Native America Calling

Tuesday, February 28, 2023 – How capping loan interest rates helps Native people

New Mexico just joined the growing list of states to cap loan interest rates at 36%. While still onerous compared to conventional bank loans, it’s a far cry from the up to 175% annual interest rates some store front businesses were charging. In New Mexico, proponents of the interest rate limit noted that 60% of the high interest establishments were within 10 miles of Native reservation boundaries. We find out about how interest rate caps work and what alternatives there are for low-income or low credit score borrowers.