An initiative designed to add significant regulatory obligations to the home improvement and solar financing industries is progressing through the California legislature. Senate Bill 784 (SB 784) passed the California Senate...more
7/31/2025
/ Borrowers ,
California ,
Construction Industry ,
Construction Project ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Lenders ,
Loans ,
PACE ,
Property Improvements ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Renewable Energy ,
Solar Energy
In this crossover episode of The Consumer Finance Podcast and Payments Pros, Chris Willis, Jason Cover, and Taylor Gess expand on the Point-of-Sale Finance Series to focus on leases and rent-to-own (RTO) models. This...more
On July 8, a panel for the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit issued a significant decision in the case of Custom Communications, Inc. v. Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The panel vacated the FTC’s amended Negative...more
In this crossover episode of The Consumer Finance Podcast and Payments Pros, Chris Willis, Jason Cover, and Taylor Gess continue the Point-of-Sale Finance Series to discuss licensed lending and bank model lending programs....more
In this crossover episode of The Consumer Finance Podcast and Payments Pros, Chris Willis, Jason Cover, and Taylor Gess unravel the often-confused distinctions between loans and credit sales in the first installment of our...more
On March 20, the Arkansas governor signed into law Arkansas Act 347, known as the Earned Wage Access Services Act. Sponsored by Representative David Ray (R) and Senator Ben Gilmore (R), this legislation aims to regulate...more
3/25/2025
/ Arkansas ,
Debt Collection ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Earned Wage Access ,
Fees ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Financial Services Industry ,
New Legislation ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Wages
The Utah Legislature has passed H.B. 279, known as the Earned Wage Access Services Act. Sponsored by Representative A. Cory Maloy (R) and Senator Chris H. Wilson (R), this legislation aims to regulate earned wage access (EWA)...more
3/17/2025
/ Consumer Financial Products ,
Data Privacy ,
Debt Collection ,
Earned Wage Access ,
Employees ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Independent Contractors ,
Pending Legislation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Wage and Hour ,
Wages
On January 8, Senate Bill No. 1252 (SB 1252) was introduced to the Virginia General Assembly, aiming to amend and reenact sections of the Code of Virginia related to the application of usury rates. Just two weeks ago, the...more
2/28/2025
/ Banks ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FinTech ,
Interest Rates ,
Loans ,
Proposed Legislation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Regulatory Requirements
On January 10, the Alaska Legislature introduced Senate Bill 39 that aims to amend the state’s Small Loan Act. This proposed legislation seeks to implement significant changes, including the introduction of a predominant...more
Earlier this week, we discussed the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) final amendments to the Negative Option Rule, now retitled the Rule Concerning Recurring Subscriptions and Other Negative Option Programs. These amendments,...more
On October 11, the Office of Administrative Law (OAL) approved the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation’s (DFPI) proposed regulations on direct-to-consumer (i.e., non-employer offered) earned wage...more
10/24/2024
/ Banks ,
California ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) ,
Earned Wage Access ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Loans ,
New Regulations ,
Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ) ,
Wage and Hour
In March 2023, we discussed the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) aimed at making it easier for consumers to cancel recurring subscriptions and memberships. The proposed rule was part of...more
On September 18, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) issued a set of frequently asked questions (FAQs) providing guidance on applying Regulation Z requirements to Pay-in-Four Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL)...more
9/20/2024
/ Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Consumer Lenders ,
Credit Cards ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Interpretive Rule ,
Payday Loans ,
Regulation Z ,
Truth in Lending Act (TILA)
A proposed class action lawsuit has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California against EarnIn, a FinTech provider of Earned Wage Access services, alleging that its optional fees and tips...more
8/23/2024
/ Annual Percentage Rate (APR) ,
Class Action ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Earned Wage Access ,
Excessive Fees ,
Financial Services Industry ,
FinTech ,
Hidden Fees ,
Lenders ,
Payday Loans ,
Truth in Lending Act (TILA)
Last week, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) issued a proposed interpretive rule opining that earned wage access (EWA) products — whether provided through employer partnerships or marketed directly to...more
7/22/2024
/ Borrowers ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Credit ,
Earned Wage Access ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Payday Loans ,
Proposed Rules ,
Regulation Z ,
Truth in Lending Act (TILA) ,
Wage and Hour ,
Wages
On July 1, amendments to Florida’s Consumer Finance Act took effect. Among other things, the amendments raise the maximum tiered interest rates on consumer finance loans, increase the grace period before late fees can be...more
The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) has once again modified its proposed rulemaking on earned wage access (EWA) products. As discussed here, this spring the Office of Administrative Law...more
On June 18, a Colorado federal court granted the plaintiff trade groups’ motion for a preliminary injunction, effectively halting the enforcement of Colorado’s H.B. 1229 with respect to loans made by out-of-state...more
Last Week, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced that its so-called “Payday, Vehicle Title and Certain High-Cost Installment Loans” rule (Rule) will go into effect on March 30, 2025. While ostensibly aimed...more
On May 28, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) released its annual report to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) detailing enforcement and educational activities undertaken in 2023. The report pertains to actions...more
6/14/2024
/ Annual Reports ,
Automotive Loans ,
CARS Rule ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Consumer Leasing Act (CLA) ,
Electronic Fund Transfer Act ,
Federal Trade Commission (FTC) ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Regulation Z ,
Truth in Lending Act (TILA)
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) has issued a circular warning covered persons that including unlawful or unenforceable terms and conditions in consumer contracts can violate the prohibition on...more
6/6/2024
/ Arbitration ,
Consent Order ,
Consumer Financial Contracts ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA) ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Contract Terms ,
Covered Person ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Unenforceable Contract Terms ,
Unfair or Deceptive Trade Practices
Yesterday, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) issued an “interpretive rule,” subjecting “Buy Now, Pay Later” (BNPL) transactions to provisions of Regulation Z applicable to “credit cards.” Among other...more
5/23/2024
/ Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Consumer Financial Protection Act (CFPA) ,
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) ,
Consumer Lenders ,
Credit Cards ,
Debt Collection ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Interpretive Rule ,
Regulation Z ,
Truth in Lending Act (TILA)
Kansas Governor Laura Kelly signed House Bill (HB) 2247 into law, bringing significant changes to the Kansas Mortgage Business Act and the Uniform Consumer Credit Code (UCCC). The changes brought about by HB 2247 will largely...more
5/22/2024
/ Consumer Credit Protection ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Credit ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Interest Rates ,
Kansas ,
Late Fees ,
Mortgage Lenders ,
Mortgages ,
Payday Loans ,
Payment Plans ,
Right To Cure
This week, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB or Bureau) published an Issue Spotlight focusing on consumer complaints relating to credit card rewards programs. The report notes that credit card companies often...more
As discussed here, in March 2023, the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) proposed new regulations under the California Financing Law that would interpret the definition of “loan” to include...more
5/7/2024
/ California ,
Consumer Financial Products ,
Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) ,
Financial Institutions ,
Financial Regulatory Reform ,
Financial Services Industry ,
Office of Administrative Law ,
Office of Administrative Law Judges (OALJ) ,
Payday Loans ,
Proposed Regulation ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Truth in Lending Act (TILA) ,
Wage and Hour ,
Wages