Introducing NCLC’s Student Loan Toolkit
NCLC has published a new Student Loan Toolkit, a free online resource to help borrowers navigate the student loan system and manage their debt. It’s also a resource for financial counselors, legal aid attorneys, and other advocates who advise borrowers on the options and strategies for their loan situation. NCLC created the Toolkit as part of the Student Loan Empowerment Network (SLE Network) launched this month by the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI). The Toolkit was adapted from the NCLC’s book, Surviving Debt, a leading consumer resource for nearly 30 years providing practical advice on how to deal with all types of crushing debt. Surviving Debt is also available for free online. LEARN MORE

CFPB Proposes Banning Medical Debt from Credit Reports
Following more than a decade of NCLC advocacy, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has proposed a rule to prohibit the reporting of medical debt on credit reports. Medical debt disproportionately falls on Black and Latino families, and in addition to financial hardship, consumers with medical debt on their credit reports can face restricted access to fair credit, rental housing, and employment. The proposed rule will bring financial relief to millions and improve the credit scores of millions of Black and Latino consumers disproportionately burdened by medical bills. This change also will provide significant relief for families in the South, the region with the highest concentration of medical debt and poor credit scores. LEARN MORE

NCLC Advocates for Stronger Protections for Older Consumers
NCLC joined elder and consumer advocacy groups to release an Elder Real Estate Fraud and Financial Exploitation Prevention issue brief outlining legislative, enforcement, education, and outreach recommendations to protect older adults from scams and financial abuse. The issue brief makes recommendations to help shield older consumers from exploitative tactics such as forging or coercing signatures on financial documents, misrepresenting critical information about the terms of a financial product, and misusing Powers of Attorney, and recommends allocating more resources to state and local adult protective services, offices of state attorneys general and district attorneys, law enforcement, and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and provides links to educational materials including NCLC’s Surviving Debt. LEARN MORE

Now Free on the NCLC Digital Library: Surviving Debt
A leading resource for nearly 30 years, and recently named "the best all around guide to navigating debt" by Business Insider, this updated 2024 edition of Surviving Debt provides precise, practical, and hard-hitting advice from the nation’s consumer law experts on how to deal with crushing debt affecting millions of Americans. The NCLC Digital Library currently hosts over 6,000 pages of free treatise content and 3,700 items of free companion material! LEARN MORE

Challenges for Consumers Facing Check Fraud
NCLC’s Carla Sanchez-Adams was quoted in a Time magazine article regarding challenges facing consumers who are victims of check fraud, as many banks continue to shorten the grace period when customers are allowed to report that money was fraudulently taken from their account.

The Importance of Estate Planning in Empowering Communities of Color
NCLC’s report, Keeping It In the Family: Legal Strategies to Address the Challenge of Heirs Property and Prevent Home Loss, was cited in a recent article in The Boston Globe regarding the importance of estate planning in communities of color. The report examines a form of property ownership known as “heirs property,” which arises when several heirs inherit a home but have not completed the probate process to clarify title. Heirs property is disproportionately experienced by older adults and in communities of color, and tackling heirs property-related issues is a necessary step in eliminating the racial wealth gap.

2024 Mortgage Conference: A Virtual Success!
Close to 400 consumer advocates gathered virtually in early June for the 2024 Mortgage Conference. The conference included expert-led sessions on the fundamentals of mortgage law and the latest updates on foreclosure prevention policies and practices, as well as a pre-conference intensive Introduction to Mortgage Servicing Litigation. NCLC and NACA thank the sponsors, supporters, speakers, and attendees who were essential to the success of this year’s event.

2024 Consumer Rights Litigation Conference and Class Action Symposium (CRLC) | October 24 – 27 | Orlando, FL

Registration opens soon for the 2024 Consumer Rights Litigation Conference in Orlando, where 800+ advocates from across the nation will gather for 60+ training courses covering every major area of consumer law, plenary speeches from leading national policymakers and thought leaders, and extensive opportunities to learn from and network with your peers and experts in the field. This year will include the optional pre-conference “intensives” on Medical Debt, Estate Planning & Heirs Property, Intro to Consumer Law, as well as the annual Class Action Symposium on the final weekend of the event for experienced consumer class action practitioners. Registration opens in July!