Staff writer

Owen Pratt

Writes mostly about consumer financial news.

Articles by Owen Pratt

Consumer Financial News
The Helper Who Wants Your Credit Card Number
Every time federal student loan rules change, scammers appear with urgent offers to fix your debt for a fee, and the fastest defense is knowing which parts of the process you can handle yourself for free.
Owen PrattAug 10, 2026
Consumer Financial News
Buy Now, Pay Later, Under a Patchwork of Rules
With federal guidance withdrawn, states are writing their own BNPL rules, so the protections you get now depend on where you live and what the contract actually says.
Owen PrattAug 3, 2026
Consumer Financial News
The Price You See Is Not Always the Price You Pay
Federal and state rules are slowly pushing mandatory fees into the open, but the sources still leave gaps that shoppers will have to check themselves.
Owen PrattJul 26, 2026
Consumer Financial News
The Price You See Is a Starting Point
Federal rules now push hotels to show the full total up front while letting airlines keep fee details further down the booking path, so travelers need to check the final number themselves.
Owen PrattJul 19, 2026
Consumer Financial News
What a Bank Failure Means for Your Deposits
Federal insurance covers deposits at insured banks and credit unions. Here is who backs your account, what the NCUA says it covers, and how to check your own coverage.
Owen PrattJul 12, 2026
Consumer Financial News
When Your Bank Changes Its Name, Your Money Mostly Stays Put
Mergers and acquisitions can look dramatic from the outside, but most customers see quieter changes, and the bank's notice is where the details actually are.
Owen PrattJul 4, 2026
Consumer Financial News
How to Check If a Bank or Financial Firm Is Legitimate
Regulators publish lookup tools for banks, credit unions, brokers, and advisers. Here is where to start, and where the public sources stop short.
Owen PrattJun 27, 2026
Consumer Financial News
Your Bank Data Is Yours, on Paper, While the Rules Wait
A 2010 law promised consumers a right to take their financial records elsewhere, but fifteen years on, the 2024 rule that would deliver it is stayed, contested, and still being rewritten.
Owen PrattJun 20, 2026
Consumer Financial News
What 'Closed With Explanation' Records and What It Leaves Out
The label describes what a company said in its own defense, not what the government found, so the response text and the timeliness flag deserve separate readings.
Owen PrattJun 12, 2026
Consumer Financial News
Reading the Government's Price Tables Without Losing Patience
A guide to finding the official CPI releases, sorting the headline numbers, and checking gas, food and housing figures against your own receipts.
Owen PrattJun 5, 2026

Owen Pratt

Articles by Owen Pratt

The Helper Who Wants Your Credit Card Number

Buy Now, Pay Later, Under a Patchwork of Rules

The Price You See Is Not Always the Price You Pay

The Price You See Is a Starting Point

What a Bank Failure Means for Your Deposits

When Your Bank Changes Its Name, Your Money Mostly Stays Put

How to Check If a Bank or Financial Firm Is Legitimate

Your Bank Data Is Yours, on Paper, While the Rules Wait

What 'Closed With Explanation' Records and What It Leaves Out

Reading the Government's Price Tables Without Losing Patience