by Charlene Crowell NNPA News Wire Columnist As a country, America has historically short-changed its people of color in virtually every dimension of life: education, employment, housing, public accommodations and voting to name a few. To remedy discriminatory practices and policies, a series of federal and state laws were enacted over several decades to guarantee […]
Veterans and Consumers of Color often Targeted for Fraud
by Charlene Crowell NNPA News Wire Columnist Although the former Corinthian Colleges, once one of the nation’s largest for-profit colleges, closed its doors last year, many of the problems incurred by its former students persist. The now-defunct college is the only questionable actor among for-profit colleges. To date, investigations, and lawsuits have focused on a […]
CFPB Cracks Down on Illegal Debt Collections
By Charlene Crowell NNPA News Wire Columnist As holiday revelers toasted the season, a key federal regulator took two steps to ensure that 2016 would bring an important change for consumers harassed by illegal debt collector actions. On December 16 and its third action against a large national payday lender, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau […]
EXCEPT WHERE INDICATED, THE OPINIONS EXPRESSED ON THIS PAGE ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF THE MADISON TIMES
Banks Caught Redlining Black Communities
By Charlene Crowell NNPA Columnist The old adage, ‘the more things change, the more they stay the same’ seems somehow an apt description for what a growing number of communities are suffering: a lack of fair lending. In recent weeks and in varying locales, the issue of redlining has led to lawsuits that have been […]
Collecting $200 Million from the Debt Collectors
by Charlene Crowell NNPA Columnist At one time or another, many consumers have fallen behind on paying their bills. For the working poor, unemployed and underemployed, the struggle to get out of debt can be a daily challenge. At the same time, there are businesses that exploit others’ financial woes, reaping high profits on debt […]
Pitfalls to Avoid When Making a Student Loan
by Charlene Crowell NNPA Columnist If you are a college student, a recent college graduate or even a college drop-out, student loan debt is not only likely, but probable. Among Black families, more than half – 52 percent – borrow for college costs, according to the Center for Responsible Lending (CRL). Additionally, paying off college […]
Black Families Must Focus on Asset Building
By Charlene Crowell, NNPA Columnist July 17, 2015 Charlene Crowell, NNPA Columnist “To achieve true security for vulnerable families, asset building must be part of the strategy.” As the wealthy few continue to prosper, the rest of the nation is caught in a financial tug-of-war between stagnant wages and a […]
‘Credit Invisible’ Blacks & Latinos
By Charlene Crowell, NNPA Columnist June 26, 2015 Charlene Crowell, NNPA Columnist When it comes to consumer finance, traditional lenders usually review credit scores before reaching a decision. In general, the higher a consumer’s credit score is, the lower the cost of credit they will pay. Conversely, the lower one’s credit score, […]
Black Families Must Focus on Asset Building
By Charlene Crowell, NNPA Columnist May 29, 2015 Charlene Crowell, NNPA Columnist As the wealthy few continue to prosper, the rest of the nation is caught in a financial tug-of-war between stagnant wages and a rising cost of living. In communities of color, chronic unemployment and underemployment and a host of other […]
Consumer Complaints Lead to $1.6 Billion in Relief
April 10, 2015 Right now, the bureau is also continuing investigations of major debt collection firms regarding collections practices. (NNPA) — Financial stress can feel like a lonely struggle. But according to a new report by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, 460,700 consumers shared many of the same financial concerns […]