Page 27 - Poverty Issues News Today

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is proposing a rule on overdraft fees that would benefit New Yorkers. The rule closes a loophole exempting overdraft fees from provisions in the Truth in Lending Act. Research shows New Yorkers paid almost $1.5 billion in overdraft fees during the early years of the pandemic. ...

Lawmakers in Massachusetts passed some of the nations most generous tax credits - and now, help is available to make sure families can take advantage of them. The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program helps more than 30,000 low-income families at 80 different sites across the Commonwealth. Ancel Tejada, financial empowerment program manager with MASSCAP - a coalition of community action agencies - said the credits helped his parents buy his first computer. ...

By Rico Moore for Yes! Magazine.Broadcast version by Eric Tegethoff for Washington News Service reporting for the Yes! Magazine-Public News Service Collaboration The Kettle Mountain Range runs north-south along the eastern flank of the Colville Reservation and north into the Tribes’ ancestral territory in Colville National Forest. ...

Winter time in South Dakota can sometimes result in car engines not starting. For people with no money for repairs, there are options in some cities, including a nonprofit blending low-cost repairs with engine maintenance smarts. In Sioux Falls and Rapid City, the SHIFT Garage accepts applications from low-income people in need of a standard repair. ...

January is National Poverty in America Awareness Month and community action agencies across the state are working to change lives for the 5 million Californians who cannot afford the basics. The poverty rate in the Golden State rose from 11.7% in fall 2021 to 13.2% in the first quarter of 2023. David Knight, executive director of the California Community Action Program Association, said circumstances have been difficult. ...

Low-income households across the United States now face a deadline to sign up for federal funds that give them a break on their monthly internet bills. Poverty-fighting offices in North Dakota hope more families try to stay connected in the short term. The Federal Communications Commission has announced that February 7 is the last day to enroll in its Affordable Connectivity Program. ...

Oregon lawmakers could add greater safeguards for consumers from debt collectors this session. The Family Financial Protection Act of Oregon includes a suite of provisions to shield consumers, including ensuring people can keep more of their wages from being garnished to pay back debts. State Sen. ...

Virginia legal advocates are on the lookout for attempts to subvert the states Fairness in Lending Act. The 2020 law establishes a fair regulatory framework for lending in the state - but it seems some lenders are finding ways around it, such as referring to different types of loans as an "advance." A Consumer Reports investigation has found some "advances" have been offered at an interest rate of 490%. Jay Speer - executive director of the Virginia Pove...

Washington state farmworkers are converging on Olympia this week to call for better working conditions. The 11th annual Farmworkers Tribunal is being held on Tuesday at the state Capitol. Rosalinda Guillen is the executive director of Community to Community Development, a Bellingham-based organization that focuses on food sovereignty and immigrant rights. ...

Wisconsin is among the states without a defined formula for deciding alimony payments through divorce court proceedings. A new report says without that predictability, some people might not be getting a fair shake. Custody X Change, an online firm that helps families navigate divorce, is out with a new analysis of alimony laws across the country. ...