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Earned Wage Access Is Heading Toward a State Licensing Patchwork
Earned wage access is quickly becoming a state-by-state regulatory issue. As states introduce new EWA frameworks and regulators test existing lending laws through enforcement and litigation, providers need to take a closer look at how licensing requirements, fees, repayment structures, and product design affect where and how they can operate.
15 Licensing Application Process Facts That Delay Approvals
Most licensing delays come from small misses. A payment method that does not work, a stale certificate, the wrong signature, a missing ownership detail. These are the things that slow down filings, trigger deficiencies, and force teams to redo work they thought was finished. We pulled these from the webinar because they came up naturally [...]
California Delete Act: DROP Deadline and Data Broker Rules
Property managers in Maryland are running into a question that is getting more attention and creating real operational risk. Does collecting rent, especially when a tenant is past due, trigger Maryland's collection agency licensing requirements?
The Changing Compliance Landscape for Consumer Lenders
Explore evolving compliance rules for consumer lenders, CFPB updates, and strategies to stay compliant in 2025 and beyond.
Beyond the Buzz: Navigating Regulations in Fintech Innovation
Navigate the complex world of regulatory compliance for fintech. Learn strategies to build a strong program & gain a competitive edge. Regulatory compliance for fintech has become the make-or-break factor that separates thriving financial technology companies from those that struggle or fail entirely. Here's what every fintech leader needs to know: Key Elements of Fintech [...]
Expert Guidance: How Navigating Regulatory Requirements Can Transform Your Business
Transform your business with expert regulatory compliance consulting. Mitigate risks, ensure efficiency, & achieve strategic advantage.
Passive Income or Active Risk? Rethinking the Role of Passive Debt Buyers in a High-Scrutiny Market
The Myth of the Hands-Off Buyer In the debt buying industry, a common assumption has been that "passive" debt buyers - those who purchase portfolios but outsource all collections - can take a hands-off approach with minimal regulatory risk. This myth is increasingly dangerous in today's high-scrutiny market. Even so-called passive debt buyers face significant [...]
Municipal Oversight in Debt Collection: City Level Licensing
Introduction: Local Rules with National Impact When most debt collectors think about licensing, they look to state-level requirements. But some of the country's most active consumer protection efforts are happening at the city level - and if you're collecting from residents in places like New York City, Chicago, Buffalo, or Yonkers, you're expected to follow local rules [...]
State Licensing Challenges Facing Debt Collection Agencies in 2025
Debt collection agencies face a dynamic regulatory landscape in 2025. Several states have recently overhauled licensing requirements or introduced new rules, forcing agencies to adapt quickly. Compliance teams must track changing laws, meet new application deadlines, and juggle multiple state licenses - all while keeping an eye on exemptions and opportunities to streamline the process. [...]
What Money Transmitters Need to Know About FinCEN's New AML Rules
The world of money transmission has always been heavily regulated, but new anti-money laundering (AML) requirements coming from the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) are pushing money service businesses (MSBs) to raise their game. In 2025, FinCEN is introducing significant updates that will reshape how MSBs manage risk, monitor transactions, and prevent financial crimes. If [...]
How Regulators Are Addressing Digital Payments in the Crypto Era
As cryptocurrencies continue to redefine how we transfer value, regulators at the federal and state levels have been working hard to keep up. From traditional money transmitters to crypto exchanges, businesses in the space are facing a growing set of rules designed to ensure transparency, prevent money laundering, and protect consumers. The Federal Picture At [...]
Navigating CFPB's Proposed Rulemaking: Key Insights for Data Brokers
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) that could reshape the landscape for data brokers and consumer reporting. The changes rest on expanded definitions and higher compliance requirements, signaling a new era of accountability in handling consumer data. Here are the key insights businesses need to work through them.
Compliance Corner: No Place Like Home? Fine-Tuning Your Remote Work Strategies
Unbelievably it has been almost five years since the world undertook one of the largest work-from-home experiments ever. Ready or not, in the days and weeks following the World Health Organization's March 2020 declaration that COVID-19 was a pandemic, employers throughout the world grappled with how to securely and productively have their workforces work remotely. [...]
Preparing for the CFPB's 'Small-Dollar' Lending Rule
The regulatory landscape for payday lenders, auto title lenders, and high-cost installment lenders is facing a pivotal moment. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)'s "Small-Dollar" Rule - designed to protect consumers from harmful lending practices - is now firmly on track to take effect. Recent court rulings in the litigation between the Community Financial Services Association (CFSA) and the [...]
Medical Debt: A 2024 Year-End Legislative Overview
This year, the landscape of medical debt collection is undergoing major transformation. Significant new federal and state legislation is redefining how collectors can pursue medical debts, driven by increasing concerns about consumer protections and the broader financial impacts of medical debt. For debt collection professionals, understanding these changes and adapting processes accordingly is crucial to [...]
Key Compliance Priorities for Mortgage Servicers in 2024
The mortgage servicing industry is constantly evolving, and the regulatory landscape is no exception. Staying compliant with the latest regulatory changes is both challenging and critical. In 2024, an increase in consumer protection focus, data privacy requirements, and environmental, social, and governance (ESG) initiatives mean that mortgage servicers must stay nimble and proactive. This article [...]
Significant Amendments to New York City Debt Collection Rule
On August 12, 2024, the New York City Department of Consumer and Worker Protection (DCWP) unveiled significant amendments to the city's Debt Collection Rule. These amendments take effect on December 1, 2024, and represent a substantial shift in the regulatory landscape for debt collectors. Here is what businesses need to understand and prepare for.
Compliance Corner: An Apple a Day Isn't Keeping Changes to Laws Affecting Medical Debt Away
While the August 12, 2024 deadline for comments on the proposed rules published by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau ("CFPB") is quickly approaching, the landscape for vendors of all sorts working on the revenue cycle side of healthcare continues to change. A key priority in Washington, D.C. has been to address the issue of roughly [...]
Strategic Responses to Brokered Loan Modifications in California
California's commercial and consumer lending landscape faces a significant challenge after a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals decision. The ruling strips brokered loans of their exemption from usury limits once a loan is extended. But there is a possible fix: California Senate Bill 1146 would amend the current statute to restore these exemptions.
CFPB Releases Supervisory Highlights Focusing on Debt Collection and Loan Servicing Practices
The CFPB's latest Supervisory Highlights flags problems in auto and student loan servicing, debt collection, and medical payment products. Here is what examiners found and how firms responded.
Rhode Island Introduces Comprehensive Data Privacy Law with Key Exemptions
On June 28, Rhode Island became the nineteenth state to enact a comprehensive consumer data privacy law. The Rhode Island Data Transparency and Privacy Protection Act (Senate Bill 2500) takes effect on January 1, 2026. Here is who it covers, its key exemptions, and what businesses must do to comply.
CFPB Issues Interpretive Rule on Buy Now Pay Later Services
In an era where the convenience of digital transactions intersects with the needs of immediate gratification, the rise of buy now pay later (BNPL) services has reshaped the financial landscape. These services, offering an alternative to traditional credit card usage, promise a simplified purchasing process with deferred payments. BNPL firms have seen a rapid increase [...]
New Minnesota Data Privacy Law: What You Need to Know
Minnesota has taken major steps to protect consumer rights and secure the handling of personal data. New privacy legislation puts a spotlight on the duties of financial services businesses, lenders, and debt collectors. It underscores how important compliance with these new Minnesota laws has become and sets a benchmark for protecting sensitive data.
US Supreme Court Upholds CFPB Funding: Key Consequences
In a landmark ruling, the US Supreme Court upheld the legal foundation and funding of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). It was a decisive moment for regulatory oversight in the financial sector. The decision shapes the immediate landscape and sets a precedent for the independence of similar federal agencies.
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