Latest news with #HELP
Business Wire
a day ago
- Business
- Business Wire
A $25K Down Payment Assistance Grant from FHLB Dallas and First National Bank Texas Helps Dental Assistant Achieve Homeownership
EL PASO, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--A dental assistant is now a proud first-time homeowner, thanks in part to a $25,000 grant that helped cover her down payment and closing costs. Guadalupe Hernandez received the Homebuyer Equity Leverage Partnership (HELP) grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas (FHLB Dallas), through its member First National Bank Texas (FNBT). 'Buying a house was my first goal when I made the move to El Paso,' said Ms. Hernandez, who moved from Presidio to put down roots in El Paso, Texas. 'The HELP grant made it possible to buy a good home in a market where everything was either too expensive or too old to be a good long-term investment.' She credits her bank, FNBT, with making a key difference in the homebuying process. 'They were always a step ahead in the process and understood the specifics of my case, helping me qualify for a larger loan,' said Ms. Hernandez. FNBT, an FHLB Dallas member institution, provided Ms. Hernandez with her mortgage and facilitated the HELP grant toward her down payment and closing costs. HELP assists income-qualified, first-time homebuyers with down payment assistance and closing costs. Up to $25,000 per homebuyer is available in Texas and New Mexico and up to $20,000 per homebuyer is available in Arkansas, Louisiana and Mississippi. FHLB Dallas allocated $17 million for HELP this year, up from $15.5 million in 2024. The final round of funding for 2025, $4.25 million, opens on August 1. 'We're proud to play a part in supporting individuals like Ms. Hernandez on their homeownership journey,' said Greg Hettrick, senior vice president and director of Community Investment at FHLB Dallas. 'Through this down payment assistance grant, we hope to ease the financial burden and make homeownership more affordable for individuals and families across our communities.' About First National Bank Texas First National Bank Texas (FNBT) and First Convenience Bank (FCB), a division of FNBT, remain dedicated to providing customers with quality financial products and services. FNBT was originally founded in 1901 in the Central Texas town of Killeen, only 19 years after the city was established. From humble beginnings, FNBT has grown to over $4 billion in assets and operates in over 340 locations in Texas, Arizona, Arkansas and New Mexico. About the Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas The Federal Home Loan Bank of Dallas is one of 11 district banks in the FHLBank System created by Congress in 1932. FHLB Dallas, with total assets of $109.9 billion as of March 31, 2025, is a member-owned cooperative that supports housing and community development by providing competitively priced loans and other credit products to approximately 800 members and associated institutions in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, New Mexico and Texas. For more information, visit
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Trump's CDC pick treads carefully in Senate debut
Susan Monarez, a longtime federal health official nominated by President Trump to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), faced senators in a confirmation hearing Wednesday, providing a first glimpse of her personal views and any signs of daylight between herself and Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. While Monarez said 'vaccines save lives' and said there was no evidence of links between vaccines and autism, a debunked theory espoused by Kennedy, she was careful not to directly contradict her would-be boss despite prodding by Democratic senators. Trump chose Monarez after his first choice for CDC Director, former Florida Rep. Dave Weldon (R), failed to gain enough support among Senate Republicans. Monarez has worked in federal health policy for nearly two decades and was acting CDC director before her nomination, giving her a few months of experience in the role. Though she has held high-ranking positions in numerous offices in the federal government, CDC director would be her most public-facing role to date. She is also the first CDC nominee to require Senate confirmation, a change made after the COVID-19 pandemic thrust the role into the national spotlight. Among those who've worked with her, Monarez is known as a strong believer in science and data, but her personal views on many hot-button issues were not publicly known before her appearance before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP). Members of the committee were keen to learn her opinions on issues like infectious diseases, vaccines, food additives, water fluoridation and immunization guidance — all of which touch on policies that have been changed or contested under Kennedy. HELP Committee ranking member Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) asked Monarez for her thoughts on Kennedy's announcement on Wednesday that the U.S. would no longer be funding the global vaccine alliance Gavi. 'I think vaccines save lives. I think that we need to continue to support the promotion of utilization of vaccines,' Monarez told Sanders. 'I wasn't involved in that decisionmaking. If I'm confirmed as a CDC director, I will certainly look into it, and I'm happy to follow up.' She also told Sanders that she did not see any causal link between vaccinations and autism, a possibility that Kennedy has repeatedly refused to discount despite mountains of evidence finding no connection. At the same time the hearing was taking place, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) was holding its first meeting after being completely remade by Kennedy. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), chair of the HELP committee, has expressed his reservations about the new makeup of the committee, noting the members' lack of experience multiple times throughout the hearing Wednesday. The night before the ACIP meeting, Virginia physician Michael Ross withdrew from the committee rather than submitting to the required financial conflict-of-interest review for its members. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) asked Monarez whether the committee and its recommendations should be permitted and trusted when ethics reviews of its members have not been completed. While Monarez waffled on the question at first, she ultimately agreed that the members should not be participating in meetings if they have not gone through the ethics approval process. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) asked Monarez for her views on community water fluoridation. Kennedy has said he plans to tell the CDC to stop recommending water fluoridation, which is ultimately a state and local decision. Alsobrooks noted that Monarez is one of her constituents and asked if she believed the water in Potomac, Md., which is fluoridated, is safe to drink. 'I believe the water in Potomac, Maryland is safe,' Monarez said. Despite expressing views that did not align with Kennedy's, Monarez avoided directly saying she disagreed with any of his views, even under intense questioning. Discussing Kennedy, Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) asked Monarez, 'Is there anything you disagree with him about?' 'So look, if I'm confirmed as CDC director, I look forward to supporting the secretary with science and evidence and making sure that I am giving him the best information possible to help support some of these critical decisions,' Monarez responded. Hassan pressed the issue, pointing to the recent measles outbreaks in Texas. The senator noted how Kennedy had previously minimized the potential harms of measles. Monarez started to discuss measles as a 'critical issue' before Hassan interrupted her. 'Right, which is why your being able to independently state in public that you differ with the secretary is a really, really important thing right now. You're showing a real reluctance to do this,' Hassan said. The senator from New Hampshire also asked Monarez what she would do if Trump asked her to do something that went against the law. 'We'll always follow the law and the president would never ask me to break the law,' said Monarez. 'Well I'd ask you to review recent facts and perhaps reflect on that answer,' Hassan responded. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
3 days ago
- Health
- The Hill
Trump's CDC pick treads carefully in Senate debut
Susan Monarez, a longtime federal health official nominated by President Trump to lead the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), faced senators in a confirmation hearing Wednesday, providing a first glimpse at her personal views and any signs of daylight with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. While Monarez said 'vaccines save lives' and said there was no evidence of links between vaccines and autism, a debunked theory espoused by Kennedy, she was careful not to directly contradict her would-be boss despite prodding by Democratic senators. Trump chose Monarez after his first choice for CDC Director, former Florida Rep. Dave Weldon (R), failed to gain enough support among Senate Republicans. Monarez has worked in federal health policy for nearly two decades and was acting CDC director before her nomination, giving her a few months of experience in the role. Though she has held high-ranking positions in numerous offices in the federal government, CDC director would be her most public-facing role to date. She is also the first CDC nominee to require Senate confirmation, a change made after the COVID-19 pandemic thrust the role into the national spotlight. To those who've worked with her, Monarez is known as a strong believer in science and data, but her personal views on many hot-button issues were not publicly known before her appearance before the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP). Members of the committee were keen to learn her opinions on issues like infectious diseases, vaccines, food additives, water fluoridation and immunization guidance — all of which touch on policies that have been changed or contested under Kennedy. HELP Ranking Member Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) asked Monarez for her thoughts on Kennedy's announcement on Wednesday that the U.S. would no longer be funding the global vaccine alliance Gavi. 'I think vaccines save lives. I think that we need to continue to support the promotion of utilization of vaccines,' Monarez told Sanders. 'I wasn't involved in that decision making. If I'm confirmed as a CDC director, I will certainly look into it, and I'm happy to follow up.' She also told Sanders that she did not see any causal link between vaccinations and autism, a possibility that Kennedy has repeatedly refused to discount despite mountains of evidence finding no connection. At the same time the hearing was taking place, the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) was holding its first meeting after being completely remade by Kennedy. Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), chair of the HELP committee, has expressed his reservations about the new makeup of the committee, noting the members' lack of experience multiple times throughout the hearing Wednesday. The night before the ACIP meeting, Virginia physician Michael Ross withdrew from the committee rather than submitting to the required financial conflict-of-interest review for its members. Sen. Patty Murray (D-Wash.) asked Monarez whether the committee and its recommendations should be permitted and trusted when ethics reviews of its members have not been completed. While Monarez waffled on the question at first, she ultimately agreed that the members should not be participating in meetings if they have not gone through the ethics approval process. Sen. Angela Alsobrooks (D-Md.) asked Monarez for her views on community water fluoridation. Kennedy has said he plans to tell the CDC to stop recommending water fluoridation, which is ultimately a state and local decision. Alsobrooks noted that Monarez is one of her constituents and asked if she believed the water in Potomac, Md., which is fluoridated, is safe to drink. 'I believe the water in Potomac, Maryland is safe,' Monarez said. Despite expressing views that did not align with Kennedy's, Monarez avoided directly saying she disagreed with any of his views, even under intense questioning. Discussing Kennedy, Sen. Maggie Hassan (D-N.H.) asked Monarez, 'Is there anything you disagree with him about?' 'So look, if I'm confirmed as CDC director, I look forward to supporting the secretary with science and evidence and making sure that I am giving him the best information possible to help support some of these critical decisions,' Monarez responded. Hassan pressed the issue, pointing to the recent measles outbreaks in Texas. The senator noted how Kennedy had previously minimized the potential harms of measles. Monarez started to discuss measles as a 'critical issue' before Hassan interrupted her. 'Right, which is why your being able to independently state in public that you differ with the secretary is a really, really important thing right now. You're showing a real reluctance to do this,' Hassan said. The senator from New Hampshire also asked Monarez what she would do if Trump asked her to do something that went against the law. 'We'll always follow the law and the president would never ask me to break the law,' said Monarez. 'Well I'd ask you to review recent facts and perhaps reflect on that answer,' Hassan responded.
News.com.au
5 days ago
- Business
- News.com.au
‘Decline or delay?': Unique struggle facing young Aussies
For much of Australia's history, each new generation has been better off than the last: better jobs, higher incomes, and improved living standards. But a new e61 Institute report reveals that promise may now be in doubt. The report found that young Australians were barely earning more than their predecessors yet were racking up markedly larger student debts and taking years longer to pay them off. Real average incomes for 30-year-olds increased just 6 per cent in a decade, from $59,496 in 2012 to $62,987 in 2022. Meanwhile, the average HELP debt jumped by 45 per cent, from $19,485 to $28,260, the analysis of tax return data found. The average age of final HELP repayment also rose from 33 in 2012 to 35 in 2022. The percentage of 30-year-olds with a HELP debt increased from 15 per cent to 23 per cent, The report said the story of young Australians today may not necessarily be one of decline but rather of delay. 'It is still unclear how many of these patterns will evolve. The challenge for policymakers is distinguishing between whether young Australians are reaching major life milestones – like moving out of home, starting families, and buying a home – later than prior generations, not reaching them at all, or changing their preferences,' it said. e61 Institute research economist Matthew Maltman said the intergenerational compact's growing disparity had its roots in the global financial crisis of 2008. Since then the wages of workers under 40 have grown at less than half the rate of older Australians. 'Some explanations include rising underemployment, a shift toward insecure and lower-paying service jobs, award decisions, and an oversupply of workers relative to available high-quality jobs – driven in part by older Australians working longer – which weakened bargaining power and suppressed wage growth,' he said. 'Rising employer concentration and a decline in job mobility may also have weakened young workers' ability to climb the job ladder and move into higher-paying positions.' The report stated that young Australians now had access to opportunities that were not available to their parents and grandparents. 'Today, they are achieving more in education, earning more in their early career stages, and participating in the labour market in new ways,' it said. 'Young people have also benefited from technological advancements, including greater access to information through the internet, improvements in the availability of digital goods and cheaper consumer goods. 'Whether young Australians will be better of than previous generations remains an open question, 'It depends, in part, on the choices policymakers make today. In the past, productivity growth has been the surest way to lift living standards for all and maintain the intergenerational bargain. 'However, Australia's recent lacklustre productivity performance means that policymakers cannot take for granted that the standard intergenerational pattern of improvement will operate as well as before.'
The Advertiser
20-06-2025
- Business
- The Advertiser
If you're going for a home loan but still have a HECS debt, you might want to wait
People with outstanding student loans will have an easier time getting a mortgage from September, when new lending rules will take effect. Banks will be able to disregard higher education loan program (HELP) debts, which include HECS debt, when assessing a homebuyer for a mortgage. The changes were finalised this week, after the Albanese government made a pre-election pledge in February to level the playing field for people with student debts. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has advised banks to remove HELP debt from debt-to-income reporting, a metric used to determine a person's capacity to repay a mortgage. The regulator has also clarified that it may be reasonable for banks to completely disregard a person's HELP debt from serviceability assessments, where it's expected the loan will be paid off within 12 months. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the changes would make lending rules fairer. "We're making sure young people with a HELP debt are treated fairly and supporting them to get into the property market," he said. The changes mean a dual-income household with two student debts could borrow an additional $50,000 in the year they expect to pay off their student loan, according to the government's own analysis. APRA has written to lenders and the industry to advise them of the changes and their new obligations. The revised standards for banks will come into effect on September 30, 2025. In its letter to lenders, APRA said the changes would provide regulatory clarity and reaffirm the flexibility banks had in considering borrowers' individual circumstances. The regulator expects the changes will allow some borrowers with student debts to secure a home loan sooner. Education Minister Jason Clare said the Universities Accord found that banks' assessments of student debt made it harder for young Australians to buy a home. "HECS was never meant to be a handbrake on owning a home," he said. "That's not fair and we're fixing it." The federal government will also move ahead with its plan to reduce student debts by 20 per cent, something it committed to before the May election. During the election campaign, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised the legislative changes would be his first priority if his government was to be re-elected. The government has reaffirmed this, saying it will be the first piece of legislation introduced when Parliament returns on July 22, 2025. The 20 per cent reduction will occur once the legislation passes Parliament. However, the government has clarified the discount will be calculated based on a person's HELP debt amount as at June 1, 2025, before indexation was applied. This means the 2025 indexation will only apply to the remaining balance after the 20 per cent reduction. People with outstanding student loans will have an easier time getting a mortgage from September, when new lending rules will take effect. Banks will be able to disregard higher education loan program (HELP) debts, which include HECS debt, when assessing a homebuyer for a mortgage. The changes were finalised this week, after the Albanese government made a pre-election pledge in February to level the playing field for people with student debts. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has advised banks to remove HELP debt from debt-to-income reporting, a metric used to determine a person's capacity to repay a mortgage. The regulator has also clarified that it may be reasonable for banks to completely disregard a person's HELP debt from serviceability assessments, where it's expected the loan will be paid off within 12 months. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the changes would make lending rules fairer. "We're making sure young people with a HELP debt are treated fairly and supporting them to get into the property market," he said. The changes mean a dual-income household with two student debts could borrow an additional $50,000 in the year they expect to pay off their student loan, according to the government's own analysis. APRA has written to lenders and the industry to advise them of the changes and their new obligations. The revised standards for banks will come into effect on September 30, 2025. In its letter to lenders, APRA said the changes would provide regulatory clarity and reaffirm the flexibility banks had in considering borrowers' individual circumstances. The regulator expects the changes will allow some borrowers with student debts to secure a home loan sooner. Education Minister Jason Clare said the Universities Accord found that banks' assessments of student debt made it harder for young Australians to buy a home. "HECS was never meant to be a handbrake on owning a home," he said. "That's not fair and we're fixing it." The federal government will also move ahead with its plan to reduce student debts by 20 per cent, something it committed to before the May election. During the election campaign, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised the legislative changes would be his first priority if his government was to be re-elected. The government has reaffirmed this, saying it will be the first piece of legislation introduced when Parliament returns on July 22, 2025. The 20 per cent reduction will occur once the legislation passes Parliament. However, the government has clarified the discount will be calculated based on a person's HELP debt amount as at June 1, 2025, before indexation was applied. This means the 2025 indexation will only apply to the remaining balance after the 20 per cent reduction. People with outstanding student loans will have an easier time getting a mortgage from September, when new lending rules will take effect. Banks will be able to disregard higher education loan program (HELP) debts, which include HECS debt, when assessing a homebuyer for a mortgage. The changes were finalised this week, after the Albanese government made a pre-election pledge in February to level the playing field for people with student debts. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has advised banks to remove HELP debt from debt-to-income reporting, a metric used to determine a person's capacity to repay a mortgage. The regulator has also clarified that it may be reasonable for banks to completely disregard a person's HELP debt from serviceability assessments, where it's expected the loan will be paid off within 12 months. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the changes would make lending rules fairer. "We're making sure young people with a HELP debt are treated fairly and supporting them to get into the property market," he said. The changes mean a dual-income household with two student debts could borrow an additional $50,000 in the year they expect to pay off their student loan, according to the government's own analysis. APRA has written to lenders and the industry to advise them of the changes and their new obligations. The revised standards for banks will come into effect on September 30, 2025. In its letter to lenders, APRA said the changes would provide regulatory clarity and reaffirm the flexibility banks had in considering borrowers' individual circumstances. The regulator expects the changes will allow some borrowers with student debts to secure a home loan sooner. Education Minister Jason Clare said the Universities Accord found that banks' assessments of student debt made it harder for young Australians to buy a home. "HECS was never meant to be a handbrake on owning a home," he said. "That's not fair and we're fixing it." The federal government will also move ahead with its plan to reduce student debts by 20 per cent, something it committed to before the May election. During the election campaign, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised the legislative changes would be his first priority if his government was to be re-elected. The government has reaffirmed this, saying it will be the first piece of legislation introduced when Parliament returns on July 22, 2025. The 20 per cent reduction will occur once the legislation passes Parliament. However, the government has clarified the discount will be calculated based on a person's HELP debt amount as at June 1, 2025, before indexation was applied. This means the 2025 indexation will only apply to the remaining balance after the 20 per cent reduction. People with outstanding student loans will have an easier time getting a mortgage from September, when new lending rules will take effect. Banks will be able to disregard higher education loan program (HELP) debts, which include HECS debt, when assessing a homebuyer for a mortgage. The changes were finalised this week, after the Albanese government made a pre-election pledge in February to level the playing field for people with student debts. The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority has advised banks to remove HELP debt from debt-to-income reporting, a metric used to determine a person's capacity to repay a mortgage. The regulator has also clarified that it may be reasonable for banks to completely disregard a person's HELP debt from serviceability assessments, where it's expected the loan will be paid off within 12 months. Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the changes would make lending rules fairer. "We're making sure young people with a HELP debt are treated fairly and supporting them to get into the property market," he said. The changes mean a dual-income household with two student debts could borrow an additional $50,000 in the year they expect to pay off their student loan, according to the government's own analysis. APRA has written to lenders and the industry to advise them of the changes and their new obligations. The revised standards for banks will come into effect on September 30, 2025. In its letter to lenders, APRA said the changes would provide regulatory clarity and reaffirm the flexibility banks had in considering borrowers' individual circumstances. The regulator expects the changes will allow some borrowers with student debts to secure a home loan sooner. Education Minister Jason Clare said the Universities Accord found that banks' assessments of student debt made it harder for young Australians to buy a home. "HECS was never meant to be a handbrake on owning a home," he said. "That's not fair and we're fixing it." The federal government will also move ahead with its plan to reduce student debts by 20 per cent, something it committed to before the May election. During the election campaign, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promised the legislative changes would be his first priority if his government was to be re-elected. The government has reaffirmed this, saying it will be the first piece of legislation introduced when Parliament returns on July 22, 2025. The 20 per cent reduction will occur once the legislation passes Parliament. However, the government has clarified the discount will be calculated based on a person's HELP debt amount as at June 1, 2025, before indexation was applied. This means the 2025 indexation will only apply to the remaining balance after the 20 per cent reduction.
