Law and regulation

The $25 billion mortgage settlement and other government aid programs for troubled homeowners, including Harp 2.0, are forcing cost-cutting banks into a tricky balancing act.

FHFA's watchdog said during housing bubble Fannie Mae frequently made "variances" to its own lending standards, which hurt the quality of its portfolio.

WASHINGTON–Both Democrats and Republicans who opposed the Federal Reserve Board’s cap on debit card interchange fees pledged March 21 to stand with community banks and credit unions that are trying to avoid the price limits.

Despite Republican criticism over the recess appointment of Richard Cordray to run the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, a key GOP senator this week said the controversial hiring has not affected his position on other regulatory nominees.

CFPB chief says while agency was charged with writing regulations for everyone, situations exist when an institution's size should be taken into account.

In the depths of the financial crisis, the FDIC under Chairman Sheila Bair extended 100% insurance coverage to non-deposit transactions balances of all banks. Known as the Transaction Account Guarantee program, this extraordinary extension of FDIC insurance coverage to all transaction balances was a good idea at the time, but should be allowed to expire at the end of the year.

The Obama administration wants the agency to give more consideration of tool meant to help troubled borrowers keep their homes.

The state of Hawaii is considering using federal stimulus money to create a "clean economy bank" that would make low-interest rate loans to clean energy companies.

The impact of the so-called Durbin Amendment on small financial institutions was a hot topic Wednesday at a credit-union conference in Washington.

John Walsh, the acting Comptroller of the Currency, used an appearance at the American Bankers Association's governmental summit to state the case against creating an alternative appeals process.

The testing process penalizes banks if their capital estimates veer from the Federal Reserve's, but the central bank has failed to show that its estimates are any better.

The Federal Trade Commission this week summarized its recent work on debt collection issues in a letter.

The American Bankers Association told attendees at its Government Relations Summit that now is not the time to “play footsie” with lawmakers and regulators.

Stung by the recent skimming scandals that rocked banks in Singapore, the country’s apex monetary authority says it is working with the financial institutions to safeguard their systems and operating capability.

In a time of crisis, banks are challenged to communicate to irate and frustrated customers over Twitter, Facebook and blogs. And in most cases, the banks don't win.

Is it inevitable? Will community banks as we know them cease to exist over the next 10 years, with large, regional and multi-state banks along with credit unions left to fill the gap?

Senate Democrats Tuesday failed in an attempt to scale back a bill meant to ease the path for small banks to raise new capital.

Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner attempted to reassure Republican lawmakers who worry that tough new regulations in this country will put U.S. banks at a disadvantage and that taxpayers will need to bail out struggling European nations.

The Federal Reserve Board has terminated a written agreement with Mid America Bank and Trust Co. in Dixon, Mo.

As consumer panel questions Obama administration's choices for FDIC, Fed and other agencies, Sen. Richard Shelby says nominees will be chosen "on their merits."