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Debt

What Americans Owe and Why

156 stories published since 2015

Cómo determinamos cuántas demandas de cobranza de adeudos presentó Oportun Inc. durante la pandemia

por Ren Larson y Kiah Collier,

How We Found Out How Many Debt Collection Lawsuits Oportun Inc. Filed During the Pandemic

by Ren Larson and Kiah Collier,

The Loan Company That Sued Thousands of Low-Income Latinos During the Pandemic

by Kiah Collier, Ren Larson and Perla Trevizo,

She Was Sued Over Rent She Didn’t Owe. It Took Seven Court Dates to Prove She Was Right.

by Danielle Ohl, Capital Gazette, and Talia Buford and Beena Raghavendran, ProPublica,

Demandaron a miles de prestatarios durante la pandemia, hasta que comenzamos a hacer preguntas

por Kiah Collier y Ren Larson,

They Sued Thousands of Borrowers During the Pandemic — Until We Started Asking Questions

by Kiah Collier and Ren Larson,

The Eviction Ban Worked, but It’s Almost Over. Some Landlords Are Getting Ready.

by Jeff Ernsthausen and Ellis Simani,

Capital One and Other Debt Collectors Are Still Coming for Millions of Americans

by Paul Kiel and Jeff Ernsthausen,

These Hospitals Pinned Their Hopes on Private Management Companies. Now They’re Deeper in Debt.

by Brianna Bailey, The Frontier,

This Treasury Official Is Running the Bailout. It’s Been Great for His Family.

by Justin Elliott, Lydia DePillis and Robert Faturechi,

This Billionaire Governor’s Been Sued Over Unpaid Bills. A Judge Just Ordered Him to Pay More.

by Ken Ward Jr., ProPublica, and Alex Mierjeski for ProPublica,

A hand clutching a stack of money and a surgical mask.

A Closer Look at Federal COVID Contractors Reveals Inexperience, Fraud Accusations and a Weapons Dealer Operating Out of Someone’s House

by Ryan Gabrielson, Lydia DePillis, J. David McSwane and Derek Willis, ProPublica, and Connor Sheets, AL.com,

The Billionaire Governor Who’s Been Sued Dozens of Times for Millions in Unpaid Bills

by Ken Ward Jr., ProPublica, and Alex Mierjeski for ProPublica,

See Who’s Taken Gov. Jim Justice to Court Over Unpaid Bills

by Ken Ward Jr., ProPublica, and Alex Mierjeski for ProPublica,

The Financial Catastrophe That Coronavirus Brought to Small Towns

by Lisa Song,

Another Private Jet Company Owned by a Trump Donor Got a Bailout — This One for $20 Million

by Jake Pearson,

The Trump Administration Says a New Bailout Program Will Help 35 Million Americans. It Probably Won’t.

by Justin Elliott, Lydia DePillis and Paul Kiel,

The Bailout Is Working — for the Rich

by Jesse Eisinger,

One Thing the Pandemic Hasn’t Stopped: Aggressive Medical-Debt Collection

by Alec MacGillis,

Coronavirus Put Her Out of Work, Then Debt Collectors Froze Her Savings Account

by Kiah Collier and Ren Larson,

For Americans With Bills to Pay, Help Is on the Way. Sort Of.

by Paul Kiel and Jeff Ernsthausen,

Having Trouble With Your Rent, Mortgage or Debts? We Want to Hear From You.

by Paul Kiel and Jeff Ernsthausen,

Chicago Temporarily Halts Some Debt Collections and Ticketing Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica Illinois, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,

Beginner’s Luck: How One Video Gambling Company Worked the Odds and Took Over a State

by Jason Grotto,

A State Senator Had Thousands of Dollars in Ticket Debt. Now She’s Fighting to Make Sure Others Won’t.

by Melissa Sanchez,

Utah Representative Proposes Bill to Stop Payday Lenders From Taking Bail Money from Borrowers

by Anjali Tsui,

Tens of Thousands of People Lost Driver’s Licenses Over Unpaid Parking Tickets. Now, They’re Getting Them Back.

by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,

How to File Your State and Federal Taxes for Free in 2020

by Kristen Doerer for ProPublica and Justin Elliott,

Our Journalists Stopped Calling People Hard-to-Reach and Listened to Them. Here’s What Worked.

by Beena Raghavendran and Maya Miller, ProPublica, with Wendi C. Thomas, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism,

A Half-Million Chicago Drivers Have Unpaid Sticker Tickets, but Only 11,400 Applied for the City’s Relief Program

by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica Illinois, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,

How People Are Using Our Chicago Parking Ticket Data in Their Research

by Haru Coryne,

When Medical Debt Collectors Decide Who Gets Arrested

by Lizzie Presser,

Have You Been Sued by a Hospital, Doctor or Other Medical Institution? Tell Us About It.

by Beena Raghavendran and Maya Miller, ProPublica, and Wendi C. Thomas, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism,

Journalists, We’re Sharing Our Tips From Patients With Medical Debt. Want Them?

by Maya Miller,

Bailout Tracker: See Where More Than $600 Billion Went

by Paul Kiel and Dan Nguyen,

Hundreds of Thousands of Chicago Motorists Could Receive Debt Relief From Vehicle Sticker Tickets as the City Expands Reform

by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica Illinois, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,

Here’s What to Expect From Chicago City Council’s Ticket Reform

by Melissa Sanchez,

Chicago City Council Approves Ticket and Debt Collection Reforms to Help Low-Income and Minority Motorists

by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica Illinois, and Elliott Ramos, WBEZ Chicago,

Parents Gave Up Custody of Their Children to Help Them Get Financial Aid. Now, Some Are Abandoning That Idea.

by Melissa Sanchez and Jodi S. Cohen,

How a Video Gambling Company Helped Bankroll Local Politicians

by Logan Jaffe,

Inside the Illinois House Hearing on the Financial Aid Scandal

by Melissa Sanchez,

At Hearing on Financial Aid Scandal, Lawmakers Grill Officials and Look to Close a Loophole

by Melissa Sanchez and Jodi S. Cohen,

From Truck Stops to Elections, a River of Gambling Money Is Flooding Waukegan

by Jason Grotto,

El Departamento de Educación federal quiere frenar la “trama fraudulenta de ayuda estudiantil” en que padres ceden la custodia a través de tutelas dudosas

por Jodi S. Cohen, Duaa Eldeib y Melissa Sanchez,

How We Got the Story About Parents Transferring Guardianship of Their Kids to Win Financial Aid They Wouldn’t Otherwise Qualify For

by Jodi S. Cohen,

Illinois Lawmakers Call Hearing to “Demand Answers” and Find Ways to Close a Loophole in College Financial Aid Scandal

by Jodi S. Cohen and Duaa Eldeib,

Padres ceden La custodia de sus hijos para conseguir becas universitarias basadas en necesidad económica

por Jodi S. Cohen y Melissa Sanchez,

U.S. Department of Education Wants to Stop “Student Aid Fraud Scheme” Where Parents Give Up Custody Through Dubious Guardianships

by Jodi S. Cohen, Duaa Eldeib and Melissa Sanchez,

Illinois Parents Are Helping Their Children Get College Financial Aid They Wouldn’t Otherwise Qualify For. Help Us Figure Out How They Do It.

by Logan Jaffe,

Parents Are Giving Up Custody of Their Kids to Get Need-Based College Financial Aid

by Jodi S. Cohen and Melissa Sanchez,

What We’re Watching

During Donald Trump’s second presidency, ProPublica will focus on the areas most in need of scrutiny. Here are some of the issues our reporters will be watching — and how to get in touch with them securely.

Learn more about our reporting team. We will continue to share our areas of interest as the news develops.

Photo of Sharon Lerner
Sharon Lerner

I cover health and the environment and the agencies that govern them, including the Environmental Protection Agency.

Photo of Andy Kroll
Andy Kroll

I cover justice and the rule of law, including the Justice Department, U.S. attorneys and the courts.

Photo of Melissa Sanchez
Melissa Sanchez

I report on immigration and labor, and I am based in Chicago.

Photo of Jesse Coburn
Jesse Coburn

I cover housing and transportation, including the companies working in those fields and the regulators overseeing them.

If you don’t have a specific tip or story in mind, we could still use your help. Sign up to be a member of our federal worker source network to stay in touch.

Most Read

    The USDA Wouldn’t Let Her Give Up Her House When She Couldn’t Pay Her Mortgage. Instead, It Crushed Her With Debt.

    The USDA failed to follow its own guidance for a rural mortgage program, taking years to foreclose on delinquent loans. As a result, 55 Maine borrowers racked up, on average, $110,000 in additional debt before the agency moved to take the homes.

    by Sawyer Loftus, Bangor Daily News,

    Local Reporting Network

    He Came to the U.S. to Support His Sick Child. He Was Detained. Then He Disappeared.

    Like most of the more than 230 Venezuelan men deported to a Salvadoran prison, José Manuel Ramos Bastidas had followed U.S. immigration rules. Then Trump rewrote them.

    by Melissa Sanchez, ProPublica; Perla Trevizo, ProPublica and The Texas Tribune; Mica Rosenberg and Jeff Ernsthausen, ProPublica; Ronna Rísquez, Alianza Rebelde Investiga; and Adrián González, Cazadores de Fake News,

    The Most Interesting Email I Ever Received: Remembering the Incredible Life of DIY Geneticist Jill Viles

    In 2013, ProPublica reporter David Epstein was contacted by a woman with a wild story and a batch of photos she believed were clues to the mystery of her condition. Turns out, she was right.

    by David Epstein,

    Trump Administration Prepares to Drop Seven Major Housing Discrimination Cases

    Federal housing officials spent years investigating cities from Chicago to Memphis to Corpus Christi for putting industrial plants and unwanted facilities in poor, nonwhite neighborhoods. Now, under Trump, the agency plans to drop the cases.

    by Jesse Coburn,

    RFK Jr. Wants to Change a Program That Stopped Vaccine Makers From Leaving the U.S. Market. They Could Flee Again.

    The Vaccine Injury Compensation Program stabilizes the nation’s childhood immunization system while paying those harmed by rare side effects. If the program topples, it could threaten access to vaccines.

    by Patricia Callahan,