https://theinquiry.press/ Independent reporting in the public interest en https://theinquiry.press/stories/retention-schedules-how-long-records-are-kept.html https://theinquiry.press/stories/retention-schedules-how-long-records-are-kept.html Tue, 06 Oct 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Organizations that hold customer records are asked how long they keep them and what happens when the period ends. A review of retention schedules finds the answer is often kept internally, and rarely stated in one place. https://theinquiry.press/stories/after-the-award-how-contract-terms-move.html https://theinquiry.press/stories/after-the-award-how-contract-terms-move.html Tue, 29 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The awarded figure is the number that gets announced. A review of contract registers and amendment notices finds the cost of a service is often settled later, in increments, without a second round of competition. https://theinquiry.press/stories/startup-costs-in-direct-selling.html https://theinquiry.press/stories/startup-costs-in-direct-selling.html Thu, 17 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Recruiting materials describe what a distributor might earn. A review of enrollment materials finds the cost of beginning is disclosed separately, across documents, and rarely as a single figure. https://theinquiry.press/stories/engagement-letters-before-the-work-begins.html https://theinquiry.press/stories/engagement-letters-before-the-work-begins.html Tue, 15 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 The document that defines a legal matter is usually signed in the first meeting, before the client has read it closely. A review of engagement letters finds the terms that matter most are rarely the ones discussed. https://theinquiry.press/stories/overdraft-nsf-fees-the-disclosure-gap.html https://theinquiry.press/stories/overdraft-nsf-fees-the-disclosure-gap.html Tue, 08 Sep 2026 12:00:00 +0000 A review of checking-account disclosures finds overdraft and returned-payment fees are often described only in fine print. Account holders we spoke with learned the cost after the charge, not before. https://theinquiry.press/stories/distributor-outcomes-reading-past-the-claims.html https://theinquiry.press/stories/distributor-outcomes-reading-past-the-claims.html Sat, 22 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Industry surveys and independent studies paint very different pictures of typical distributor income. We walk through the numbers. https://theinquiry.press/stories/records-handling-what-firms-keep.html https://theinquiry.press/stories/records-handling-what-firms-keep.html Tue, 18 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Document retention policies vary widely across legal practices, with consequences for clients who need their own files. https://theinquiry.press/stories/income-disclosures-in-direct-selling.html https://theinquiry.press/stories/income-disclosures-in-direct-selling.html Fri, 14 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Earnings claims are regulated in most markets. We compare what distributors are actually told versus what recruiting materials imply. https://theinquiry.press/stories/late-fees-the-quiet-revenue-line.html https://theinquiry.press/stories/late-fees-the-quiet-revenue-line.html Tue, 11 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Penalty charges are a growing line item for consumer lenders. We examine how they are disclosed — and when they are not. https://theinquiry.press/stories/billing-practices-in-legal-services.html https://theinquiry.press/stories/billing-practices-in-legal-services.html Fri, 07 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000 Lawyers' invoices can be hard to parse. A look at how hourly work is documented and what clients are told. https://theinquiry.press/stories/lending-fees-under-the-microscope.html https://theinquiry.press/stories/lending-fees-under-the-microscope.html Tue, 04 Aug 2026 12:00:00 +0000 A review of fee disclosures at consumer lending firms finds wide variation in how costs are presented to borrowers.