Consumer Finance Report

Back to Basics, Continued—What Does “Buy Now, Pay Later” Mean for Consumer Finance?

January 19, 2022

United States: Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) is the most recent development in the purchase of consumer goods and services and the deferment of payment. In a sense, it is the reincarnation of a very old concept—the layaway.

Back to Basics, Continued—Credit Bureaus Now in the Crosshairs of the CFPB

January 12, 2022

United States: I’ve written about credit reporting agencies a lot, and about consumer credit report complaints even more. This year seems to be the one in which the CFPB will turn its attention to credit reporting agencies and their complaint protocols.

Back to Basics, Continued—APR and Odd-Days Interest Computation

January 5, 2022

United States: Computation of the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) should be a rote function after 50 years. That’s how old the Truth-In-Lending Act (TILA) is. But the issue of computing the APR when odd-days interest is involved does not seem to want to go away.

Back to Basics, To Be Continued...

December 22, 2021

United States: We hope that you have found our Back to Basics blog series to be helpful this past year. It is our labor of love and demonstrates our respect for the consumer finance industry that we serve.

BACK TO BASICS, Continued—36% Rate Cap Again.

December 15, 2021

United States: The American Financial Services Association (AFSA) reported last week that there is no rate cap and no arbitration-ban language included in the final version of this year’s National Defense Authorization Act –which is the must-pass bill funding the military.

Back to Basics, Continued— CARES Act PPP Loan Eligibility for Consumer Finance Companies—Again!

December 8, 2021

United States: I wrote several weeks ago concerning the denials being issued to consumer finance companies by the U.S. Small Business Administration. See Dentons - Back to Basics, Continued—Where Do We Now Stand on the Question of Eligibility of Consumer Finance Companies for PPP Loans?

Back to Basics, Continued—The United States Post Office—your Newest Competitor?

December 1, 2021

United States: Several years ago, I wrote in a previous blog about the idea of Post Offices making consumer loans and the potential that such offices would be the next point of competition for traditional consumer finance companies. See Back to Basics, Continued — What Is The Next Big Threat To Consumer Finance Companies? Actually, this is not a new idea.

BACK TO BASICS, Continued—Equal Credit Opportunity, Fair Credit Reporting, and collections—Oh my!

November 24, 2021

United States: I have covered dozens of topics in this Back To Basics Series. Credit applications, credit reporting, and collections have received more of my attention than most topics. These subjects are integrally involved in consumer finance.

Back to Basics, Continued— the Federal Trade Commission Exercises its Muscles Yet Again—This Time with the Safeguards Rule

November 17, 2021

United States: The FTC Safeguards Rule, required by the Gramm Leach Bliley Act, has been around for a long time. Basically, the Rule added specificity to how creditors are to handle customer information.

Back to Basics, Continued—Where Do We Now Stand on the Question of Eligibility of Consumer Finance Companies for PPP Loans?

November 10, 2021

United States: Since the passage of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) at the outset of the COVID Pandemic, a question has lingered as to the eligibility of consumer finance companies to secure Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans under the law.