Staff writer

Owen Pratt

Writes mostly about consumer financial news.

Articles by Owen Pratt

Consumer Financial News
Read the Status Before the Headline: A Field Guide to CFPB Enforcement Entries
The status label and the forum of a CFPB action tell you more about what happened than the press release wrapped around it.
Owen PrattNov 3, 2026
Consumer Financial News
Reading a CFPB Enforcement Announcement, One Question at a Time
The gray-suit prose hides a short list of practical questions about harm, case status, and whether any money reaches consumers.
Owen PrattOct 29, 2026
Consumer Financial News
Checking Whether a Regulator Settlement Owes You Money
Federal refunds exist, but finding yours means matching your case to the right agency page and reading past the forwarded emails.
Owen PrattOct 22, 2026
Consumer Financial News
Reading the September CPI Release Without Mistaking the Average for Your Own Bills
The official inflation figure describes a typical basket of spending, not your household, so the useful work starts after the headline.
Owen PrattOct 15, 2026
Consumer Financial News
Reading the Fed Past the Headline
Most coverage of Federal Reserve meetings skips the primary documents, and a closer look at what the Fed actually publishes shows how much the headline leaves out.
Owen PrattOct 7, 2026
Consumer Financial News
Reading the Jobs Report Slowly
The monthly employment release is two surveys, a long tail of revisions, and a headline that deserves a second look before it goes into dinner conversation.
Owen PrattSep 30, 2026
Consumer Financial News
The Fed Speaks, and Your Statement Replies Later
A rate decision in Washington reaches your credit card through several steps, and the issuer's own margin matters nearly as much as the committee's vote.
Owen PrattSep 23, 2026
Consumer Financial News
What 'Fixed' and 'Variable' Really Promise on Your Loan
The labels sound simple, but the index, margin, and caps in your agreement decide what a rate change actually does to your payment.
Owen PrattSep 15, 2026
Consumer Financial News
Before You Believe the Byline: Checking a Financial Story Before It Checks You
Clean layout and a confident quote can make a stock pitch look like reporting, so a few dull checks on registration, urgency, and requests for money are worth doing first.
Owen PrattSep 8, 2026
Consumer Financial News
Read the Breach Letter Like a Document, Not an Apology
The notice that arrives after a data breach is dry reading, but its dates, its level of detail, and its contact information say more about what the company knows than its opening line does.
Owen PrattSep 1, 2026
Consumer Financial News
What the Free Credit Monitoring After a Breach Is Actually Buying
Breach offers look generous, but they are commercial products that alert you after the damage starts rather than stopping it, so the terms deserve a close read before you enroll.
Owen PrattAug 24, 2026
Consumer Financial News
The Long Way From a Federal Rule to Your Monthly Bill
Policy changes pass through contractors, deadlines, and form letters before they reach a borrower, and each handoff is a place where the numbers can drift.
Owen PrattAug 17, 2026

Owen Pratt

Articles by Owen Pratt

Read the Status Before the Headline: A Field Guide to CFPB Enforcement Entries

Reading a CFPB Enforcement Announcement, One Question at a Time

Checking Whether a Regulator Settlement Owes You Money

Reading the September CPI Release Without Mistaking the Average for Your Own Bills

Reading the Fed Past the Headline

Reading the Jobs Report Slowly

The Fed Speaks, and Your Statement Replies Later

What 'Fixed' and 'Variable' Really Promise on Your Loan

Before You Believe the Byline: Checking a Financial Story Before It Checks You

Read the Breach Letter Like a Document, Not an Apology

What the Free Credit Monitoring After a Breach Is Actually Buying

The Long Way From a Federal Rule to Your Monthly Bill