REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Transcription

1 REGISTRATION INFORMATION Name Title Organization Address City State Zip Phone ( ) Fax I am a representative of a business or trade association. Enclosed is my fee of $200. I am a government official or representative of a public interest group. Enclosed is my fee of $100. Registration fee includes all sessions, Thursday s luncheon and reception, the breakfast dialogue, and conference materials. (The difference in fee permits representatives from groups with limited funds to attend while allowing CFA to cover all conference expenses.) Yes, I will attend the CFA Thursday luncheon. Please check here if you want a vegetarian meal. NOTE: There is a $25.00 fee for cancellations received after November 19, Substitutions may be made. Please mail your registration and make check payable to: Consumer Federation of America th Street, NW, Suite 604 Washington, DC Phone: /Fax: Access services will be provided on request. Please notify CFA by November 12 if these services are required. HOTEL The Radisson Barcelo Hotel has reserved a block of rooms until November 12. Please identify yourself as a registrant of CFA s Financial Services Conference to receive the special $128 rate (plus tax). Reservations should be made individually by calling or

2 Consumer Federation of America th Street, NW, Suite 604 Washington, DC 20036

3 Challenges and Opportunities Radisson Barcelo Hotel 2121 P Street, NW Washington, DC Thursday and Friday December 4 and 5, 2003 Presented by: Consumer Federation of America

4 Challenges and Opportunities After more than a decade of financial services deregulation and reregulation, federal and state policy makers and regulators continue to address pressing banking, insurance, investment, and real estate issues affecting consumers. To keep consumer advocates and educators informed about these issues, the Consumer Federation of America will present its fourteenth annual conference, The Consumer in the Financial Services Revolution, planned with the assistance of consumer groups and the financial services industry. In keynote speeches, debates, and panel discussions, speakers will discuss: new research, new policy proposals, and legislative and regulatory prospects. As well as being able to question speakers, attendees can participate in a breakfast dialogue where they can engage in focused discussions with other attendees. All those with an interest in consumer financial services issues are welcome to attend. The conference begins at 8:45 a.m. on Thursday, December 4 and ends at 12:00 noon on Friday, December 5, You may register by returning the registration form in the brochure (mail or fax) or on-line. Visit CFA s website: under Calendar of Events. On site registration starts at 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 4.

5 Consumer Credit Counseling in Transition and Under Attack As the consumer credit counseling industry expands and restructures, it has been criticized by state Attorneys General, consumers, journalists and advocates. What is the future of credit counseling, especially if Congress requires bankrupts to utilize their services? Can the industry adequately regulate itself, or is government regulation needed? The Reregulation of GSEs: Implications for Consumers New and more aggressive federal regulation of Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, and other GSEs appears a virtual certainty. Will this new oversight encourage or discourage the GSEs from serving consumer interests? In particular, how will it influence lower-income consumer housing markets and homeownership? Sarbanes-Oxley One Year Later: Has Its Promise Been Achieved? Last year s passage of corporate reform legislation was applauded by consumer and investor groups as establishing new and important protections and government oversight. But now, investor groups criticize its implementation and some industry members suggest that the legislation went too far. What is the current status of corporate reform? Congressional Credit Reporting Reforms: Are They Sufficient? Congress is considering credit reporting reforms that it is likely to approve by the end of the year. To what extent will these new identity theft, accuracy and privacy protections address current concerns? Are new reforms needed? Financial Services Regulation: What Should Be the Role of the States? Congress has been considering whether to transfer more authority for regulating banking, insurance, and securities industries from states to the federal government. Currently, state regulators and legislatures and federal bank regulators are at odds over their respective roles. What should be the role of the states in regulating the financial services industry to serve the interest of consumers?

6 Home Insurance: Do Rising Prices and Terminations Threaten Homeownership? Double-digit rate increases over the past two years, and increasing terminations and denial of applications, have made it more difficult for some consumers to purchase or maintain a home. What steps, if any, can state regulators take to ensure affordable home insurance costs? Annuities: Do They Deserve Their Bad Reputation? Over the past several years, journalists and others have criticized annuities for being too expensive. But this financial product represents an important source of income for many elderly Americans. Do annuities deserve all the criticism they have received? How should consumers search for good value in this marketplace? New Bank Overdraft Policies: How Can They Better Serve the Consumer Interest? Consumer advocates criticize banking institutions for marketing overdraft protections that are quite costly. How can these overdraft policies, and their promotion, be improved to better serve the interest of consumers? Should the Federal Reserve insist on new consumer protections, such as requiring Truth in Lending disclosures? Increasing Electronic Payments: Are They Adequately Regulated? Consumers increasingly make payments electronically yet sometimes are victimized by fraudulent telemarketers who electronically drain funds from checking accounts. Do protections for paper checks apply to electronic payments? Is the self-regulation of the existing clearing house system adequate, or is additional government regulation needed? Effective Financial Education: How Can It Change Behavior? There is a growing consensus that financial education must be evaluated not just in terms of increased knowledge but also in terms of changed behavior. What is the latest research on what financial education is effective and ineffective? How can this research be used to improve the quality and effectiveness of this education?