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University of Wisconsin–Madison
Poverty-related issues in the news, from the Institute for Research on Poverty

Tag: Financial services

Payday Lending

Payday lending faces tough new restrictions by consumer agency, By Stacy Cowley, October 5, 2017, New York Times: “A federal agency on Thursday imposed tough new restrictions on so-called payday lending, dealing a potentially crushing blow to an industry that churns out billions of dollars a year in high-interest loans to working-class and poor Americans.  The rules announced by the agency, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, are likely to sharply curtail the use of payday loans, which critics say prey on the vulnerable through their huge fees…”

Retirement Savings for Low-Income Workers

Trump Administration ends low-income retirement savings plan, By Paul Davidson, July 28, 2017, USA Today: “The Trump Administration said Friday it’s shutting down an Obama-era program aimed at encouraging low- and moderate-income households to save for retirement because the scant participation didn’t justify the cost…”

Financial Stress Among Native Americans

Study shows high levels of financial distress among Native Americans, By David Erickson, May 2, 2017, Missoulian: “The use of high-cost borrowing methods such as payday loans and a lack of retirement and college savings plans may be keeping many in Montana’s Native American population in an endless cycle of poverty. There are more than 62,000 Native Americans in Montana, making up 6.6 percent of the state’s population, and a new national study has found that they are more likely to have high levels of financial distress compared to other demographic groups…”