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Payday lending (sometimes called cash advance) is the practice of using a post-dated check or electronic checking account information as collateral for a short-term loan. To qualify, borrowers need only personal identification, a checking account, and an income from a job or government benefits, like Social Security or disability payments.

Research shows that the cash advance / payday lending business model is designed to keep borrowers in debt, not to provide one-time assistance during a time of financial need. According to CRL's research, borrowers who receive five or more loans a year account for 90 percent of the lenders’ business. Their, Financial Quicksand, shows that payday lenders cost American families $4.2 billion every year in predatory fees. Twelve states and the District of Columbia will save a collective $1.5 billion per year with an effective solution -- a cap on interest rates for consumer loans in the 36-percent range.