Debt buyers, specialized debt-collection companies, purchase defaulted consumer debt from creditors such as credit card companies for pennies on the dollar. Debt buyers then attempt to collect the debt, often by suing borrowers in court. State and federal officials should continue to strengthen the...

When money is tight, consumers often pay bills in a way that makes the problem worse, with late fees, penalties, and higher interest rates. Research shows that consumers have many reasons for their actions. To gain insight into why it’s so hard for consumers to organize and manage their financial...

Over 29 million Americans comprise the “at risk” segment – most likely of all the segments to live paycheck to paycheck and run out of money before the end of the month. Seven in ten struggle to keep on top of their bills, and a quarter are actually falling behind on credit and bill...

BDSC firms are using varied forms of non-traditional data—from mobile call data records and bill payments to Internet browsing patterns and social media behaviour—to create a new way to assess consumer risk, determine the creditworthiness of previously “invisible” consumers, and...

The 2013 Survey of Consumer Payment Choice (SCPC) is the sixth in a series of annual studies conducted by the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston to gain a comprehensive understanding of the cash and noncash payment behaviour of U.S. consumers. This report summarizes data collected in the 2013 SCPC and...

This report presents findings from the second annual U.S. Financial Health Pulse, which is designed to explore how the financial health of people in America is changing over time. The annual Pulse report scores survey respondents against eight indicators of financial health -- spending, bill...

This report provides results from the 2019 Canadian Financial Capability Survey (CFCS). It offers a first look at what Canadians are doing to take charge of their finances by budgeting, planning and saving for the future, and paying down debt. While the findings show that many Canadians are acting...

You have the right to see your own credit report. And there are ways you can order it for free. It is a record of your past and present use of credit cards and loans. Mobile phone and Internet accounts may also be included, even though they are not credit accounts. It includes details about your...

Without a Home, conducted by the Canadian Observatory on Homelessness in partnership with A Way Home Canada, surveyed 1,103 youth experiencing homelessness across Canada. Youth in 42 different communities and nine of the 10 Canadian provinces, as well as Nunavut Territory, completed the self-report...

While financial coaching is becoming more widely implemented, the practice components have not been described in ways that make the field of financial coaching consistent and uniform. To better understand how financial coaching is especially relevant for empowering low-income clients, this brief...

The resources in this toolkit are taken from the Prosper Canada Financial Literacy Facilitator curriculum. The full training curriculum is available for practitioners who complete our Financial Literacy Facilitator training. Prosper Canada curriculum and tools are for non-profit use only, and are...

This is a brief on the cost of financially insecure families to Chicago, in terms of cost of eviction and unpaid bills. The financial health of cities depends on financially secure residents. When families have little to no savings and experience a disruption in their income or expenses, bills may...

This is a brief New York Times article on income volatility and paying the bills, discussing 2013 Federal Reserve survey data and US Financial...

Knowing what bills you have and when they are due can help you plan your spending. This activity will help you to be aware of two things: how much you owe each month, and at what time of the month that money is due. This will help you to pay bills on time, and avoid late fees. This is worksheet...

More than $3.89 billion in federal income taxes have been returned to those with modest wages as a result of free tax preparation services offered by IRS-certified volunteers in 2014. A new breakdown of national IRS data shows that tax preparers at Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) sites and...

For generations, federal policies have helped Americans build assets. Millions of individuals and households have taken advantage of these policies to plan for the future, buy homes, prepare for retirement, send their children to college, and weather unexpected financial storms. Today – through a...

The four papers in this series propose federal reforms to turn tax programs right-side up, redeploying existing spending to help all Americans save, invest, and build wealth. This summary is followed by four policy papers that stand on their own and as constituent parts of a comprehensive analysis...

This handout is from Module 4 of the Financial Literacy Facilitator Resources. Banks and credit unions are places where you can safely deposit your money, cash your cheques, pay your bills, ask for a loan or credit card and use a variety of saving and investment tools. This chart explains the...

Many consumers live paycheck-to-paycheck. Bills and financial notices arrive by mail and e-mail at different times of the day and month. Consumers typically don’t act on them immediately. Research shows that consumers have many reasons for their actions. To gain insight into why it’s so hard...

In 2014, the licensed Canadian payday loan industry provided nearly 4.5 million short-term loans to Canadian households, at a total value of $2.2 billion. Despite its unfavourable reputation, the licensed payday loans industry provides a necessary service for cash-strapped Canadians. Placing...

Approximately 2 million Ontarians live in low-income households, many allocating a significant portion of their finances to powering their homes. In these situations, electricity costs can force individuals to have to decide between paying energy bills and providing for other essential food,...

This is a guide on how to choose a chequing account to manage day-to-day banking needs. A chequing account is a deposit account offered by financial institutions for managing day-to-day financial transactions, such as paying bills, making purchases with a debit card, depositing your paycheque, and...

Financial vulnerability is not limited to the world’s poorest people or nations. Despite the United States’ relative wealth, many Americans are financially insecure, lacking either the ability to meet monthly bills or the necessary savings to cover unexpected expenses. Helping fragile consumers...

Twelve million Americans take out payday loans each year, spending $9 billion on loan fees. The data included here provide facts on the market and borrower usage, plus a brief review of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) proposed framework to regulate payday and auto title...

More than half of Americans in the tenuous segment live paycheck to paycheck (53%) and struggle to keep up with bills and credit payments. Yet the majority receive regular wages and predictable income. In many ways, individuals in the tenuous segment resemble those in the striving segment, though...