Leadpile's Blog» CFSA

Fees Associated With Payday Loans

Mari H. — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 14:10:28 +0000

Time is running out for consumers to read up on all the popositions being presented to them on the November 4th ballet. One thing that is being voted on in the states of Ohio and Arizona, is in regards to payday loans. How much does everyone really understand about payday loans? One myth I thought very important to point out:

Myth: Payday lenders hide fees and mislead consumers.

Fact: Just like any other service or loan you obtain, there is a cost to do get that loan or service. In addition, any payday loan you take out there will be a cost to taking out the loan. According to the CFSA website, “The cost of a payday advance is fully disclosed to customers on signs in the stores and in disclosure agreements. Moreover, in accordance with the Truth in Lending Act (TILA), the terms of the loan are clearly outlined in the lending agreement. Payday advances involve single, flat fees and there are no hidden charges, balloon payments or accruing interest. CFSA members also provide an educational brochure emphasizing responsible use of the product and offer a free right of rescission should the customer change their mind.”

CFSA also went on to say that in a recent survey 96% of the people were aware of the fees associated with taking out the payday loan. Just like with any other loan, there are documents presented to the consumer with all the fees of doing the loan in black and white. Are people sometimes just so anxious to get a loan, that they do not take the time to read the documents they are signing?

Leadpile Lead Exchange wants consumers to read everything before agreeing to take out a payday loan, or any other loan. Knowledge is power!

FACT or FICTION: Regulating The Payday Industry

Mari H. — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 14:16:14 +0000

The payday loan industry is getting a lot of attention, especially in the states of Ohio and Arizona. Those on the outside possibly do not fully understand the payday loan industry and there are some misconceptions about the short term loans.

Myth: Payday loan lenders do not want to be regulated.
FACT: According to CFSA, this is quit the contrary. Most payday lenders do want to be regulated and have certain industry guidelines. However, there are those that are trying to eliminate the industry as a whole, and not deal with keeping the “good guys” in business.
Currently, there are 37 states + the District of Columbia that have payday regulations. CFSA is working on trying to get regulations implemented on the remaining states, however they are not wanting to see the industry go extinct. Therefore, the question is… why is the payday loan industry going through such tough scrutiny, when in comparison with credit cards and other financial services there are similar costs/fees associated with them?
Leadpile Lead Exchange understands there are a lot of myths about payday loans, however the key is for those that are not fully educated on the industry, to read up to fully understand all aspects of this financial product compared to others. There is good to these types of loans, and they are sometimes very much needed.

Consequences of Banning Payday Loans

Mari H. — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:29:21 +0000

With all the regulations going on with different states, I thought this was an interesting article about the effects banning payday loans had on consumers in NC. According to The Community Financial Services Association (CFSA) website, banning payday loans in the state of NC is affecting consumers. The reality is that most that are trying to get rid of payday loans in these different states, have never needed a payday loan.
Understanding fully what payday loan consumers are going through, does not seem like a reality to those trying to ban them in the different states. Do those that are trying to ban the payday loans understand what taking them away is going to do? Do they understand that some credit cards are a much more expensive option for the consumers? What are some other options available to consumers in place of a short term payday loan? Are they prepared to offer these other alternatives to the consumers, to help them get out of this temporary situation?
In the state of NC, there seems to be some effects with the fact that payday loans were banned there. According to this CFSA article, “In fact, respondents’ answers to the survey clearly show that the elimination of payday loans in North Carolina did nothing about the demand and forced consumers to replace payday loans with costly, less desirable and even dangerous options.” Overall, states with either pending regulations or those states trying to regulate, should maybe look at the overall picture of the payday loan industry. Some don’t CHOOSE to get a payday loan… they might have no other option. Leadpile Lead Exchange understands their are consumers needing a loan to fix a temporary financial situation, and we have the lenders/buyers available to provide that much needed loan to the consumers.

Payday Loan: A Healthy Alternative To NSF Fees?

Mari H. — Tue, 23 Sep 2008 14:35:01 +0000

We all know the payday loan industry gets a lot of scrutiny for it’s “high interest” rates, however I found this article very interesting about the annual percentage rate (APR) on returned checks.
According to The Community Financial Services Association of America (CFSA), “the median interest rate on bounce protection loans to be in excess of twenty times that of payday loans.” When a consumer bounces a check, in essence it could be a lot more expensive for them to do that, than go get a short term payday loan. When a consumer bounces the check they pay a certain fee, and that fee is accumulated daily until the funds are sufficient. Unfortunately, this could sometimes cause a snowball affect, being that charge after charge could lead to more insufficient funds.
Payday loans might not be the only alternative, however a consumer needs to really look at the overall picture. They need to try and determine how they can prevent this sort of situation from happening again. Banks will make their money on fees, however there are certain circumstances that happen where you should look at alternatives that might cost you less in the long run.. like a payday loan, borrowing the money etc.
Leadpile Lead Exchange works with various lead types that deal with helping consumers be matched up with financial institutions to provide that service. Unfortunately, not all consumers reach out for help, and in turn get deeper and deeper in a “hole”. There are resources out there such as the payday loan that can be very helpful in trying times.