A strategy to reinvigorate black-owned financial institutions would not only bring hope to the black community but would also be an inspiration for other minorities who seek to be more effectively served by financial institutions that understand their needs.

Meta Financial in Sioux Falls, S.D., has agreed to buy most of the assets and liabilities for a company that handles transactions for tax preparers.

First Commonwealth Financial in Indiana, Pa., has agreed to buy DCB Financial in Lewis Center, Ohio, for $106 million in cash and stock.

The private student loan market is dominated by large players, but some community banks are turning to a third-party tech company to help them get in the game.

Julie Stackhouse, head of supervision at the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, discusses the insights that resonated at the regulator's recent community banking conference — some encouraging for the future of small financial institutions, others less so.

Shiv Govindan at Pilgrims & Indians Capital has kept a relatively low profile as a bank investor. But two key board appointments at struggling community banks promise to make him a more visible player in the industry.

WASHIINGTON -- The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. on Friday published its annual summary of insured deposits U.S. banks and thrifts.

Restoring consumer confidence in financial services won't be easy after the latest banking brouhaha, but the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau can help by proactively holding all mortgage loan officers to the same federal licensing standard.

MB Bancorp in Forest Hill, Md., has lined up a new chief executive.

Strong home sales are boosting originations of Federal Housing Administration loans and opening the door for first-time buyers — developments that could portend the mortgage insurance agency receiving a positive report from auditors this fall.

American Banker readers share their views on the most pressing banking topics of the week. Comments are excerpted from reader response sections of AmericanBanker.com articles and our social media platforms.

BB&T Corp. has agreed to pay $83 million to settle a Department of Justice investigation over loans that failed quality control tests but were still insured by the Federal Housing Administration.

Community bankers are showing renewed interest in consumer lending but admit they may be losing ground to more tech-savvy players, according to a survey released Thursday.

Wells Fargo, reeling from weeks of pummeling over fraudulent customer accounts, was sanctioned by the Justice Department and Office of the Comptroller of the Currency over improperly repossessing cars owned by members of the military.

Orrstown Financial in Shippensburg, Pa., has agreed to pay a $1 million to settle charges that it misled investors as it raised capital in the wake of the financial crisis.

City National Bank in Los Angeles has launched a national business to focus on the food and beverage industries.

Scottrade Financial Services, an online brokerage services company whose holdings include the $16 billion-asset Scottrade Bank, is working with an adviser to explore a sale, according to people familiar with the matter.

The traditional audience for prepaid cards is the underbanked or unbanked, many of whom are excluded from the mainstream financial services system due to their lacking credit histories. Green Dot is nevertheless pursuing this audience with a Platinum Visa secured credit card that requires an upfront cash deposit and carries a raft of fees.

The U.S. Supreme Court will take up a free-speech clash with big stakes for retailers and credit-card companies, agreeing to decide the fate of laws in 10 states that limit how merchants can describe the lower prices they charge for cash transactions.

Revere Bank in Laurel, Md., has raised $31 million in a subordinated debt offering that it plans to use for M&A and other purposes.