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COVID-19 financial warning: Consumers and banks should stay away from payday loans
NNPA NEWSWIRE — Zeroing in on the economic impacts of the crisis, people everywhere are struggling with competing needs in their lives. When living costs exceed available financial resources, tough times lead to tough decisions about how to feed families, keep a home to live in, ways to keep utilities working and a myriad of other day-to-day needs.
By Charlene Crowell, NNPA Newswire Contributor
For the foreseeable future, ‘normal’ life will be indefinitely suspended due to the global pandemic known as the coronavirus.
Record-breaking employment layoffs in the month of March resulted in the Department of Labor reporting that 10.4 million consumers lost their jobs and filed for unemployment compensation. As medical experts continue to track the virus, the New York Times reported at least 214,461 known infections and at least 4,800 related deaths.
Beyond these statistics, untold numbers of additional school and retail closures, and an expanding army of people working from home have also been directly affected by the virus.
Consumers both young and old have passed as the virus continues to spread across the country. Its viral wrath has spawned hot spots from the Pacific Northwest’s Seattle, to the Gulf Coast’s New Orleans, the Midwest’s Detroit and the nation’s largest urban metropolis, New York City.
Zeroing in on the economic impacts of the crisis, people everywhere are struggling with competing needs in their lives. When living costs exceed available financial resources, tough times lead to tough decisions about how to feed families, keep a home to live in, ways to keep utilities working and a myriad of other day-to-day needs.
Despite a $2 trillion federal rescue enacted with bipartisan support, checks of $1,200 promised to taxpayers, along with an additional $500 per child will arrive too late for first of the month April payments for bills like mortgages and rental payments. Many leaders also warn that despite its size or range of areas addressed, the legislation was not enough.
In a March 27 House floor statement, Congresswoman Maxine Waters, Chairwoman of the House Financial Services Committee warned colleagues that their job was not yet complete.
“[I] must make clear that the legislation is far from comprehensive, and that there are issues it leaves unaddressed and areas where it falls short…The American people need help now and this bill represents a down payment on that relief,” said Waters.
A similar reaction came from AARP chief executive Jo Ann Jenkins.
“Older Americans face the one-two punch of coronavirus’s health and economic consequences, and many need immediate relief and ongoing help and support to cope with the pandemic,” noted Jenkins. “Those needs are only set to grow in the weeks and months ahead.”
What can really make a difference between life’s success and failure is not just what leaders do but also what they didn’t do when they had the chance. The recent legislative package was silent on interest rates, as well as forgiveness of federal student loans, negative credit reports or bans on private evictions for late rental payments.
As the cost of living has risen faster and higher than most consumer incomes for more than a decade, the likelihood of a savings account large enough to cover household expenses for a month or more is slim to none.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), the agency tasked with protecting consumers from unscrupulous lenders has been conspicuously subdued. Instead of forceful and timely agency alerts via multi-media communications warning consumers about opportunistic scam artists, CFPB has offered a modest tip sheet on how consumers – not government – can protect themselves. Fortunately, as the viral saga unfolds, some news outlets are reporting on the potential harms of consumers turning to payday and car-title loans.
A joint response by five federal regulars – Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) – came on March 26 in a statement that encouraged banks, savings and loans, and credit unions to offer “responsible small dollar loans” to consumers and small businesses during the pandemic.
According to the regulators, “responsible small-dollar loans can play an important role in meeting customers’ credit needs because of temporary cash-flow imbalances, unexpected expenses, or income disruptions during periods of economic stress or disaster recoveries.”
Without any specifics defining “reasonable small dollar loans”, the regulators’ statement could be an inducement to join triple-digit lenders’ financial exploitation.
For Black America and other communities of color, predatory short-term loans of $500 or less began decades ago when payday and car-title storefronts took prominent residence in our neighborhoods across the country. Loans that were marketed as quick fixes for millions of consumers morphed into long-term financial nightmares that deepened debt with every renewal. In many cases, the interest paid on these loans was often double or triple the amount of principal borrowed.
A coalition of civil and consumer rights organizations released a joint statement warning of the possible spike in high-cost lending by the nation’s depository institutions – banks, credit unions and savings and loans.
“This is the worst possible time for banks to make predatory payday loans,” said Americans for Financial Reform Education Fund, the Center for Responsible Lending, Leadership Conference for Civil and Human Rights, NAACP, National Consumer Law Center.
“Around the time of the last recession, a handful of banks issued ‘deposit advances’ that put borrowers in an average of 19 loans a year at over 200% annual interest,” continued the leaders. “These bank payday loans disproportionately harmed the financially vulnerable and badly damaged banks’ reputations. Since 2013 when regulatory guidance warned against this form of credit, banks have mostly stayed away. We trust that they will continue to do so as they do not want to repeat mistakes of the past.”
Charlene Crowell is a senior fellow with the Center for Responsible Lending. She can be reached at charlene.crowell@responsiblelending.org.
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How to Use Credit Wisely
(NewsUSA) – As the holiday season approaches, more people are out shopping, searching crowded stores and online promotions for the best discounts, and using their credit cards to pay for it all. But beware the financial dangers of credit use — how you pay for these deals could safeguard your budget or lead to debt. […]
The post How to Use Credit Wisely first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

A CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER professional can help you guard against costly credit mistakes, paving the way for a financially sound festive season and beyond. Learn more about how to use credit in a way that works for you with the insights below.
Choose Your Credit Card Wisely
Whether you’re shopping for holiday gifts or purchasing necessities like groceries, the credit card you use can make a big difference. There are several factors to consider:
- Interest Rates. Rates generally run from 21-33%. The standard bank card charges at the low end of the range, and retailer credit cards (those typically with the store’s name on them) charge as much as 33%.
- Cash Back. Among the best deals are bank cards that offer cash back ranging from 1-4% of your purchase.
- Rewards Points. Some cards have rewards programs where you earn points that you can redeem for products or services. They may seem attractive but are worthwhile only if you’re actually interested in the rewards offered.
- Cash Discounts. While retailer credit cards have the highest rates, some offer big cash discounts at the point of purchase. That may be the only time they’re worth using.
Improving Your Credit Score
Boosting your credit score can help you qualify for the lowest available interest rates on auto loans, personal loans and mortgages. If you can, pay the full balance when your credit card bill arrives. But most importantly, never miss a payment. Paying on time not only avoids late fees, but also is a key factor in improving your credit score. The easy way to ensure timely payment is to set up automatic online payments.
A CFP® professional can help you develop other strategies to save money while improving your credit profile, including the following:
- Identifying which debt to pay down first.
- Switching to balance transfer cards that don’t charge interest for a year or longer.
- Converting high-interest debt with interest payments that are not tax-deductible to lower-interest debt whose interest payments are tax-deductible.
Establishing Credit
Lenders offer credit to people with a long and reliable credit history. Most young adults don’t have one. There are various ways to obtain credit, but steer clear of debit cards that claim they can help you build a credit history. When you consider the costs and requirements, they’re usually no bargain. You have better and cheaper options for establishing credit. Here are three of them:
- Get a secured credit card.
- If you have a student loan, make sure you’re up-to-date with payments.
- If you pay rent, ask your landlord to report your on-time payments to the credit bureaus.
The choices we make in managing credit can have a lasting impact on our financial journey. As you navigate the complex credit landscape, remember that CFP® professionals can offer tailored guidance for your unique circumstances. Whether it’s identifying strategic debt payments, exploring balance transfer options or establishing credit responsibly, a CFP® professional can provide a roadmap for achieving your financial goals. Find a CFP® professional today.
The post How to Use Credit Wisely first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
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Acura ZDX Type S features
LA Auto Show was the venus for the Acura ZDX Type S details.
The post Acura ZDX Type S features first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

LA Auto Show was the venus for the Acura ZDX Type S details.
The post Acura ZDX Type S features first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
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Subaru Forester exhibit LA Auto Show
LA Auto Show was the venue for the Subaru Forester. This was the most interesting display technologically.
The post Subaru Forester exhibit LA Auto Show first appeared on BlackPressUSA.

LA Auto Show was the venue for the Subaru Forester. This was the most interesting display technologically.
The post Subaru Forester exhibit LA Auto Show first appeared on BlackPressUSA.
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