BankThink

Expand by acquisition or through organic market penetration. The most successful banks will include both strategies in their future plans.

Receiving Wide Coverage ...Hard Ball: Don't be fooled into thinking that U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder will end up strong-arming JPMorgan Chase's CEO Jamie Dimon. While Dimon has largely agreed to provide $4 billion in "soft dollar" relief for borrowers, the DOJ wants more than the proposed $7 billion in penalties. But wait. Dimon also wants California prosecutors to drop a criminal investigation into the bank's mortgage practices, a request that Justice has not yet agreed to, says the NYT's Dealbook. The WSJ says the biggest sticking point is whether JPMorgan will admit wrongdoing, which Dimon has resisted. Only the Washington Post mentions that the deal still represents a sliver of the damage wrought by the bank for selling mortgage securities "that it allegedly knew were worthless."

Because third-party processors are on the hook for losses from fraudulent transactions, they have as much interest in eliminating bad actors as anyone.

When it comes to financing the average middle-class American, our government-backed mortgage entities will accept nothing but the most pristine standards. Except when it comes to the millions of home loans for which the feds want lenders to toss standards out the window.

The problem isn’t evil prepaid companies and employers, but, rather, a lack of awareness and education about the products and options that are available.

Receiving Wide Coverage ...$11 Billion: That's how much JPMorgan Chase may have to pay to settle the feds' mortgage-backed securities probe, anonymice tell the papers. Attorney General Eric Holder rejected the bank's offer to pay $3 billion, according to some accounts. JPMorgan "is resisting any sweeping admission of guilt, which could jeopardize its defense against private litigation on similar issues," says the FT. Wall Street Journal, Financial Times, Washington Post

The Federal Reserve Board announced Tuesday that banks with assets of less than $50 billion will have one year before they must adhere to Basel III standards for their stress tests and capital plans.

The late Ronald Coase’s work can help us understand why megabanks came into being – and why their days may be numbered.

For each step toward Wall Street reform, the government has taken at least a half-step back. And there are signs another Gilded Age may be upon us.

Many if not all of the women on our ranking would tell you that their success at work has not taken place in a vacuum. It is one piece of their lives – lives that in some cases are filled with children, with aging parents needing assistance or any number of commitments that go along with being a well-rounded citizen.