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ARTICLE · 08 APRIL 2026

Debt-Collection Reforms Draw Congressional Focus Post-COVID

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While government stabilization programs and lender forbearance assisted many U.S. households, “debt collection” continues to be one of the leading issues that prompts consumers...

United StatesInsolvency/Bankruptcy/Re-Structuring
Stacey Salters
Stacey Salters
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While government stabilization programs and lender forbearance assisted many U.S. households, “debt collection” continues to be one of the leading issues that prompts consumers to register a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).1 At the same time, aggregate household debt balances increased by $85 billion in the first quarter of 2021, a 0.6 percent rise from Q4 2020, and now stand at $14.64 trillion, according to the New York Federal Reserve.2 Amid the U.S. transition to a post-pandemic economy, some of the factors that held collections in check, such as stimulus funds, enhanced unem ployment benefits and payment accommodations, are set to expire or are easing. As debt levels con tinue to increase and complaints about debt-collec tors and their practices remain elevated, Democratic lawmakers continue to scrutinize the industry and push legislative proposals for reforms despite challenges to passage. This article examines a pack age of proposed reforms that

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