The financial news that actually matters
A general consumer finance category covering everyday money decisions, budgeting, saving, debt management, credit behavior, and personal financial improvement strategies.
A data-breach notice can be easy to file away when no fraudulent charge appears immediately. For people affected by an October 2024 incident involving cannabis retailer STIIIZY, that old notice may now be the key to a settlement claim worth as much as $7,500 for documented costs. The filing window remains open, but it closes…
A court-authorized portal for Labcorp customers affected by the American Medical Collection Agency breach is accepting settlement claims through September 3, 2026. The proposed $35 million fund covers several benefit types as well as settlement expenses. Eligibility, documentation and final court approval determine what any claimant ultimately receives. The class starts with Labcorp diagnostic services…
People who received Ciuni & Panichi’s November 2024 data-incident notice can file a settlement claim through August 18, 2026. The court-authorized administrator describes an estimated pro-rata cash payment of about $125 and reimbursement of documented out-of-pocket losses up to $5,000. The $125 is not fixed and can rise or fall with valid claims and settlement…
An auto dealer operating “lease here, pay here” locations has agreed to return $77,348 to servicemembers after federal allegations involving protected vehicle repossessions and withheld lease money. A separate $60,000 civil penalty pushes the total above $137,000, but only the compensation portion is directed to affected customers. The agreement separates repayment from punishment The Justice…
A data-breach settlement tied to American Consumer Credit Counseling now presents eligible people with a concrete choice: claim a $45 alternative cash payment or document eligible losses up to $3,500. The administrator’s portal remains open through September 16, 2026, making the deadline—not the size of the settlement fund—the immediate financial issue for households that received…
A funeral arrangement often begins when a family is grieving, tired and under pressure to decide quickly. Federal law inserts a financial checkpoint before those choices harden into a bill: covered funeral homes must provide itemized price information and let customers select goods and services individually. The right applies to both immediate arrangements and plans…
A brokerage failure and a market decline can leave the same retirement statement looking smaller, but they trigger different protections. The Securities Investor Protection Corporation can restore missing customer cash and securities up to a $500,000 ceiling when a member brokerage fails. It does not repay an investor because a stock, bond or fund lost…
A federal refund tied to a student-loan debt-relief scheme is getting another delivery attempt. The Federal Trade Commission says it is using Zelle for eligible people who never cashed a check or accepted a PayPal payment. That narrow retry can matter to households still carrying education debt, but it is not an open offer for…
The Federal Trade Commission is making another attempt to deliver refunds tied to unwanted “free trial” charges. This round uses Zelle and targets eligible people who never completed an earlier check or PayPal payment. For a former customer, the practical issue is recognizing a legitimate deposit without handing sensitive information to an impersonator. The retry…
A second payment is on the way to thousands of people who bought extended auto warranties from American Vehicle Protection. The checks are modest in the aggregate, but the short cashing window makes them easy to lose in a stack of mail. A recipient who overlooks the envelope could give up money the Federal Trade…