Indiana Lawmakers Renew Focus on Medical Debt Protections 

Indiana legislators are again turning their attention to medical debt with the introduction of Senate Bill 85: Health Care Debt and Costs, a proposal aimed at limiting aggressive collection practices while expanding consumer protections. The bill would establish mandatory payment plans for qualifying patients, restrict certain wage garnishments, and prohibit medical debt-related liens on a consumer’s primary residence.  The bipartisan legislation was introduced for the 2026 Regular Session by State Sen. Ed […]

White House Signals Direction on National AI Policy, Details Still Limited 

A senior White House official offered only broad insights into the administration’s forthcoming recommendations for a national artificial intelligence policy during testimony before the House Science, Space and Technology Subcommittee on Research and Technology on Jan. 14.  Michael Kratsios, director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), outlined the administration’s high-level goals for artificial intelligence but provided few specifics on the legislative proposals Congress has been anticipating since President […]

CFPB Funding and Staffing Remain in Place Pending Court Review 

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will continue operating through the second quarter of fiscal year 2026 following a Jan. 9, 2026, federal court order in NTEU v. Vought. In response to the ruling, the bureau submitted a request to the Federal Reserve for the funding necessary to carry out its statutory responsibilities.  The U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia addressed the administration’s decision not to submit a quarterly funding request for the bureau. The court ruled that […]

CFPB Releases Seventh Biennial Review of the U.S. Credit Card Market 

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has published its seventh biennial review of the consumer credit card market, as required under the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure (CARD) Act of 2009. The report examines how credit cards are used, how issuers operate, and how the market has evolved, drawing on data through 2024.  Credit cards continue to play a significant role in the financial lives of approximately 208 million Americans. For many […]

FTC Sets New Date for Workshop on Employer Noncompete Agreements 

The Federal Trade Commission has announced a new date for its previously postponed workshop examining employer noncompete agreements. The event will take place on Jan. 27, 2026, from 1 to 5 p.m. CT. It had been scheduled for October 2025 but was delayed as a result of the government shutdown. The workshop, titled “Moving Forward: Protecting American Workers from Anticompetitive Noncompete Agreements,” is intended to address how noncompete provisions affect workers and labor markets, as well as […]

Don’t Startle the Skunk: A Surprisingly Accurate Collections Strategy 

Early in my career—fresh out of college and way too confident—I became a collector.  My mom was horrified.  “Why would you want to ask people for money all day?” she asked.  Spoiler: I never once asked for money. Because the predictable response would be, “I don’t have any.”  Collectors are part problem-solver, part therapist, part human shock absorber. We listen. We untangle chaos. We find workable solutions.  And one consumer taught me a lesson I’ll never forget.  She called every month with a […]

D.C. Circuit Rehears Case on Proposed CFPB Layoffs 

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit has agreed to rehear a case brought by the National Treasury Employees Union (NTEU) challenging a plan by Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) Acting Director Russell Vought to carry out large-scale layoffs at the agency.  As part of its decision, the court issued a stay on the proposed layoffs while it reviews the case. The action vacates an earlier ruling that […]

Court Finalizes Judgment Against Key Credit Repair After Years of Violations

The U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts has finalized a stipulated judgment against Commonwealth Equity Group, LLC — operating as Key Credit Repair — and its owner, Nikitas Tsoukales. The Dec. 18, 2025, order effectively shuts down the company following a five-year legal battle centered on widespread violations of the Telemarketing Sales Rule (TSR) and the Consumer Financial Protection Act.  The case was originally filed in May 2020 by the Consumer Financial Protection […]

New York Passes Law Addressing Coerced Debt 

New York has enacted new consumer protections related to coerced debt following Gov. Kathy Hochul’s signing of Senate Bill S1353B on Dec. 19, 2025. The law establishes restrictions on the enforcement of certain consumer debts and outlines new legal remedies for affected individuals.  Under the statute, creditors are prohibited from enforcing consumer debts that were incurred through fraud, duress, intimidation, threats, force, identity theft, or the exploitation of a debtor’s personal information. […]

BNPL Market Trends Continue To Evolve 

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) recently released a report examining trends in the buy now, pay later (BNPL) market. The BNPL market—most commonly structured as a four-payment, no-interest loan used for retail purchases—continues to grow, though at a more moderate pace than in prior years. Drawing on data from six large BNPL providers, recent findings highlight how consumer usage and overall market activity evolved during calendar years 2022 and 2023.  […]