Donating a piece of land or an elegant building front to charity to get a big write-off boomed as a tax strategy in recent years, and then blew up at the Internal Revenue Service.

The United States and Singapore were co-valedictorians in a Morningstar report released Friday, with both countries earning an A on a report card that measured the overall experience of mutual fund investors based on a variety of factors, including taxation, transparency and investor protection.

High-net-worth individuals invested $2.1 billion in commercial real estate last year, up from $579 million in 2009, according to Real Capital Analytics Inc., a New York research firm.

Bankers weigh their options in mortgage and CRE lending as implementation of a new accounting standard nears.

Popular TV shows about house fixers and flippers have sparked consumer interest in remodeling, creating an opportunity for lenders to build a specialty in renovation loans while traditional mortgage lending is weak.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has published a new "frequently asked questions" tool to help mortgage lenders with TILA-RESPA integrated disclosures compliance.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau must take into account the differences among buy now/pay later lenders. Some — including traditional banks — are more committed to offering responsible financing without late fees or hidden costs.

Banks have supported initiatives aimed at closing the racial equality gap but the industry risks undermining this by fighting new rules to gather demographic data on small-business lending.

The key for bankers to stay safe from mystery shoppers using aggressive techniques — many of whom are well funded by community investment pacts with megabanks — is to adhere to proper lending practices 24/7.