The U.S. Treasury, which finances more than 90 percent of new student loans, is exploring ways to make repayment more affordable as defaults by almost 7 million Americans and other strapped borrowers restrain economic growth.

The state of California will no longer be able to deposit child support payments onto prepaid accounts that lack certain consumer protections, under a law signed Wednesday by Gov. Jerry Brown.

The official in charge of monitoring JPMorgan Chase's $13 billion settlement with bank regulators released his initial progress report this week.

Texas authorities have ordered 14 merchants in the state to stop imposing surcharges on debit card purchases.

Umpqua Holdings' second-quarter profit surpassed Wall Street expectations, which exclude costs tied to the Portland, Ore., company’s purchase of Sterling Financial.

United Financial Bancorp in Glastonbury, Conn., reported a second-quarter loss largely tied to the costs of merging with Rockville Financial.

HomeStreet in Seattle has added more banking experience to its board. The $3 billion-asset company recruited Timothy Chrisman, a former chairman of the Banc of California, to serve as a director.

The chief executive of Univest Bank and Trust in Souderton, Pa., is retiring after 43 years with the company.

Citizens Financial Group in Providence, R.I., has expanded its health care practice banking group to three additional states.

Quarterly profits plunged at Hudson City Bancorp in Paramus, N.J., last quarter as it awaits regulatory approval to be sold to M&T Bank.

First Commonwealth's quarterly profit more than doubled, largely because of significant improvement in credit quality.

CEO Joe Ficalora says the thrift has ways it can buy time to announce a transformative acquisition or benefit from a change in the definition of what it requires to be a systemically important institution. With OneWest off the table, industry observers wonder if the thrift can find the deal it’s been looking for.

Two federal agencies and 15 states have taken more than 40 actions against foreclosure relief operations, alleging the firms charged distressed borrowers millions of dollars in fees without following through on service.

The credit card issuer is looking to build its campus business at a time when other banks' relationships with college and universities are facing regulatory threats.

Lower rates of return would require insurers to charge higher premiums or stop covering loans to borrowers with lower credit scores. (You know, the ones the government wants to help?)

Federal and state regulators announced legal action Wednesday against foreclosure relief defendants that used deceptive marketing tactics to collect illegal fees from struggling homeowners.

Federal and state regulators announced legal action Wednesday against foreclosure relief defendants that used deceptive marketing tactics to collect illegal fees from struggling homeowners.

A deal between two Massachusetts banks is expected to close ahead of schedule after the selling bank's shareholders approved it Tuesday.

UMB Financial in Kansas City, Mo., relied on strong investment-services and other fees to boost earnings last quarter.

The Department of Veterans Affairs' residual income test would give lenders more confidence to make riskier loans, according to an Urban Institute study.