News

2021

March

10

• Who will get the new stimulus checks, and who won't?. A third round of coronavirus aid checks should be coming soon. Millions of Americans reeling from the economic damage of the pandemic would get one-time direct payments of up to $1,400. The payments are part of

• Nursing home deaths prompt federal, state legislation. Patient advocacy groups are praising two proposals by state and federal lawmakers aimed at improving infection-control protocols and financial transparency in nursing homes, struck by a crushing stretch of deaths since the start of the

09

• A policy revolution in aid for children in stimulus bill. The $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package moving through Congress advances an idea that Democrats have been nurturing for decades: establishing a guaranteed income for families with children.

• Few student loan borrowers received government forgiveness. Congress wrote a law promising forgiveness to student loan borrowers who make two decades of on-time payments. But that promise has fallen short, according to a new report. Of the roughly two million borrowers on

08

• What’s in the stimulus bill? A guide to the $1.9 trillion. The measure passed by the Senate, and headed to the House for final approval before going to President Biden’s desk, contains money for direct checks, jobless benefits, state and local aid, and more.

• Moms fired during the pandemic sue former employers. At least 58 lawsuits have been filed in the U.S. from April 2020 to February 2021 that allege an employer denied emergency parental leave, did not inform employees of their right to take emergency leave, or fired

• Child tax credit advances an effort years in the making. The $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package moving through Congress advances an idea that Democrats have been nurturing for decades: establishing a guaranteed income for families with children.

• How much should you get from the new stimulus checks?. A third round of stimulus checks, part of the Biden administration’s “American Rescue Plan,” was approved by the Senate on Saturday and looks likely to pass the House, after which it

05

• Signs you're not ready to collect benefits. The decision to sign up for Social Security is a big one. You're allowed to start collecting benefits once you turn 62, and while you technically don't have to file by age 70, that's

• Mothers are regaining jobs. The perception that we’re in the midst of a “she-cession” — in which women have lost jobs at a higher rate than men — has not been borne out. And this

04

• What happens when 10 million tenants can’t make rent?. Dire conditions for vulnerable tenants also mean financial distress for landlords. Things have been particularly difficult for “mom and pop” landlords, particularly those who operate in the affordable market. We propose the creation

• How to buy a home with no down payment. As home prices continue to rise, affording a down payment has become a bigger hurdle for prospective home buyers. But there are a few options that can help: government-backed loans that allow borrowers to buy

• Biden limits eligibility for stimulus payments. Under the changes agreed to by Biden and Senate Democratic leadership, individuals earning $75,000 per year and couples earning $150,000 would still receive the full $1,400-per-person benefit. However, the benefit would disappear for individuals earning more than $80,000

03

• Senate confirms Gina Raimondo as Biden commerce secretary. The Senate voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to confirm Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo to serve as President Joe Biden’s commerce secretary and help guide the economy's recovery during and after the coronavirus pandemic.

• 11 million families are at risk of eviction; the American Rescue Plan helps. An estimated 11 million families are at risk of eviction, according to a new report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The American Rescue Plan, which includes tens of billions in emergency rental assistance, could

• Biden consumer watchdog pick signals more aggressive stance. President Joe Biden’s nominee to run the federal consumer watchdog agency indicated Tuesday that if confirmed he would restore more aggressive enforcement actions against companies and banks that largely faded during the Trump

02

• High turnover at nursing homes poses risks for residents. A new study highlights the persistent problems caused by an unstable work force, an underlying threat that may have led to staggering death tolls in the pandemic.

February

27

• Government agencies increasingly are accessing private information. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers have tapped a private database containing hundreds of millions of phone, water, electricity and other utility records while pursuing immigration violations, according to public documents uncovered by

26

• Debt collection (Winter 2020-2021). In this issue, Consumer Action helps consumers learn how to exercise their debt collection rights: to demand information about a debt, stop a debt collector from contacting them, and avoid resurrecting debts that are too old to be sued over. The issue also discusses other key aspects of the laws and regulations designed to protect people being targeted by debt collectors, and includes a sample validation request and a communications preference letter you can customize and send to debt collectors.

25

• More consumers complain about errors on their credit reports. The number of credit-reporting complaints more than doubled from 2019, according to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's online complaint database. Common mistakes include loans that have been repaid but appear as unpaid; debts incorrectly reported