Student Loans

A bill is circulating around the Colorado legislature that would dramatically overhaul how student loans are collected in the state, removing an exemption for licensed collection agencies while also imposing new disclosure requirements and imposing extensive civil liability exposure for those found to violate the provisions of the bill, should …

The California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation has announced an investigation into student loan debt relief companies while also announcing its first enforcement action, against a company accused of taking money from individuals while misrepresenting that it could have their student loans dismissed. The enforcement action against Optima Associates …

A quintet of Senate Democrats have introduced a bill that aims to make it easier for consumers to have student loans and medical debts discharged when filing for bankruptcy protection. The Medical Bankruptcy Fairness Act of 2021, S.146, was introduced by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse [D-R.I.], Sen. Sherrod Brown [D-Ohio], Sen. …

There is growing sentiment within Congress, the Biden administration, and the general public for some or all of existing student loan debt to be wiped out, according to a published report and the results of a recently released poll. Nearly two-thirds of respondents to a poll indicated they were in …

President Joe Biden wasted no time getting to work after his inauguration yesterday, signing a number of executive orders, including at least one that will impact the accounts receivable management industry. The newly sworn in president signed 15 executive actions yesterday, making changes to policies enacted by former President Donald …

The Attorney General of Minnesota has obtained a settlement with a student loan debt relief company that illegally collected fees from individuals and misrepresented its services that will see the company pay the state more than $11,000 and cease operations in the state. The company, Document Assist Center, is based …

A pair of officials in the Trump administration with ties to the accounts receivable management industry announced their resignations yesterday in response to what happened in Washington, D.C., earlier this week. Betsey DeVos, the Secretary of Education, and Mick Mulvaney, the U.S. envoy to Northern Ireland who was formerly the …

In the closing hours of its legislative session, the Massachusetts legislature this week passed a bill that, among other things, will require servicers of student loans to now obtain a license while also establishing a student loan ombudsman office that will be charged with identifying trends, including unfair and deceptive …

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau yesterday issued a consent order against a student loan servicing company for violating a prior consent order in which it was accused of mis-stating minimum amounts due on billing statements and engaging in illegal debt collection practices. In this newest consent order, Discover Bank, the …

The Attorney General of Pennsylvania has stopped a company offering student loan debt relief services from operating in the state, forced it to repay $74,000 to individuals who were scammed, and pay a $50,000 fine as part of an announced settlement. The settlement, which was in the form of an …