Collection Industry News

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Student loan complaints hit record high, CFPB finds but the watchdog agency omits details

Federal student loan borrowers submitted a record number of complaints to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau from mid-2024 to mid-2025, a recent report from the bureau shows. But the government’s 21-page report, published in early January, omits details on the nature of borrowers’ complaints —…

Millions may drop ACA coverage — and raise health insurance costs for everyone else

Millions of people are likely to drop their health insurance now that enhanced premium subsidies for consumers who buy coverage on the Affordable Care Act marketplace have expired. That could increase costs for remaining enrollees, leading some experts to warn of a potential “death…

Older workers with student loan debt have less saved for retirement, Fidelity finds

Student debt can make it more challenging to prepare for retirement — and that is reflected in the retirement balances of older borrowers, Fidelity data shows. Retirement balances are roughly 30% lower among employees over age 50 who currently have student debt, at…

Trump plan to cap credit card costs hits bank shares

Shares in banks and credit card firms have fallen after US President Donald Trump called for credit card costs to be capped. On Friday, Trump wrote on Truth Social that interest rates on cards should be limited to 10% for…

Housing affordability isn’t just hurting buyers: More homeowners are falling behind on their mortgages

Housing affordability challenges are weighing on not only would-be buyers, but also on a growing share of existing homeowners, new data suggests. Late-stage mortgage delinquencies — those with payments at least 90 days past due — rose 18.6% in December…

What’s Changing in US Debt Collections in 2026 and Why It Matters Now for Creditors

January is typically when creditors reassess risk, performance, and partners. In 2026, that reassessment carries more weight than usual. Consumer financial pressure remains elevated, regulatory expectations are firm, and borrower behavior continues to evolve. Together, these forces are reshaping how…

Wall Street braced for a private credit meltdown. The risk of one is rising

The sudden collapse last fall of a string of American companies backed by private credit has thrust a fast-growing and opaque corner of Wall Street lending into the spotlight. Private credit, also known as direct lending, is a catch-all term for lending…

Over 800,000 student loan borrowers remain in backlog for forgiveness, affordable repayment plans

More than 800,000 federal student loan holders remain stuck in a backlog of applications for an affordable repayment plan or debt forgiveness, a new court filing shows. As of the end of December, 734,221 borrower requests to transfer into an income-driven repayment…

Fed holds interest rates steady: What that means for mortgages, credit cards and loans

The Federal Reserve kept its benchmark interest rate unchanged Wednesday at the conclusion of its first policy decision of the year. In the face of escalating political pressure from President Donald Trump, a softening labor market, persistent inflation pressures and an uncertain geopolitical landscape, “there is no shortage of…

Mortgage demand drops 8.5%, as interest rates swell to the highest level in 3 weeks

After dropping sharply, mortgage interest rates rose last week for the first time in a month. That pushed total mortgage demand down 8.5% compared with the previous week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association’s seasonally adjusted index. The average contract…