In a significant judicial development that carries profound implications for millions of public service workers, two federal courts have issued rulings vacating controversial new regulations that threatened the stability of the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program. The rules, which were slated to take effect on July 1, 2026, would have granted the Secretary of…
By Bill Edwards | Updated June 5, 2026 As the seasons shift and the summer sun begins to beat down on our front yards, the perennial urge to upgrade our outdoor living spaces often takes root. We look at brown patches, overgrown hedges, and dated walkways, wondering if the grass could—and should—be greener. However, the…
The landscape of federal student loan repayment has shifted dramatically. With the effective dismantling of the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan due to ongoing legal challenges, millions of borrowers—particularly those pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)—are facing a period of uncertainty. As the U.S. Department of Education pivots to alternative Income-Driven Repayment (IDR)…
By Bruce McClary, NFCC June 6, 2026 In an era where your credit report acts as a digital proxy for your financial reliability, the accuracy of that document is paramount. From securing a mortgage to landing a new apartment or even obtaining favorable insurance premiums, the information contained within your credit files dictates the trajectory…
For millions of Americans, the Biden-era "Saving on a Valuable Education" (SAVE) plan represented a beacon of financial relief. Designed to lower monthly payments and accelerate the path to forgiveness, the plan was the centerpiece of a broader federal effort to address the ballooning student debt crisis. However, following two years of intense legal scrutiny…
By Barry Coleman, NFCC June 14, 2026 Finding a debt in collections is a distressing milestone in any consumer’s financial journey. It is often accompanied by aggressive collection calls, mounting anxiety, and the jarring realization that your credit score—a metric often tied to your ability to rent an apartment, secure a car loan, or even…
By Bruce McClary, NFCC | Updated June 22, 2026 For millions of Americans, the dream of homeownership is a milestone defined by meticulous preparation. Aspiring buyers often spend years curating their savings for down payments, researching neighborhoods, and bracing for the complexities of closing costs. Yet, beneath the surface of these financial preparations often lies…
The landscape of American higher education financing has undergone a seismic shift. Following the enactment of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act—legislation passed by congressional Republicans and signed by President Trump last year—the U.S. Department of Education has begun implementing a series of reforms that fundamentally alter how federal student loans are managed, repaid, and…
By Hermond Palmer, NFCC June 24, 2026 Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in August 2020. Given the evolving economic landscape, the strategies outlined remain vital for homeowners facing financial uncertainty. For millions of Americans, the home represents more than just a roof over their heads; it is the cornerstone of their financial stability…
For decades, the gospel of real estate investing was written in a single word: leverage. From the sophisticated mechanics of the BRRRR (Buy, Rehab, Rent, Refinance, Repeat) strategy to the basic accumulation of single-family rentals, investors built massive portfolios on the assumption that cheap debt would always be the primary engine of wealth creation. By…
