Author: Lisa Robertson

Debt, Student Loans

Details of President Biden’s New Student Loan Forgiveness Program; Announces Final Extension to Student Loan Repayment Program

Millions of Americans have waited eagerly over these past two and a half years for student loan forgiveness.

This week, President Biden issued the first of his student loan forgiveness plans. For those earning less than $125,000 a year—or couples with incomes under $250,000–up to $10,000 in federal student loan debt will be forgiven. If individuals used Pell grants to attend college (which are reserved for students with greatest financial need), up to $20,000 in federal student loan debt will be forgiven.  

President Biden also this week officially extended the “student loan payment pause” until December 31st, 2022. Interest rates will remain at 0% until repayments start in January 2023. Biden states that this will be the last extension for student loan payments.

 Mandatory student loan payments as well as interest accrual have been “on pause” since March 13, 2020, the beginning of the pandemic. 98.8% of borrowers did not make payments during this time period but those who did can receive refunds for their payments by calling their loan servicers directly. About 37 million student loan borrowers skipped nearly $200 million in payments during the pause, according to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

Immediately after President Biden’s announcement, Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) encouraged area residents to contact them at 716-712-2060 or www.parachutecreditcounseling.org for help with student loans or for any type of financial issues.  With just about 70% of college graduates leaving school with student loan debt, it is certain that student loans will continue to be part of the landscape for much of the WNY community. Last year, the average per person debt was $35,397 and the typical monthly payment–$393 per month. At current time, nearly 2.4 million New Yorkers have outstanding student loans totaling more than $90 billion combined.

 CCCS operates the only Student Loan Counseling Program in all of Western New York and designed its program to specifically meet the needs of the growing population segment of student loan borrowers. CCCS Certified Financial Counselors understand that many of those coming for help feel overwhelmed with anxiety and fear and often see individuals who have fallen prey to the abundance of unscrupulous companies claiming to help. CCCS urges everyone to take positive action that will promote financial stability: For those interested in any type of help–call 716-712-2060

Debt

A New Approach to Tackling Debt is Needed

At Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Buffalo (CCCS), we are encouraged to see recent media attention highlighting the dubious and predatory practices of local debt collection companies. The New York State Attorney General herself visited Western New York last month to call for increased regulation of the debt collection industry. It is extremely heartening to see how she is standing up for New York residents who are often victimized (sometimes repeatedly) by dodgy businesses with underhanded motives.

CCCS has sought reform for many years — and heard hundreds of tragic horror stories — yet as critical as it is, we have been unable to attract the proper attention or receive the necessary support for this issue until now.

Debt collection companies are commonly problematic — in certain need of increased control — but the issue is much larger than just that. The average person has little understanding of the world of debt and credit. It is no wonder that an entire world of debt consolidation and debt settlement has emerged to “help” consumers manage their debt.

If you are having problems with credit and debt, it is usually a tumultuous time in your life. You may be backed into a corner — desperate — and not sure what to do. If you google “How can I get out of credit card debt in Buffalo?” you will find nearly 30 for profit companies willing to help you “settle your debt.”

It is time for a new approach.

Debt has long been a huge problem for Americans. Currently 35% of Americans carry credit card debt from month to month with $15,561 as the average credit card debt per household. Debt is not simply a financial problem; it impacts emotional health and regularly leads to frustration, depression, embarrassment and the pervasive feeling of being completely overwhelmed.

At the same time, lack of credit similarly causes stress for countless individuals. 47% of Americans presently have low or no credit meaning they are locked out of access to safe credit, driving them into the hands of an alternate economy filled with usurious payday lenders. Without good credit, consumers pay higher interest rates on everything from credit cards to car loans to mortgages. Credit scores also play a leading role in setting home and auto insurance premiums.

In Western New York, approximately 40% of residents have either low credit or no credit. Having no credit can be as bad as having poor credit, possibly even worse because there are extremely limited resources available to help individuals establish credit. The general public is poorly educated in this area. People with poor credit, no credit or debt are worried, scared…and just want the problem to go away. They easily fall prey to the seductive messaging of settlement companies with unlimited advertising budgets.

Financial experts across the world unilaterally agree that best method to systematically pay down outstanding debt is through a Debt Management Program offered by an accredited nonprofit Credit Counseling agency, like CCCS, where certified credit counselors work in cooperation with creditors. Sadly, countless people suffer because too many people are attracted to the companies that peddle illusions. Better, safer and far more helpful options like debt management programs, run by nonprofit organizations with no advertising budgets, remain under the radar. We must make the general public aware that there are options; that there is hope…all they need to do is call us at 716-712-2060.

We truly appreciate New York State’s recent push to hold debt collection companies accountable and hope that it is just the beginning of wider efforts to help the public navigate the challenging financial world around them. CCCS is here to help all those who need us.

-Originally published in the Niagara Gazette

Debt, Student Loans

Loan Cancellation for Student Loan Borrowers Who Attended Corinthian Colleges

Today, the U.S. Department of Education announced the cancellation of $5.8 billion in federal student loans for 560,000 individuals who borrowed to attend schools owned by Corinthian Colleges, the for-profit college conglomerate that is now defunct.

Corinthian was a notorious repeat offender that defrauded its students and the public over many years.

This loan cancellation would not have been possible without the tenacity of so many individual student loan borrowers harmed by Corinthian’s tactics. Many of them came forward to law enforcement agencies and regulators to detail systemic abuses. Others even had the courage to make their stories public to urge government authorities to act, rather than sitting on the sidelines. Over the last decade, I had the opportunity to speak with many of them to learn about Corinthian’s conduct.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and state attorney general actively pursued Corinthian for its misconduct. The CFPB filed a lawsuit in 2014, obtained a default judgement and secured $480 million in private student loan cancellation in 2015, and won another $183 million in loan cancellation in 2017. In 2016, then-California Attorney General Kamala Harris won a $1.1 billion judgement against Corinthian. Many other state attorneys general across the country also took actions to hold the company accountable for its wrongdoing.

The decision to automatically cancel these loans will be a lifeline to so many Americans whose financial lives were ruined by Corinthian Colleges. While they will never get back the time they lost, they will receive the relief under the law that they have long been owed.


via www.consumerfinance.gov


Budget

Robby’s Budgeting Tips!

From time to time we like to share some of our staff’s suggestions on the best ways to manage your budget. Today we hear from Robby Dunn, Vice President of Counseling here at CCCS of Buffalo!

Robby’s Five Financial Budgeting Tips

  1. Create a balanced budget – This may seem like very simple personal financial advice, but the road to recovery from debt or the accumulation of savings begins with a balanced budget. This means that you have more money coming in than that is going out every month. Track your income and expenses for 30 days and find out if your budget is balanced!
  1. Consider viewing savings as an expense – Is savings an expense? Many individuals may argue that it is not as it is not necessary to save at all times, or every month. But, if you are saving, what are you putting those funds aside for? Home and Auto expenses? Vacation and gifts? Medical expenses? Those all sound like future expenses to us, and important ones at that! Perhaps if you view savings as an expense and make it a necessary item in your budget every month, your savings account may grow faster and you will be better prepared for what the future brings.

 

  1. Prioritize your “wants” – Make a list of all the monthly expenses in your budget that are wants and order them from top priority to the lowest. This can be a clear and concise way to determine what really is most important to you in your life, and what can be the first items to cut back on, or eliminate all together, in an effort to have an improved budget.

 

  1. “Meal prep” and pack your lunch – Meal prep has become a fancy new term often used by many athletes, body builders, and fitness competitors, but anyone can do it. Not only does it often lead towards healthier food choices, it is much more cost efficient. If you work Monday through Friday, use Sunday evening as a time to “meal prep” and make up to five lunches for the week in advance. Choose food items that will stay fresh and last the whole week like rice, pasta, beans, baked potatoes or sweet potatoes. Consider making a large batch of soup or chili that will last the week. Cooking in larger quantity always saves money and this will make it easy to pack lunches and avoid going out to lunch to spend up to $10 with relative ease!

 

  1. Remain optimistic! – Although at times it can be very difficult and stressful managing our personal finances, try and remain positive and optimistic. Life will throw many things at us, and in our financial lives many problems can arise. Think long term and big picture in order to weather the storm and get back on track.

To speak with a Certified Financial Counselor and receive guidance and recommendations on appropriate steps to take to improve your credit situation, please give us a call at (716) 712-2060. We are happy to help!

Debt, Student Loans

Most Medical Debt to Be Removed from Credit Reports; Student Loan Repayments Extended Until August 31st

CCCS Announces that Most Medical Debt to Be Removed from Credit Reports; Student Loan Repayments Extended Until August 31st

In a recent and welcomed policy shift, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion announced that nearly 70% of current medical debt will be removed from credit reports, beginning this summer.

Millions of Americans are saddled with medical debt and the problem continues to grow. Studies from 2021 found that 37% of Americans had medical debt, while 23% did not currently have medical debt but had it in the past. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) estimates that at this moment, some $88 billion in medical bills sits on 43 million credit reports. Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion Medical maintain reports on more than 200 million people in the U.S. Often, medical bills can be exorbitant and end up on credit reports, ruining credit scores and preventing people from accessing mortgages, car loans and even employment. Many of these people have paid their bills on time for their entire lives until forced into medical debt.

Expanding on their new policies, the three credit reporting firms have further stated that debt that was paid after it was sent to collections will be removed beginning this July. At the present time, even if these debts are paid off, they may remain on a consumer’s credit report for up to seven years. Under the companies’ new guidelines, new unpaid medical debts won’t get added to credit reports for a full year after being sent to collections—and unpaid medical debts of less than $500 will be removed in the first half of 2023. It is expected that the $500 threshold may rise.

These significant changes in the reporting of medical debt are likely due to the ongoing pressure exerted by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), which earlier in March publicized that it would begin to hold credit reporting firms accountable for reporting erroneous medical debts.

The CFPB has also released research that indicates medical debt is less predictive of a person’s ability to repay than other kinds of loans.

The U.S. credit reporting system—including Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion—plays an inordinate role in determining who gets credit and who doesn’t. This is exacerbated by the fact that consumers have very little control over what is added to their credit reports which rely on information submitted by lenders, collections firms and others.

The CFPB said consumers submit more complaints to the agency about credit-report errors than any other problem and seldom receive any relief. They have made changes in the credit reporting system a major priority and the impact will be felt by consumers as early as this summer.

And while student loan forgiveness is still up in the air, the pause on student loan repayment has been extended through August 2022. Borrowers will not be asked to make payments until after Aug. 31 and interest rates are expected to remain at 0% during that period.

Anxiety was rising for many until the April 5th announcement of the extension of student loan repayments. Prior to the announcement, payments were planned to resume on May 1, 2022. For the past two years, most student loan borrowers have not been required to make payments on their balances and their interest rate has been frozen.

 

White House officials have repeatedly stressed that they would like to resolve the student loan forgiveness issue prior to the resumption of repayments, but discussions are still ongoing.

In a recent survey by the Student Debt Crisis Center, 92% of fully-employed borrowers are concerned about being able to afford their payments due to rising inflation. One in three borrowers claimed they’ve reduced spending on necessities like food, rent and healthcare in preparation for payments to resume.

With about 70% of college graduates leaving school with student loan debt, it is certain that student loans will continue to be part of the landscape for much of the WNY community. Last year, the average per person debt was $35,397 and the typical monthly payment–$393 per month. At current time, nearly 2.4 million New Yorkers have outstanding student loans totaling more than $90 billion combined.

Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) encourages anyone interested in reviewing their credit or looking for help navigating student loan repayments to contact them at 712-2060 or visit www.parachutecreditcounseling.org. CCCS is the only provider of student loan counseling in the region and has worked with hundreds of area residents struggling with all kinds of debt over the past several years.

 

Many individuals with credit card debt and/or student loans feel overwhelmed with anxiety and fear as they try to set up payment plans, with some falling prey to the abundance of unscrupulous companies claiming to help. CCCS specifically designed its program to meet the needs of this ever growing population segment.

 

CCCS can help with all financial issues and urges everyone to take positive action that will promote financial stability: For those interested in any type of help–call 712-2060 or visit www.parachutecreditcounseling.org  

Budget

Vacationing on a Budget!

Many individuals have varying financial goals, but often times an annual vacation or trip with family top the list of most.  Of course they don’t just happen with the snap of a finger. Vacations take financial planning, budgeting, savings, and research and creativity for finding affordable transportation, accommodations, and activities upon arrival. Vacations are well-deserved treats that are the result of hard work, and with the right preparation you should be able to enjoy it to the fullest without financial distress before, during, or after.

First and foremost planning for a vacation should start with setting an overall budget for the trip. This will allow to you determine how much you need to start systematically saving, ideally for several months up to a year in advance of the trip depending on the anticipated cost. The total cost can be the most difficult task to accurately estimate as you have to account for all expenses during your vacation, including and not limited to; Airfare and transportation, lodging, travel documents, food and groceries, dining out, entertainment, activities, local transportation expenses, souvenirs and gifts.

After you have determined your allotted budget for the trip, and most importantly begun saving for the adventure, it’s time to shop around for the necessary and most costly travel expenses; Airfare and Lodging.  One thing that appears not to be changing anytime soon is increasing flight prices.  With continued rising fuel costs, the era of cheap travel is over.  Although that doesn’t mean you can’t find an affordable flight, or perhaps even a “cheap” one at that. The best way to ensure that you do find an affordable ticket is by booking your reservation well in advance.  About 2-3 months in advance used to be plenty of time, but nowadays you will want to purchase your flight as soon as you know you want to go. Also, having some flexibility in your dates of travel can help reduce the cost. Flying on weekends is almost always more expensive, and if you can manage to travel on Tuesday through Thursday you will significantly reduce your cost of flying. You will also want to try and avoid holidays if possible as this is when many people are flying, which drives the prices up.

As for lodging, some of the same rules that apply to flying can be followed in order to find cheaper accommodations.  First and foremost though, you need to decide what level of quality lodging you want. Are you looking for somewhere that is simply clean and has a bed to lay your head at night and take a shower? Or are you looking for somewhere with big TVs, a luxurious pool, and a 5-star restaurant downstairs? Once you decide on the quality of lodging you would like you can begin your research.  In addition to standard lodging accommodations such as hotels and hostels, where you can find potential discounted rooms on websites such as www.priceline.com, take a look at options for renting from owners, such as www.VRBO.com (Vacation Rental By Owner) or www.airbnb.com. These could be great options for saving money, and staying somewhere that will fit your expectations. 

As for tips when you arrive at your destination, whether you are traveling locally or internationally, spending more time at “local” spots you will find that you take less of a hit on your wallet.  For example, you will find in Europe that most restaurants near tourist locations (parks, squares, museums, etc.) tend to have far more expensive prices, and likely a subpar quality of food.  Invest in a good guidebook of your choice, and learn some secret spots so you can go have fun with the locals…and save money. Happy travels!