PayThink

There are few topics where so much intellectual capital has been spent on an issue of so little practical value as the prospects for either a partial or total return to the gold standard. For that reason, the issue tends to be discussed and debated among a handful of loyal advocates or opponents. But perhaps it is time for bankers to pay closer attention.

Rational judgment must complement the efficiencies of the laws of large numbers. Bankers must avoid the lure of financing consumers that believe in spending beyond their means.

A well-structured forbearance program would likely save many homeowners from defaulting on their mortgages, and it would do so at a very modest cost.

During NAFCU's Strategic Growth Conference in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., security consultant Don Thompson was sharing some of the rationales used by those who embezzle and steal from their credit union. A common remark, he said, is thieves will tell themselves and others that they are "overworked and underpaid."

As the business and nonprofit worlds have become more complex and seemingly in constant flux, what directors need to know about the organization seems clouded. It needn't be.

I received an e-mail from a CU board member asking me to explain why a tagline is important in branding. My initial reaction was surprise that anyone would ask this. But then I realized that people wisely question the value of taglines, because there are so many truly bad taglines out there.

Recent bank failures have given brokered deposits a bad rap, writes George Sutton, a former Utah commissioner of financial institutions. When used properly, they carry benefits that vastly outweigh the isolated instances where they are misused, he says.

If the budget impasse forces a government shutdown, most of the federal banking agencies will remain open. But history shows a federal shutdown can affect banks in other ways.

For underwater borrowers looking to relocate, why not allow banks to simply substitute new collateral for old, charging a fee for the service?

Consumers will continue to look for ways to be smarter borrowers in 2011. Credit unions can continue to be at the forefront of helping them achieve that goal.