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Through education and advocacy, nonprofit Consumer Action fights for strong consumer rights and policies that promote fairness and financial prosperity for underrepresented consumers nationwide.
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Consumer Action INSIDER - February 2021 The February 2021 issue of Consumer Action INSIDER introduces the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's new debt collection rule and what it will mean for debtors; highlights our latest COVID-19 Educational Project webinar, on disaster preparedness and recovery; guides internet users on what they can do to delete their personal information from the web; details our recent coalition efforts; shares the latest happenings at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; and announces new settlements posted in our Class Action Database. (Monday, February 01, 2021)
Debt collection (Winter 2020-2021) In this issue, Consumer Action helps consumers learn how to exercise their debt collection rights: to demand information about a debt, stop a debt collector from contacting them, and avoid resurrecting debts that are too old to be sued over. The issue also discusses other key aspects of the laws and regulations designed to protect people being targeted by debt collectors, and includes a sample validation request and a communications preference letter you can customize and send to debt collectors. (Thursday, January 21, 2021)
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Recent Publications
Library: English | Privacy and security when using FinTech apps Share financial data with care
This fact sheet gives FinTech users the knowledge to make wise decisions when choosing and using FinTech apps, take effective steps to keep their financial account data safe, and understand their options if something goes wrong. (Our companion guide, What you need to know about how FinTech apps work, offers an overview of financial technology and what privacy and security considerations users should be aware of before choosing and using digital financial tools.)
Category: Internet Money Management Privacy Rights Technology on Feb 16, 2021
Library: English | What you need to know about how FinTech apps work Share financial data with care Financial technology can offer attractive benefits for consumers who want to take their personal finances digital. But, like all internet-based tools and services, FinTech apps need to be chosen and used with care. This publication explains the types of FinTech tools available, how they work, and what that means for your data privacy and security. (Our companion guide, Privacy and security when using fintech apps, offers actionable tips for managing and protecting your data.) Category: Internet Money Management Privacy Rights Technology on Feb 16, 2021

Library: English | Get Credit for Your Hard Work (2020 Tax Year) Low-income working taxpayers may qualify for the federal EITC The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) helps low-income working taxpayers and families get more money back when they file their federal income tax return. This publication contains EITC guidelines for the 2020 tax year (for taxes due in April 2021).
NOTE: Announced on Dec. 20, a “lookback” provision will allow low-income workers to apply their 2019 earned income to their 2020 tax returns for the purposes of calculating the EITC or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). For both these credits, the more you earn (while still remaining below the maximum), the higher your credit. The lookback measure will allow filers to receive a credit in line with their normal earnings level, rather than be penalized with a lower credit on top of reduced 2020 earnings caused by the pandemic. However, taxpayers must actively “opt in” to the lookback provision (it won’t automatically occur).
Category: Money Management Taxes on Jan 04, 2021

Library: Spanish | Get Credit for Your Hard Work (2020 Tax Year) (Spanish) Los contribuyentes activos de bajos ingresos pueden calificar para el Crédito Tributario por Ingreso del Trabajo (EITC) The Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) helps low-income working taxpayers and families get more money back when they file their federal income tax return. This publication contains EITC guidelines for the 2020 tax year (for taxes due in April 2021).
NOTE: Announced on Dec. 20, a “lookback” provision will allow low-income workers to apply their 2019 earned income to their 2020 tax returns for the purposes of calculating the EITC or Additional Child Tax Credit (ACTC). For both these credits, the more you earn (while still remaining below the maximum), the higher your credit. The lookback measure will allow filers to receive a credit in line with their normal earnings level, rather than be penalized with a lower credit on top of reduced 2020 earnings caused by the pandemic. However, taxpayers must actively “opt in” to the lookback provision (it won’t automatically occur).
Filed Under: Money Management Taxes on Jan 04, 2021
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