Payday loans present a serious threat to the financial stability of Illinoisans and millions of people across the country,” said Dory Rand, Woodstock Institute president.  “We need federal support to prevent the proliferation of payday loans, not a reform...

By Linda McGlasson March 20, 2009   Federal regulators testified on a number of banking and regulatory issues on Capitol Hill on Thursday – including the potential re-organization of the regulatory agencies themselves. Top of mind topics for the...

March 19, 2009   (CNN) — Some interesting "hyperlocal" Web sites have emerged in the past few years, the idea behind them being to provide news at an extremely local level. Prominent among them is EveryBlock.com, launched last year...

By Jackie Keenan March 19, 2009   Tom Feltner, Woodstock Institute policy and communications director discusses efforts to establish consumer protections for high-cost subprime car loans. The interview is available at http://www.chicagobusiness.com/cgi-bin/multiMedia.pl?l=1519676900.     *These clippings are provided for...

By Mary Kane March 19, 2009   Per my earlier post explaining the growing crisis of vacant homes piling up around the country, here’s one of the best explanations for why we should be alarmed by this problem, courtesy...

By Les Luchter March 19, 2009   The month of March kind of came in like a lion for Jackson Hewitt Tax Service. First, a group of more than 240 nonprofits called the California Reinvestment Coalition protested company spokesman...

By Marilyn Kennedy Melia March 13, 2009   You’ve finally reached someone at your mortgage company who has the authority to change your loan terms and offer relief from the payments you’ve been struggling to pay. Congratulations. If you’ve...

By Alex Aguilar March 12, 2009   Last spring, Michele Tierney knew that her finances were getting tight. She and her husband have five children and live in a five-bedroom home in St. Charles. They both work two jobs,...