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Paul Kiel

Paul Kiel covers business and consumer finance for ProPublica.

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Paul Kiel covers business and consumer finance for ProPublica.

In recent years, he’s focused on the U.S. tax system. The Secret IRS Files, which involved a team of ProPublica reporters, revealed key ways the ultrawealthy avoid taxes. Before that, he worked on The TurboTax Trap and Gutting the IRS investigations.

Past areas of focus included the foreclosure crisis, high-cost lending, the use of lawsuits to collect consumer debts, and the consumer bankruptcy system.

He has won numerous awards, including the Selden Ring Award, a Gerald Loeb Award, a Barlett & Steele Award, a Scripps Howard Award twice, a Hillman Prize, and a Philip Meyer Award from Investigative Reporters and Editors.

His work has appeared in several newspapers, including The Washington Post and The New York Times. He has also produced stories for National Public Radio and American Public Media’s Marketplace, as well as appeared on This American Life.

Foreclosure Crisis

Loan Mod Program Still Sputtering, Despite Attempted Fixes

by Paul Kiel,

Foreclosure Crisis

No Penalties for Mortgage Company with Worst Loan Mod Backlog

Saxon Mortgage has the largest proportion of homeowners caught in modification limbo, yet has not been subject to any government penalties.

by Paul Kiel,

Foreclosure Crisis

Chase Leaves Thousands Stuck in Loan Mod Limbo

New data show that Chase has the most homeowners who have waited more than six months for a final answer on whether they’ll get a permanent mortgage modification. Trial modifications are supposed to last only three months.

by Paul Kiel,

Foreclosure Crisis

Loan Mod Logjam Continues for 265,000 Homeowners; Failures Jump

Many homeowners who have started in the government's mortgage modification program have been stuck in trials longer than six months. And nearly as many have been dropped from the program as have received permanent mods.

by Paul Kiel,

Foreclosure Crisis

Only $242 Million Spent So Far on Gov't $75B Mortgage Mod Program

The progress of the program to stanch home foreclosures is still painfully slow, with only $242 million of the pledged $75 billion for loan modifications spent by the end of March.

by Paul Kiel,

Foreclosure Crisis

Financial Reform Amendment Would Address Loan Mod Problems with 'Homeowner Advocate'

An amendment to the financial reform bill would create a federal "homeowner advocate" office to assist people having trouble with the loan modification program, effectively centralizing the complaint process.

by Paul Kiel,

Foreclosure Crisis

Disorganization at Banks Causing Mistaken Foreclosures

The communication breakdown within banks is sometimes so complete that it leads to premature or mistaken foreclosures. Some people have lost their homes even while going through the mortgage modification process.

by Paul Kiel,

Over 50 Homeowners Have Sued in the Last Year, Alleging a Communication Breakdown Led to Foreclosure

A Missouri man says Chase Home Finance sold his home after assuring him it would not. In a lawsuit, the man says he was mailed loan modification papers that were dated one day after the foreclosure.

by Paul Kiel,

Disorganization at Banks Causing Mistaken Foreclosures

Communication breakdowns within big banks has cause some people to lose their homes by mistake. The problems have occurred even to homeowners involved in the federal mortgage modification program.

by Paul Kiel,

Foreclosure Crisis

Geithner Talks Tough on Loan Mods, and Backs It Up With … More Data

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner has finally acknowledged the depths of the problems with the administration's mortgage modification program. But in testimony before Congress this week, he offered no new solutions.

by Paul Kiel,