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Debt

What Americans Owe and Why

144 stories published since 2015

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,

She’s Risked Arrest by Driving With a Suspended License for Seven Years. This Week She Got Some Big News.

by Melissa Sanchez,

Chicago Mayor Proposes Reforms That Would Make Life Easier for Thousands of Black and Low-Income Drivers

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

Hate Getting Parking Tickets in Chicago? Here’s How You Can Start Change-Making Conversations About the City’s Ticketing System.

by Derrick Clifton,

Nonprofit Christian Hospital Suspends Debt Collection Lawsuits Amid Furor Over Suing Its Own Employees

by Wendi C. Thomas, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism,

Chicago Can’t Hold Impounded Vehicles After Drivers File for Bankruptcy, Court Says

by Melissa Sanchez,

Millionaire CEO of Nonprofit Hospital That Sues the Poor Promises Review of Policies

by Wendi C. Thomas, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism,

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

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

Low-Wage Workers Are Being Sued for Unpaid Medical Bills by a Nonprofit Christian Hospital That Employs Them

by Wendi C. Thomas, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism,

The Nonprofit Hospital That Makes Millions, Owns a Collection Agency and Relentlessly Sues the Poor

by Wendi C. Thomas, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism,

This Memphis Hospital System Flouts IRS Rules by Not Publicly Posting Financial Assistance Policies

by Wendi C. Thomas, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism,

How We Tallied Medical Debt Lawsuits and Wage Garnishments in Memphis

by Wendi C. Thomas, MLK50: Justice Through Journalism, and Lylla Younes and Doris Burke, ProPublica,

As Illinois Expands Gambling, It Will Also Try to Determine How Many Gambling Addicts It Has

by Dan Mihalopoulos, WBEZ Chicago, and Jason Grotto, ProPublica Illinois,