Legal News

National debt reaches a new record of $34 trillion—or about $100,000 for every person in the U.S.

The federal government’s gross national debt has surpassed $34 trillion, a record high that foreshadows the coming political and economic challenges to improve America’s balance sheet in the coming years. The U.S. Treasury Department issued a report Tuesday logging U.S.…

US banks warn costly deposits to weaken interest income in 2024

Jan 19 (Reuters) – Four U.S. banks warned of lower interest income for this year on Friday, capping a week of dour commentary from the industry that has been under pressure from high deposit costs. After more than a year…

Consumer bureau orders debt collection agency to shut down for illegal practices

New YorkCNN —  The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau on Friday ordered Commonwealth Financial Systems, a debt collection agency specializing in medical debt, to shut down as a result of what CFPB determined were illegal collection practices. Specifically, the CFPB said that…

US bankruptcy case counts expected to continue climbing in 2024: Report

US bankruptcy filings rose 18% in 2023 due to higher interest rates, tougher lending standards, and the continued end of pandemic-era support measures, according to data from bankruptcy data provider Epiq AACER. The report said commercial Chapter 11 business reorganisation filings increased…

Fed gave no indication of possible rate cuts at last meeting, minutes show

Federal Reserve officials at their most recent meeting expressed little appetite for cutting interest rates anytime soon, particularly as inflation remains well above their goal, according to minutes released Tuesday.  The summary of the meeting, held Oct. 31-Nov. 1, showed that…

Credit Card Delinquencies Continue to Rise—Who Is Missing Payments?

This morning, the New York Fed’s Center for Microeconomic Data released the 2023:Q3 Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit. After only moderate growth in the second quarter, total household debt balances grew $228 billion in the third quarter across all types, especially credit…

Mortgage rates just hit 8%—should you still buy a home?

With average rates on 30-year fixed-rate mortgages hitting 8% on Wednesday, you might be thinking twice about buying a home, even if you can afford one. But if you’re trying to decide between buying now or waiting, remember that there’s no…

‘The bond vigilante is coming back,’ UBS strategist says

The bond vigilantes are coming back as investors continue to sell amid the prospect of higher-for-longer interest rates and a growing fiscal deficit, according to Kevin Zhao, head of global sovereign and currency at UBS Asset Management. The yield on…

CFPB Reacts Quickly and Favorably to Petition Submitted to it by Consumer Groups to Ban Pre-dispute Arbitration

Last week, a group of consumer advocate organizations filed a Petition for Rulemaking with the CFPB that would prohibit the use of pre-dispute arbitration clauses in consumer contracts in favor of arbitration clauses that would permit consumers to choose between arbitration and…

Democratic US senators urge more funding to avoid public defender layoffs

Oct 6 (Reuters) – Twenty-three Democratic U.S. senators on Friday urged congressional appropriators to increase spending on federal public defenders beyond what is proposed in pending spending legislation or risk significant job cuts. In a letter to the leaders of the U.S.…