2023

article thumbnail

The Importance of Compliance in the Collections Industry

Optio Solutions

Optio Solutions, a prominent player in the industry, has positioned itself at the forefront of compliance efforts, setting a gold standard for collections agencies. Compliance is not just a legal requirement but also a crucial element for long-term success in the collections industry, and for our clients, brand protection. Compliance: A Legal and Ethical Imperative… The post The Importance of Compliance in the Collections Industry appeared first on Optio.

article thumbnail

Small-Business Trends: 6 Predictions for 2023

Nerd Wallet

Randa Kriss writes for NerdWallet. Email: rkriss@nerdwallet.com. The article Small-Business Trends: 6 Predictions for 2023 originally appeared on NerdWallet.

139
139
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

Debt Collector to Shut Down Under Enforcement Order with CFPB

Account Recovery

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau today announced that a medical debt collector — Commonwealth Financial Systems in Pennsylvania — is being shut down for failing to conduct reasonable investigations and failing to inform the credit reporting agencies that debts were being disputed by consumers.

article thumbnail

CFPB Orders Bank of America to Pay $12 Million for Reporting False Mortgage Data

Consumer Finance

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) today ordered Bank of America to pay a $12 million penalty for submitting false mortgage lending information to the federal government under a long-standing federal law.

Banks 145
article thumbnail

4 Things Great Companies Do to Improve Cash Flow

Speaker: Don Gallianza, Credit Manager at Chevron Phillips Chemical and Indy Chakrabarti, Chief Marketing Officer at HighRadius

4 Case Studies to Optimize DSO 26 Days Sales Outstanding. Already better than most. But, should you improve on that? Why would 3 fewer days even matter? It matters because it fundamentally transforms business outcomes. Join this webinar to explore 4 things companies do to reclaim hard dollars - not just soft costs - and go from good to great! What You'll Learn 6 operational KPIs every AR manager should track: Define and track these metrics to enhance performance, drive efficiency, and make infor

article thumbnail

Does Paying Off Collections Improve Your Credit Score?

Credit Corp

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. Your credit score may improve if your collection debt is reported to a new credit scoring model—FICO 9®, FICO 10®, VantageScore 3.0® or VantageScore 4.0®.

More Trending

article thumbnail

Majority of Americans Still Living Paycheck-to-Paycheck: Report

Account Recovery

More than 60% of Americans are living paycheck-to-paycheck, with the increased cost of everyday items like groceries and utilities straining household budgets, according to an online originator of personal loans. Even individuals making more than $100,000 per year have less savings to rely on and are struggling to make ends meet.

article thumbnail

New FHFA Credit Score Rules Could Broaden Homeownership Access

Nerd Wallet

Kate Wood writes for NerdWallet. Email: kwood@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @[link]. The article New FHFA Credit Score Rules Could Broaden Homeownership Access originally appeared on NerdWallet.

124
124
article thumbnail

July Launch Announced for the Federal Reserve’s FedNow Nationwide Payment System

Troutman Sanders

The Federal Reserve issued a press release announcing its plans for a July debut of FedNow , its service “to facilitate nationwide reach of instant payment services by financial institutions.” As previously discussed here , the FedNow service will provide individuals and businesses the ability to send and receive instant payments through the Federal Reserve’s Fedline® network at any time of day seven days a week.

article thumbnail

When Banks Can Refuse Lending to BIPOC Families, We Need Our Laws to Factor in Race

Prosperity Now

The Community Reinvestment Act (CRA), enacted in 1977, is a key piece of legislation meant to ensure that underserved communities get equitable access to credit. In late October, the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency issued a final rule updating the regulations governing the CRA—the first such reform in over 25 years.

Banks 116
article thumbnail

Top 3 Banking Secrets to Stay Relevant with Gen Z Consumers

Speaker: Brian Muse-McKenney, Chief Revenue Officer & Matt Simester, Cards and Payments Expert

In today’s world of social media, dating apps, and remote work, businesses risk becoming irrelevant (or getting "ghosted") if they fail to meet the evolving needs of Gen Z consumers. Credit cards with flexible payment options, especially for young adults with little-to-no credit history, are a particularly important and valuable solution for this generation.

article thumbnail

Applying the Barton Doctrine, the Fifth Circuit Deepends Its Schism with the Eleventh

PBWT

In a recent per curium opinion, the Fifth Circuit recommitted to its practice of dismissing claims against court-appointed fiduciaries when plaintiffs fail to obtain permission before bringing suit. The court rested its decision on the Barton doctrine, which other courts, including the Eleventh Circuit, have found inapplicable in similar circumstances.

Debtor 112
article thumbnail

Can an Insurance Broker Be Liable if a Loss Is Not Covered by Insurance?

Jimerson Firm

What happens when, due to a negligent error by the insurance broker, a business suffers property damage that is either not covered, or not fully covered, by what the insured thought was an insurance policy they purchased through the broker to cover the risk? Can the insured look to its insurance broker to cover the uninsured loss? In certain types of circumstances, the answer may be yes, and the insurance broker may be found liable to the insured for such an uncovered loss.

111
111
article thumbnail

Where Can I Use My FSA Card?

Payment Savvy

Paying for healthcare expenses out of pocket can be a huge burden, especially if you are dealing with a chronic illness. According to various studies, medical expenses are the leading cause of bankruptcy in the United States. But if you have an FSA card, you can use it to help cover eligible health expenses. What Is an FSA Card? A flexible spending account (FSA) card is a special debit card that allows you to pay for approved healthcare expenses using the pre-tax money you’ve contributed t

article thumbnail

Introducing the Brown & Joseph Web Portal 2.0

Brown and Joseph

Our Clients’ Gateway to an Enhanced Experience We are thrilled to announce the launch of the Brown & Joseph -ARMStrong- Web Portal 2.0—an exciting and… The post Introducing the Brown & Joseph Web Portal 2.0 appeared first on Brown & Joseph, LLC.

article thumbnail

How Collection Agencies Minimize Effort and Maximize Results with the Right Software

Navigating collections in the dynamic financial landscape presents multifaceted challenges. Organizations face pressures to maintain standards alongside software challenges like regulatory adaptations, data integration, security, workflow optimization, and automation. Finding the right software can save time and money. BEAM offers a comprehensive solution with specialized modules to streamline debt collection effortlessly.

article thumbnail

CFPB and Justice Department Issue Joint Statement Cautioning that Financial Institutions May Not Use Immigration Status to Illegally Discriminate Against Credit Applicants

Consumer Finance

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and Justice Department today issued a joint statement that reminds financial institutions that all credit applicants are protected from discrimination on the basis of their national origin, race, and other characteristics covered by the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, regardless of their immigration status.

article thumbnail

Average Car Payment in the U.S. [2023]

Credit Corp

Many or all of the products featured here are from our partners who compensate us. This may influence which products we write about and where and how the product appears on a page. However, this does not influence our evaluations. The average monthly car payment for new vehicles in the United States is $725, and $516 for used vehicles. New car payments are up 11.5% year-over-year and used car payments are only up 2.2%.

Loans 118
article thumbnail

Integrating Judicial and Extrajudicial Strategies in Portfolio Management

Qualco

Managing loan portfolios becomes a labyrinth for financial institutions in a financial ecosystem marked by unrelenting complexity and constant change. The latter grapple with this formidable challenge amidst evolving regulatory norms and economic instability. Last year, discussions around the standardisation of insolvency laws across the European Union garnered substantial attention.

article thumbnail

FDCPA Suit Filed Over ‘Settlement’ Offer Made on Time-Barred Debt

Account Recovery

EDITOR’S NOTE: This article is part of a series that is sponsored by WebRecon. WebRecon identifies serial plaintiffs lurking in your database BEFORE you contact them and expose yourself to a likely lawsuit. Protect your company from as many as one in three new consumer lawsuits by scrubbing your consumers through WebRecon first. Want to learn more?

264
264
article thumbnail

From Complexity to Clarity: Strategies for Effective Compliance and Security Measures

Speaker: Erika R. Bales, Esq.

When we talk about “compliance and security," most companies want to ensure that steps are being taken to protect what they value most – people, data, real or personal property, intellectual property, digital assets, or any other number of other things - and it’s more important than ever that safeguards are in place. Let’s step back and focus on the idea that no matter how complicated the compliance and security regime, it should be able to be distilled down to a checklist.

article thumbnail

Home Shoppers to Face High Rates, Economy With Resolve

Nerd Wallet

Elizabeth Renter writes for NerdWallet. Email: elizabeth@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @elizabethrenter. The article Home Shoppers to Face High Rates, Economy With Resolve originally appeared on NerdWallet.

119
119
article thumbnail

New York Bans Reporting of Medical Debt Effective Immediately

Troutman Sanders

On December 13, New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed into law S4907A , which prohibits hospitals, medical providers, or ambulance services from providing negative information about medical debt to consumer reporting agencies (CRAs). The law also requires that these entities include a provision in their contracts with collection agencies prohibiting the reporting of any portion of a medical debt to a CRA.

article thumbnail

The Year of Transition: An Interview with Bonnie Tiernan of Crisis Assistance Ministry

Prosperity Now

Crisis Assistance Ministry has been a long-time Prosperity Now partner working to close the racial wealth gap in Charlotte, North Carolina. We interviewed Bonnie Tiernan, the organization’s Civic Engagement Manager to learn more about the organization, its successes, and challenges. Tell us some background about yourself – how did you get started with your organization?

105
105
article thumbnail

Brand Protection in the Collections Industry

Optio Solutions

Reputation is everything. This truth holds even more significance in industries where negative press can have far-reaching consequences. The collections industry is no exception. In an environment where bad press is the last thing anyone desires, brand protection is a paramount concern. In this landscape, adhering to regulations is crucial, and at Optio Solutions we… The post Brand Protection in the Collections Industry appeared first on Optio.

article thumbnail

When It Comes to Collections Software, “Good Enough” Isn’t Good Enough

Are you finding some snags in your collections process? With delinquencies, and the number of consumers looking for payment assistance on the rise, it may be time to consider an efficient cloud-based software to support your team. Learn how MeridianLink® Collect has helped financial institutions like yours streamline collections processes.

article thumbnail

Tips and Best Practices for a Successful Deposition

Jimerson Firm

Getting Your Deposition Taken The thought of sitting for a deposition, whether you’re a litigant or a third-party witness, can be quite daunting, especially if you’ve never been through the process before. Keep in mind, however, that a deposition is simply part of the fact-finding process. The purpose of a deposition is for the deposing attorney to learn facts about the case.

105
105
article thumbnail

What Industries Are Recession Proof?

Payment Savvy

While it is by no means a pleasurable experience, the simple truth of the matter is that recessions are a part of life and something we should accept as an occasional occurrence. We are going to face them once in a while – there is no avoiding that fact. Depending on your perspective (and at the risk of sounding a little existential), the very fact that recessions are inevitable at some point means we are always approaching one.

article thumbnail

Number of Businesses closing hits record levels

UK debt collections

A record number of businesses closed across the UK last year, official figures have shown. The data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) also reveals that the so-called business death rate surpassed the “birth rate” of new businesses being founded in 2022 for the first time since 2010. The figures show 345,000 businesses across the UK shut their doors in 2022 – a 5% increase on the 328,000 that closed in 2021, and the highest figure since records began in 2002.

Retail 96
article thumbnail

CFPB Orders U.S. Bank to Pay $21 Million for Illegal Conduct During COVID-19 Pandemic

Consumer Finance

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ordered U.S. Bank to pay nearly $21 million for keeping consumers from accessing unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Banks 144
article thumbnail

10 Ways to Improve Payment Collections with Salesforce

For finance teams using Salesforce’s powerful CRM technology, automation can transform accounts receivable processes, driving efficiency and delivering measurable results like cost savings, reduced customer churn, and lower DSO.