Ray Birch

Auto lenders beware: high gas prices may actually be driving down the value of small, fuel-efficient cars.

PSCU is partnering with Google to make Google Wallet available to credit unions.

As banks and credit unions explore ways to create new revenue streams, a new Aite Group report indicates the daily deals market could generate over $1.4 billion in revenue for FIs on more than 300 million transactions by 2017.

While membership numbers are surging, the number of federally insured credit unions has now dropped below 7,000.

SeaComm FCU would not be in its enviable position today without holding to the basic credit union principle that CUs exist to help members when other financials won't.

CUs likely to experience more reductions to debit interchange, Belvoir Federal Credit Union is testing whether prized-based incentives can alter cardholder behavior to drive more debit transactions and larger-dollar purchases.

Are credit unions ready to fill the gap resulting from what could be a sharp drop in revenue over the next three years?

For CUs to get their share of loans from rising new car sales, they must rethink how they approach new car lending.

One question that remains unanswered is how did Commonwealth Credit Union come to be a participant in a pension fund set up for employees of the state of Kentucky.

CEO of Total Community Credit Union Phillip Matous wants to make sure legislators in his state understand the real "weight" of the regulatory burden credit unions are bearing, so he sent them a 1,099 page document to make his point.

Don't just send the coffee mugs to the F & I team, get out of the office to solidify relationships with auto dealerships being swayed by an increasing number of captive and bank offers.

In the face of steep competition for auto loans, lenders and industry analysts weighed in with advice on what CUs can do to grab more of the lending business coming from the increase in new car sales.

Credit unions considering reissuing plastic to make the move to EMV might want to include contactless in the upgrade.

With manufacturer incentives driving auto loan rates down, down, down, Pentagon Federal Credit Union is offering 0% this month, turning to a unique arrangement not unlike that between automakers and their dealers.

Educational Systems FCU has reversed its decision to assess members of Montgomery County Teachers FCU an unusual, one-time $35 fee to help defray the costs of absorbing the troubled $400-million Rockville, Md., credit union.

CO-OP Financial Services is significantly expanding its PIN POS presence with a new partnership with First Data's STAR Network.

Merchant-funded rewards-those coupon, cash-back, and instant savings programs-are gaining steam. But for merchants to keep those discounts coming for the lower-cost alternative to standard rewards, card issuers must show retailers the program's value.

Merchant-funded rewards programs that perform best are those whose offers are simple, provide a mix of online and in-store redemption, and include local businesses as well as national retailers.

Questions still surround merchant-funded incentives, including the return they provide retailers and how well they drive issuer transactions.

If the credit union is considering adding merchant-funded rewards, Tim Kolk, owner of TRK Advisors, recommends paying close attention to all the different platforms available.