Ray Birch

Non-interest income will be down this year industry wide, cautions one economist who feels there's room for many CUs to increase their fees as well as leverage CUSOs to help soften the blow.

Non-interest income at credit unions may have reached a recent-year high, but multiple threats to what has been a growing revenue stream have analysts recommending it's time for improved and new income approaches.

Saying credit unions can't continue to rely as heavily on non-interest income as they have in recent memory-and certainly not the same sources-Bill Handel is urging CUs to lean on their abilities to price effectively and leverage CUSOs to keep the bottom line intact.

Older Americans today are carrying more credit card debt, as will individuals who head toward retirement 30 years from now.

Now that the purchase is complete and GFA FCU operates the one office of the former Monadnock Community Bank, the credit union is advising any CUs following in its footsteps to prepare for regulatory curveballs when finalizing a deal for a stock-owned bank.

While legal and political wrangling continue around Richard Cordray's appointment as director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, credit unions are being urged to continue to work to comply with all the rules set by the new agency.

The aging of America and a still recovering economy are leading to many more cases of elder financial abuse, creating a problem some say is approaching epidemic proportions for both victims and credit unions that are often in a difficult position.

Suspected cases of elder abuse can be reported to the local police, or to an agency of the state's Adult Protective Services (APS).

What can make a cash-back loan program perform even better? Let members talk about it.

Cash in hand can be more attractive than a sub-2% rate, says CitizensFirst CU, which ran a cash-back promo that boosted auto lending by 252%.

A new study shows Americans age 50 and older carry more credit card debt than younger people.

With credit unions seeking to find all the "coins in the couch" that they can as the result of thin margins, one analyst is expressing concern over some of the risks he believes credit unions are taking on.

In a year in which analysts emphasize the importance of turning bank converts into profitable members, one CU has introduced a checking account aimed at deepening relationships via rewards.

There's too much at stake this year not to aggressively promote debit cards to members, asserts CSCU.

The new Diebold ATM that syncs with mobile devices is another indication that CUs need to stay well-informed when it comes to the changing payments landscape

DuPont Community CU used a sweepstakes to take auto lending from flat to 10% growth.

Despite the sophistication of fast-growing mobile banking services, the greatest fraud-fighting tool in this emerging area is basic consumer education.

An open core system that allows credit unions to easily add and share new functionality is not only key to individual CU growth this year, but to the entire credit union community as well, asserts Open Solutions.

When it comes to fighting fraud in the mobile space, CUs should direct much of their attention to mobile payments.

The bigger the credit union or bank, the larger the overdraft price.