App-based loans, such as Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) and Earned Wage Access (EWA), can lead to increased financial stress and instability due to their high fees, hidden costs, and potential for loan stacking.
Charlene Crowell
Posted inEducation
Lawsuits Challenge New Rule that Threatens Student Loan Forgiveness Program
The Biden administration’s new rule for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program will exclude employers that do not align with White House policies, potentially affecting 9 million borrowers and leading to lawsuits challenging the rule as illegal.
Posted inNews
Social Security Benefits Struggle to Keep up with Rising Living Costs
The federal government shutdown has delayed the announcement of Social Security’s 2026 Cost of Living Adjustment, which is needed to ensure retirees can keep up with rising costs, but many retirees are still struggling to make ends meet due to insufficient benefits and rising Medicare Part B premiums.
Posted inNews
Will Social Security’s 2026 COLA offset rising everyday costs?
The 2026 Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) has been delayed due to the federal government shutdown, and many retirees are struggling to make ends meet with the current benefit levels, which are insufficient to cover living expenses in most states.
Posted inEducation
A brutal bill cuts CFPB funding in half as new student loan limits add to consumer financial stress
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) was signed into law on the nation’s 249th birthday, adding $3.3 trillion to the national debt over the next 10 years, cutting funding to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and making the tax code more complicated and less fair.
Posted inNews
Harvard Report, State of the Nation’s Housing 2025: Black homeownership gains have halted since 2023 Only 1 in 7 renters can afford to buy a home
The State of the Nation’s Housing 2025 report finds that rising home prices, interest rates, and property taxes are making homeownership and renting unaffordable for many middle-class families, with only 6 million of the nation’s 46 million renter households earning enough to afford a median-priced home.
Posted inEducation
Federal Budget Proposal Reduces Pell Grant Eligibility for Millions of Students
The proposed federal budget for FY 2026 would cut Pell Grant funding by $9 billion, making it harder for students, especially those of color and first-generation students, to afford higher education.
Posted inUncategorized
As housing costs go up, HUD proposes 51 percent budget cut
The proposed FY 2026 budget for HUD would eliminate key programs such as the Community Development Block Grants, HOME Investment Partnerships Program, and Fair Housing Initiatives Program, and reduce HUD staffing, while giving states block grants to create their own versions of affordable housing programs.
Posted inEducation
FY 2026 Budget Plan cuts and guts Education dollars and programs
The Trump Administration\’s budget plan proposes a 15.3% cut to education funding, including programs that support student parents and the Federal Work Study program, in an effort to reduce the federal education workforce by 46%.
Posted inBusiness
Cuts to Minority Business Development Agency leaves 3 staff $436B CDFI affordable capital for local investment also at risk
A recent executive order has resulted in the elimination of the Minority Business Development Agency and the Community Development Financial Institutions Fund, two offices that have played a crucial role in promoting economic growth and job creation in underserved communities.
