Amarillo, Northern District, Northern District of Texas, Orleans, Texas, Austin, West Coast, United States

☆ ‘I am so scared of them now’: Burned from overspending, some ‘buy now, pay later’ users warn others away
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-30 | by ( J.J. Mccorvey | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +8 min

But the $6,000 in BNPL loans she'd racked up over roughly two years felt frivolous, she said, especially because they're planning to buy their first home. Many are seeking cover from high credit card interest rates. After trimming her discretionary spending and sticking to home-cooked meals, she said she's been able to whittle down her BNPL debt to about $1,200. Klarna said it had responsible spending limits for its users, whose average outstanding balance is $150, compared to the more than $6,000 for credit card users. Baird, for her part, acknowledged BNPL services can make inflation and high interest rates feel "easier" for those who can keep their shopping impulses under control.

Persons: Tia Whiteside, Whiteside, she'd, Dyson, she's, Marcus, whittle, Ben Lourie, Lourie, aren't, I've, Amy Baird, Baird, Kevin Mahoney, Mahoney, —, Afterpay, Klarna, Sen, Sherrod Brown, Raphael Warnock, John Fetterman, Brown Organizations: LexisNexis, Solutions, University of California, UC Irvine, Singapore Management University, PayPal, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Financial, D.C, Sens, NBC News Locations: Greenville , South Carolina, Irvine, Stanford, Dallas, Washington, Ohio

☆ Navy Federal says external review finds ‘non-race factors’ explained mortgage approval disparities
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-23 | by ( Casey Tolan | Rene Marsh | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The nearly 29-percentage-point gap in Navy Federal’s approval rates was the widest of any of the 50 lenders that originated the most mortgage loans in 2022. In addition, an analysis by staff of the Senate Banking Committee, which 10 Democratic senators cited in a letter asking federal regulators to review Navy Federal’s mortgage lending earlier this year, also found racial disparities in Navy Federal’s mortgage approval rates based on the publicly available data. A spokesperson for Navy Federal did not respond to a request for additional details about the analysis. Navy Federal described Adegbile’s analysis as an “external review,” but his law firm, WilmerHale, is also defending Navy Federal in a class-action lawsuit from Black and Latino borrowers who allege the credit union discriminated against them in mortgage applications. “Navy Federal should immediately put out the full investigative report and data analysis so that Navy Federal’s members have an opportunity for themselves to review the findings,” the statement said.

Persons: hadn’t, “, ”, Debo Adegbile, ” Adegbile, WilmerHale, – Ben Crump, Adam Levitt, Hassan Zavareei –, Adegbile Organizations: CNN, Navy Federal Credit Union, Department of Defense, Federal, Consumer Financial, Bureau, Banking Committee, Navy Federal, U.S . Commission, Civil Rights Locations: Black, Navy

☆ Biden administration to forgive $5.8 billion in student debt for nearly 78,000 borrowers
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-21 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

US President Joe Biden speaks during an event to announce that his Administration has approved $1.2 billion in student debt cancellation for almost 153,000 borrowers at the Julian Dixon Library in Culver City, California, on February 21, 2024. The Biden administration announced Thursday it would forgive $5.8 billion in student debt for 77,700 borrowers through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. The Biden administration has so far cleared the education debts of nearly 4 million people, totaling $143.6 billion in relief. The Biden administration has worked to fix those issues. Before Biden's fixes to PSLF, just around 7,000 borrowers had received debt relief through the over 15-year-old program, according to the administration.

Persons: Joe Biden, Julian Dixon, Biden, Education Miguel Cardona, George W, Bush Organizations: Julian Dixon Library, Public, U.S . Department of Education, Education, Finance, Social, Security, Consumer Financial, Bureau Locations: Culver City , California

☆ How to make high interest rates work for your hard-earned savings
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-20 | by ( Jeanne Sahadi | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

However, that won’t happen if you just let it sit in a traditional checking or savings account that yields next to nothing. High-yield online savings accountsThe average annual percentage yield on bank savings accounts was just 0.52% as of March 13, according to Bankrate. As with any bank savings rate, high-yield savings account rates can change overnight, and the bank may not alert you when it lowers it. But don’t confuse money market accounts with money market mutual funds, which invest in short-term, low-risk debt instruments. Unlike money market deposit accounts, money market mutual funds are not insured by the FDIC.

Persons: ”, Ted Rossman, ” Rossman, Ken Tumin, Schwab, you’d, Tumin, Doug Ornstein, Andy Smith, Ornstein, doesn’t, ” Smith Organizations: New York CNN, Bankrate, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Fidelity, TIAA Wealth Management, FDIC, Securities Investor Protection Corp, Edelman, AAA Locations: New York, Wells Fargo, United States

☆ A major student-loan company is 'impeding' borrowers' debt cancellation and 'mishandling' their monthly bills, Elizabeth Warren says. She wants its CEO to face Congress.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-18 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewMassachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren has questions for the head of a major student-loan company — and she wants him to answer them in Congress next month. On Monday, Warren sent a letter to Scott Giles, the CEO of federal student-loan servicer MOHELA, inviting him to testify before the Senate banking committee on April 10. MOHELA was the first federal servicer to be punished by the Education Department for failing to fulfill its contractual obligations. "Your testimony will provide you with an opportunity to offer context on MOHELA's role as a student loan servicer at a time of significant transition for the federal student loan program," she added. Warren, along with other Democratic lawmakers, has previously scrutinized MOHELA's handling of student-loan borrowers' accounts.

Persons: —, Massachusetts Sen, Elizabeth Warren, Warren, Scott Giles, servicer MOHELA, MOHELA, servicer, Chuck Schumer, Sen, Bernie Sanders, PSLF, I'm Organizations: Service, Public, Business, Education Department, Democratic, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Locations: Massachusetts, Nelnet

☆ Closing Costs for Buying a Home Have Risen Along With Rates
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-15 | by ( Ann Carrns | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A pricey housing market and higher interest rates have made it harder to afford a house, but related expenses known as closing costs also add to the home-buying challenge. Borrowers typically paid about $6,000 for such costs in 2022, up from about $4,900 in 2021. That was on top of a down payment and other costs. The average monthly payment for a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage rose 46 percent, to $2,045 at the end of 2022 from $1,400 a year earlier, the bureau found. The median price of a single-family home in January was $383,500, up 5 percent from a year earlier, the National Association of Realtors reported.

Organizations: Consumer Financial, National Association of Realtors

☆ Over 27,000 student-loan borrowers are getting $4.1 million in payments in the mail after debt relief companies 'lured' them into 'fake loan forgiveness claims,' a federal consumer agency says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-14 | by ( Ayelet Sheffey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewThousands of student-loan borrowers are getting checks in the mail after paying companies accused of scamming them for debt relief services. The Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday announced it would be sending over $4.1 million in refunds to 27,584 borrowers who gave money to South Dakota corporations Mission Hills Federal and Federal Direct Group. According to the press release, the FTC said the companies "lured consumers with fake loan forgiveness claims and pocketed their money." Advertisement"Moreover, because Defendants have failed to apply most or any of consumers' payments to their student loans, many consumers have accrued additional capitalized interest on the balance of their loans," the complaint said. Those with questions about the payments can contact JND Legal Administration — the company overseeing FTC's refunds — at 844-566-0108, or seek information through the FTC's refund information website.

Persons: — Organizations: Service, Federal Trade Commission, Wednesday, Mission Hills Federal, Federal Direct Group, Business, FTC, Court, Central, Central District of, —, Consumer Financial, Education Department Locations: South Dakota, Central District, Central District of California, California, reportfraud.ftc.gov

☆ Nearly half of young adults have 'money dysmorphia,' survey finds. Here are the symptoms
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-13 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Overwhelming evidence suggests social media has a negative impact on self-esteem. That's not only true for how people feel about their appearance and social status but also their financial wellbeing and economic standing. "Money dysmorphia is kind of like today's version of keeping up with the Joneses," said Courtney Alev, consumer financial advocate at Credit Karma. Not surprisingly, money dysmorphia is even more prevalent among younger generations, according to Credit Karma. Many of those who experience money dysmorphia have above-average savings, Credit Karma also found.

Persons: That's, Credit Karma, Courtney Alev, dysmorphia, Carolyn McClanahan, Karma, Alev Organizations: Credit, Finance, Planning Partners Locations: Jacksonville , Florida

The title acceptance pilot waives the need for a lender's title insurance policy on some refinance mortgages. The Federal Housing Finance Agency recently rolled out a new pilot program that would lower refinance closing costs for some borrowers. Called the "title acceptance pilot," this program would waive the requirement that conforming loans have a lender's title insurance policy on certain refinance mortgages. Borrowers are required to purchase a lender's title insurance policy, which can be a significant out-of-pocket cost. Pushback from the mortgage industryLeaders from the mortgage and title insurance industries overall weren't pleased with this announcement.

Persons: —, Biden, Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, homebuyers, Christopher Tyson, Tyson, doesn't Organizations: Service, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Mortgage Bankers Association, Union, Consumer Financial, National Community Stabilization Trust, homebuyers

☆ CFPB Director Rohit Chopra responds to lawsuit against $8 credit card late fee cap
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailCFPB Director Rohit Chopra responds to lawsuit against $8 credit card late fee capConsumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Rohit Chopra joins 'The Exchange' to discuss the status of the $8 late fee cap for credit cards amid lawsuits, efforts to make mortgage closing costs more affordable, and more.

Persons: Rohit Chopra Organizations: Financial

☆ Opinion: The one thing Biden and Trump agree on
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Richard Galant | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +17 min

We’re looking back at the strongest, smartest opinion takes of the week from CNN and other outlets. That reference to Election Day is perhaps the only line in Trump’s speech that President Joe Biden would agree with. In another America, they would be collegial members of the Presidents Club, bonding over memories of how they overcame their thorniest challenges. “Biden sounded like he’s ready to go toe to toe with former President Donald Trump and win in November. Paul Sracic noted that Biden lost White voters without college degrees by 35 points in 2020.

Persons: CNN — “, Donald Trump, Joe Biden, Franklin D, Biden, …, Lincoln, Roosevelt’s, Trump, Joe Biden’s, ”, Jill Filipovic, Clay Jones, David Gergen, Daniel McCarthy, “, ” “ Biden, Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, wasn’t, ” Carrie Sheffield, ” Sheffield, “ Joe Biden, Roxanne Jones, “ Biden, Julian Zelizer, White, Paul Sracic, MAGA, Keith L, Magee, Patrick T, Brown, Dobbs, Roe, Wade, —, Bill Bramhall, Nick Anderson, Manisha Sinha, ” “, Abraham Lincoln, SCOTUS, Anderson, ” Sinha, Frida Ghitis, David Mark, Trump Drew Sheneman, CNN “, Cupp, Hillary Clinton, “ deplorables, ” Cupp, Bill McGuire, Jason Momoa, Ed Mierzwinski, Elena Sheppard, Kara Alaimo, It’s, Euny Hong, Greta Gerwig’s, Sandra, O’Connor, Jason Kelce, Matt Rourke, Jason Kelce’s, Amy Bass, “ Kelce, ” Bass, Jason, ” Dana Summers, Errol Louis, Liam Kerr, Sinema, Richard Salgado, Levinson Moriarty, Celine Song, Greta Gerwig, Barbie, Justine Triet, Alberto Rodriguez, Jaap Buitendijk, Kate Green, “ Oppenheimer, Noah Berlatsky, “ Barbie, “ It’s, ” Berlatsky, Barbie ’, Bradley Cooper’s, Maestro ’, Christopher Nolan’s ‘ Oppenheimer, clichés, Alexander Payne’s ‘, ’ Organizations: CNN, Super, GOP, Trump, Union, Presidents Club, “, Democratic, Twitter, Agency, Tribune, Supreme, Republican Party of, MSNBC, Consumer Financial, US Chamber of Commerce, US, Jason Kelce Philadelphia Eagles, Monday, Pro, Bowl, White, Warner Bros, Everett, Getty Locations: America, Joe Biden’s State, Trump, Washington, United States, Civil, American, New York City, Chicago, Denver, “, Paris, France

☆ Wells Fargo has cleared 6 regulatory hurdles since Charlie Scharf took over as CEO in 2019. Here’s how shares reacted to each
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-09 | by ( Morgan Chittum | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Since taking over as CEO of Wells Fargo in 2019, Charlie Scharf has been cleaning up the bank. Wells Fargo stock gained 59% for all of 2021 compared with the KWB's 36% rise. Jan. 5, 2021: During the same year, Wells Fargo announced that an OCC consent order from 2015 had been terminated. Wells Fargo shares plunged nearly 44% in 2020, which were the early days of the Covid pandemic. Wells Fargo bank signs in New Brighton, Minnesota.

Persons: Charlie Scharf, Wells, Morgan Stanley, they've, Scott Siefers, Piper Sandler, we're, Scharf, Wells Fargo, Jeff Marks, Marks, Jan, Jim Cramer's, Jim Cramer, Jim, Michael Siluk Organizations: Management, CNBC, Federal Reserve, Currency, JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, KBW, Club, OCC, Wells, Financial Protection Bureau, Silicon Valley Bank, Wells Fargo, UCG, Getty Locations: Wells Fargo, Wells, Silicon, New Brighton , Minnesota

Biden unveiled a plan that includes tax credits and down payment assistance to improve housing affordability. Eligible homebuyers would get this tax credit for two years, meaning you could get a total of $10,000 in tax credits for buying a house. Down payment assistanceAnother piece of Biden's plan for more affordable homeownership is the $25,000 in down payment assistance he wants Congress to provide to first-generation homebuyers. What hopeful homebuyers should knowAs a whole, this plan could substantially improve housing affordability, enabling more Americans to become homeowners. And even for homebuyers who qualify for tax credits or other assistance, saving up for a down payment remains a big barrier to homeownership.

Persons: Biden, —, Dan Green, homebuyers Biden, hasn't, doesn't, Green, Daryl Fairweather, Fairweather, White, homebuyers Organizations: Biden, Service, Federal Housing Finance Agency, Consumer Financial, homebuilders, Loan, Program, Bank of America Mortgage, Democrats

☆ Biden touts 'fixed' student loan forgiveness programs in State of the Union. Here's what he meant
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-08 | by ( Annie Nova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Income-driven repayment plansIncome-driven repayment plans, which date to 1994, set borrowers' monthly payments based on a share of their discretionary income. "The loan servicers weren't keeping track of the number of qualifying payments," Kantrowitz said in a previous CNBC interview. watch nowThe Biden administration has been evaluating millions of borrowers' loan accounts to see if they should have had their debt forgiven. Most people with federal student loans qualify for income-driven repayment plans, and can review the options and apply at Studentaid.gov. Public Service Loan ForgivenessNavigating the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program has been famously difficult.

Persons: Joe Biden, Shawn Thew, Mark Kantrowitz, Kantrowitz, Biden, George W, Bush Organizations: Chamber, Afp, Getty, CNBC, Education Department, Valuable Education, Public, Consumer Financial Locations: Washington ,

The Biden administration has limited credit card late fees to $8, a 75% reduction. Federal Reserve BoardA study by the CFPB published in 2022 showed that credit card late fees are disproportionally collected from people in low-income neighborhoods. The Good Brigade/Getty ImagesReduced credit card late fees would also be worth about $414 million to the real estate industry. A drop in the bucket of credit card costsCredit card debt is now at record levels and interest rates on those cards have soared. Interest and other credit card fees cost consumers more than $1,100 a year and are still growing.

Persons: Biden, Vance Ginn, Jenny Thorvaldson, Thorvaldson Organizations: Consumer Financial, Business, IMPLAN, Biden, Federal Reserve Bank, Federal, Brigade, Centers for Disease Control, Money Management, MMI

☆ As late, missed payments rise, credit card borrowers face 'consequences' for falling behind, CFPB says
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-06 | by ( Jessica Dickler | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

watch nowThe consequences of missed credit card paymentsThe CFPB found that late fees are often layered on top of other punitive measures credit card companies impose on consumers who miss payments, including negative credit reporting, which can hurt their credit rating. "When consumers don't make required payments, they can face a long list of consequences. More consumers are falling behindCollectively, consumers are having a harder time managing debt amid high interest rates and higher prices. Not only are more cardholders carrying debt from month to month but more are also falling behind on payments, recent reports also show. Credit card delinquency rates surged in 2023, the Federal Reserve Bank of New York found.

Persons: Rohit Chopra, — Organizations: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Reserve Bank of New, New York Fed Locations: Federal Reserve Bank of New York

☆ Credit card late fees capped at $8 as part of Biden administration crackdown on junk fees
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Matt Egan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Federal regulators finalized a rule on Tuesday to cap most credit card late fees at $8 as part of a broader push by the Biden administration to eliminate junk fees. The new rule applies to large credit card issuers – those with more than 1 million accounts. These companies represent more than 95% of total outstanding credit card debt, according to the CFPB. It also comes as Americans continue to pile on credit card debt, which recently exceeded a record $1.1 trillion. Some borrowers, especially Millennials and those with lower incomes, have been falling behind on their credit card debt following more than two years of high inflation.

Persons: Biden, ”, Rohit Chopra, “, Greg Baer, Joe Biden, “ It’s, Chuck Bell Organizations: CNN, Consumer Financial, White, Bank Policy Institute, Council, Consumer

☆ Credit card late fees will soon be capped at $8—why you should aim to pay on time anyway
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Cheyenne Devon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The days of double digit late fees for late credit card payments may be coming to an end. On Tuesday, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau finalized a rule that will cap credit card late fees at $8. For the past decade, consumers have faced increasing credit card late fees with the average cost of a late payment rising from $23 at the end 2010 to $32 in 2022, according to the CFPB. However, the agency says many larger credit card issuers hiked those late fees each year without proving why the increase was necessary. I don't think $8 is enough of a deterrent [against making late payments]," he tells CNBC Make It.

Persons: Rohit Chopra, Ted Rossman Organizations: Consumer Financial, Federal, CNBC, American Bankers Association

☆ New CFPB rule caps banks' credit card late fees at $8
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Hugh Son | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau unveiled a new rule on Tuesday that it said would cap late fees that banks charge customers at $8 per incident. By cutting late fees to $8 from an average of around $32, more than 45 million card users would save an average of $220 annually, the CFPB said in a release. Regulations tied to that law granted issuers the ability to charge ever-increasing amounts of late fees. "For over a decade, credit card giants have been exploiting a loophole to harvest billions of dollars in junk fees from American consumers," CFPB Director Rohit Chopra said in the release. "Today's rule ends the era of big credit card companies hiding behind the excuse of inflation when they hike fees on borrowers and boost their own bottom lines."

Persons: Rohit Chopra Organizations: Banking, Housing, Urban Affairs Committee, Consumer Financial, Bureau

☆ New Federal Rule Caps Most Credit Card Late Fees at $8
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Stacy Cowley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Millions of Americans could soon see lower credit card bills after a federal rule that caps late fees at $8 a month was finalized on Tuesday by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, which estimates that the change will save households $10 billion a year. Late fees have become a major profit source for credit card issuers, generating more than $14 billion in 2022, according to bureau data. A 2010 rule imposed by the Federal Reserve aimed to cap the charges, but allowed adjustments for inflation — a provision card issues have used to raise their fees far beyond the actual costs they incur when payments arrive late, the bureau said. That allowed credit card companies to “harvest billions of dollars in junk fees from American consumers,” said Rohit Chopra, the bureau’s director. It applies only to large issuers that have more than one million open accounts, but the agency estimates that the rule will cover 95 percent of outstanding credit card balances.

Persons: ”, Rohit Chopra, “ Organizations: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, Federal Reserve

☆ Biden to launch joint FTC-DOJ task force to crack down on 'unfair and illegal pricing'
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-05 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

Federal Trade Commission Chair Lina Khan testifies before a House Judiciary Committee hearing on Oversight of the Federal Trade Commission, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., July 13, 2023. Kevin Wurm | ReutersPresident Joe Biden on Tuesday will launch a new task force to take on "unfair and illegal" corporate pricing, which Biden sees as a major reason why consumers are not yet feeling the impact of cooling inflation rates and a strong economy. The task force will be jointly led by the Federal Trade Commission and the Department of Justice, two agencies at the forefront of the Biden administration's aggressive regulatory agenda over the past three years. The announcements and the meeting are part of Biden's ongoing crusade against corporate pricing practices that he claims are unfair. Lael Brainard, vice chair of the US Federal Reserve, speaks during an interview in Washington, DC, on Monday, Nov. 14, 2022.

Persons: Lina Khan, Kevin Wurm, Joe Biden, Biden, Antitrust Jonathan Kanter, Khan, Kanter, Jonathan Kanter, Kevin Dietsch, Lael Brainard, inhalers, Brainard, Andrew Harrer Organizations: Federal Trade, Federal Trade Commission, Capitol, Washington , D.C, Department of Justice, Biden, Force, Antitrust, Justice Department, White, Competition Council, Economic, Consumer Financial, Agriculture Department, US Federal Reserve, Bloomberg, Getty Locations: Washington ,, Washington , DC, U.S

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