Payday Loan Laws by State: Bans, Rate Caps and Limits
Why payday loan rules depend on your state, which states ban them or cap rates at 36%, what limits apply elsewhere, and how to check a lender's license.
The Military Lending Act: The 36% Cap Protecting Service Members
Who the Military Lending Act covers, what its 36% MAPR includes, its other protections, what it leaves out and where military families can get help.
How Payday Loans Work, and What They Really Cost
How a payday loan works, why a $15 fee per $100 equals an APR near 400%, how rollovers multiply the cost, and what to try first.
Help to Look for Before You Borrow: Bills, Food, Rent and Medical Costs
Free help that can shrink a cash shortfall: 211, utility programs and LIHEAP, food aid, hospital financial assistance and payment plans.
Earned Wage Access and Cash Advance Apps: What They Cost
How employer pay-access programs and cash advance apps work, how fees and tips translate into APRs, what the CFPB said in 2025 and how to use them safely.
Before You Accept a Hospital Payment Plan: A Checklist
A pre-payment checklist for hospital payment plans: check charity care eligibility, ask about interest and fees, and get the terms in writing first.
Credit Union Payday Alternative Loans (PALs): A Cheaper Short-Term Loan
How federal credit union payday alternative loans work: PAL I and PAL II limits, the 28% APR cap, the $20 fee limit and how to join a credit union.
Debt Collectors, Fake Collectors and Loan Scams: Know Your Rights
What debt collectors can't do, the 7-calls-in-7-days rule, how to dispute a debt, and how to spot phantom debt and advance-fee loan scams.
A Timeline for Filing Chapter 7 Bankruptcy
A month-by-month Chapter 7 timeline for borrowers buried in payday debt: the means test, credit counseling, the 341 meeting, and discharge.
Car Title Loans: How They Work and Why One in Five Ends in Repossession
How car title loans work, what a 25% monthly fee means, CFPB findings on rollovers and repossessions, and options that don't risk your car.