Does Debt Cause Mental Illness?
Experts say there’s a definite relationship between debt and depression. But we don’t like talking about either one.
Brandon Ballenger
Having more than $10,000 in student loan debt has a way of piquing your interest in personal finance. And because my degree was in English and public communication, I get to share that interest with you. My wide-ranging stories on money and business have run on Business Insider, the Christian Science Monitor, Reader’s Digest, the front pages of MSN.com and Yahoo! Finance, Money Talks News, and the South Florida Business Journal. In my free time, I like to jump off skyscrapers and play video games.
6 Ways Millennials Manage Money Better Than Their Parents
Millennials get a bad rap. On the bright side, it might be pushing them to excel.
Has Trump Kept His Biggest Financial Promises to Americans?
No, not by a long shot. But we should try to stay optimistic anyway.
Trump’s Supreme Court Pick Doesn’t Like the CFPB — But He Could Sure Use It
Given that he racked up tens of thousands in debt for baseball tickets, the justice would personally benefit from better credit card regulations and consumer education about living beyond your means.
Trump Wants a Space Force. What About a Student Loan Force?
Creating a new branch of the military wouldn’t come cheap. There are way better uses for the money.
The Supreme Court Just Killed Some Consumer Discounts
American Express just won its Supreme Court case, meaning it gets to fight discounts retailers would give to consumers for using their competition’s cards.
The Biggest Cities With the Cheapest Homes
Housing affordability is a major concern, but that doesn’t mean home ownership is out of reach. From Chicago to Dallas, the salary required to afford a home might be less than you’d expect.
Kathy Who? Meet the Next Do-Nothing CFPB Director
Donald Trump finally has a nominee to replace interim director Mick Mulvaney. But she’s no more qualified than he is.
Is the Education Department Planning to Promote Private Student Loans?
They come with more risks, like higher interest rates and less flexible repayment. But then they’re not a federal headache anymore.
How Long Does Stuff Stay On Your Credit Report?
Nothing in credit lasts forever — good or bad.
What Would An American GDPR Look Like?
You’ve gotten the emails. Here’s what the data regulation is actually about — and how we could do better.
What Fraud? Education Department Drops Investigation
For-profit colleges have ruined people for years. The Education Department — and Trump — no longer cares.
How Americans’ Finances Are Better — and Worse — Under Trump
Major media outlets focused on one stat: how little people have saved for an emergency. That’s old news. The interesting stuff was on education.
The CFPB Is Shutting Down Its Student Loan Office
Where will consumers go with their complaints about loan servicers now? Certainly not the Education Department.
The States With the Most And Least Credit Card Debt
The worst way to get out of debt is to pay the bare minimum. Find out how much that would hurt where you live.
Does Trump Care More About Fair Prices or Creating Jobs?
T-Mobile and Sprint say their merger would be a jobmaker, but consumers could lose out.
CFPB Fights Bad Auto Loans While Congress Defends Them
At this point, it’s hard to say which arm of the federal government is more confused — or what it means for consumers.
A Trump Feud That Might Save Us Money In the Long Run
Trump is auditing the U.S. Postal Service over his hatred of Amazon. Good!
So Far, Trump’s Tax Cuts Are Failing
It looks like we blew a huge hole in the deficit for almost no consumer benefit.
Debt Collection Is the New CFPB Focus
The agency wants to ease up on payday and student loans, but seems weirdly committed to handling debt collector complaints.
6 Months Late, Congress Passed a Budget
Nobody has read it all yet, but there is some good news for consumers.
The Education Department Is Fighting to Do Nothing
Betsy DeVos is asserting her right to be useless and fighting back against states that want to help student loan borrowers, insisting they have to be just as useless as her.
How Congress Plans to Reward Equifax for the Worst Data Breach Ever
Republicans want to protect a lousy company from veterans — and give it power in the mortgage market.
Companies Aren’t Investing in Employees. They’re Investing in Themselves
Trump’s tax plan was supposed to spur economic growth and provide consumer prosperity. When’s that coming, exactly?
Trump’s Ignorance On Trade Will Cost His Fans — And Everybody Else
Untargeted tariffs on steel and aluminum will raise prices on beer, cars, and possibly a whole lot more.
Republicans Are Ready to Cut Banking Regulations
They want to let big banks take big risks and go for broke — regardless of the consequences.
Let’s Debate: Immigration, Taxes, and Education
Debt.com’s political columnists go head-to-head on what the latest news in Washington means for consumer finance.
The CFPB Is Giving Up on Regulation. But the Fed Isn’t
Forget “too big to fail.” Now we’re in “too failing to grow.”
The Big Number Missing From the State of the Union
Trump hit on unemployment, GDP, taxes, and deregulation. He needs to talk more about wages, infrastructure, and education.
Some Things Are Worth Shutting Down the Government For
If we have to resign ourselves to never passing a budget, we might as well get something good out of the next few shutdowns. Let’s fix student loans.
Paying For Improvement: Will Trump Raise Taxes?
Ready to pay more for gas? Business leaders and Democrats agree it’s a good idea.
It’s Time for Data Breaches to Have Consequences
A new bill in Congress would fine credit reporting agencies bigly for not protecting our information. It’s four years overdue.
What’s Already Changed at the CFPB
Trump wasted no time wrecking the consumer agency, with bad moves on mortgages and prepaid cards.
This Is the Financial Word of the Year
I promise it’s not as dumb as Oxford’s “youthquake.”
The Most Damaging Thing Trump Did to Our Money in 2017
Neutering the CFPB will have a long-lasting impact on the way we borrow and spend.
The Best Thing Trump Did for Consumers in 2017
He didn’t accomplish a lot, but I’ll give him credit for this.
4 Groups Hurt By the Republican Tax Bill
Whichever version of this passes is going to suck, unless there’s a radical change of heart. And brain.
Making Jerome Powell Fed Chair Was a Mistake
It’s easy to elevate someone already on the board. Now he has to nominate someone new.
Why Is the Education Department Shrinking?
Betsy DeVos already manages the smallest Cabinet agency, but she wants to cut her way to more savings. It won’t work, and it’s awful for struggling students.
The CFPB: Nice While It Lasted
The department’s leader is leaving. He may be the only one it ever had.
Don’t Destroy Your Coffee Maker Over Politics
It makes no sense to punish your wallet for someone else’s political transgressions.
Are You Happier Now?
It’s been a year since America elected Trump. What have we got to show for it?
Donald Trump Won’t Let You Sue Banks
He signed a law undoing consumer protections for class-action lawsuits against financial abuse.
More Student Loan Ideas for a Hopeless Congress
They’ve got — and are ignoring — a bill on bankrupting student loans. But what about these ideas states are considering?
If Trump Wants Lower Taxes, He Could Move to Mexico
Trump’s tax plan benefits him more than anybody else. But he doesn’t have to fight to change policy here… he could just leave.
Facing Our Worst Financial Fears
We’re most scared of dealing with emergencies, losing our jobs, and outliving our savings.
How Donald Trump Has Worsened Our Greatest Financial Fears
Whether it’s retirement, health care, or identity theft, Trump has done some frightening things — that’s no trick.
Are You Living in Credit Hell?
This spooky map looks at how long it takes to pay off the typical credit card debt in every state.
Now You Can Start Judging Justice Neil Gorsuch
His first real Supreme Court term starts this week, and his opinions will start affecting our financial lives.
More Than 40 Percent of Americans Can’t Pay Their Bills
If Donald Trump wants an easy win, promote financial literacy. It really does make a difference, according to the CFPB.