Title: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Source/Sponsoring Agency: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

URL: http://www.consumerfinance.gov/

Date Checked: 4/27/2012      Status: Active

Date Annotated: 3/22/2012

Topics: Consumer Protection Law; Commercial Law

Other keywords: Loans; Mortgages; Credit card debt; Consumer debt; Student loans; Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Contents: The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), created after the U.S. housing market and economic collapse in 2007, seeks to educate consumers about financial products and services including home loans, student loans, and credit cards. The website reflects the federal government's recent efforts to provide easy-to-understand websites that encourage citizen participation in government. The site features the "Ask CFPB" page, where consumers can get answers to questions about financial products and submit new questions for the CFPB to answer. Questions and answers are organized by topic and for three audiences: students, servicemembers, and older Americans. The site provides advice for homeowners who are struggling to make mortgage payments and a tool for individuals who seek information about repaying student loans. Consumers can submit complaints about financial products and services and track the complaint's status. The website encourages consumers to submit their experiences with financial products to help the CFPB improve the relevance of the site. The site links users to federalregister.gov where consumers can comment on proposed regulations. The site also provides access to other CFPB resources, including regulations, reports, open job opportunities, press releases, speeches, budget, op-eds, the CFPB director's calendar, and a blog.

Author of Annotation: I. Haight