PayThink

As my term as NAFCU's board chairman comes to a close, I would like to share some of my reflections about the past two years' activities.

Over the years there have been NCUA board members whose terms were so unremarkable that their six years passed without even the agency's HR department knowing they were there. And then there's the term of Michael Fryzel.

Are you passionate about credit unions? Do you feel strongly about where the community is moving? Credit Union Journal wants to hear from you — and now it's easier than ever to be heard.

Internal documents reveal that the crackdown is targeting banks, not merchants and processors, because it requires less investigation into the facts. That should anger all Americans who care about due process and the rule of law, writes ex-FDIC Chairman Bill Isaac.

Trust-preferred creditors have forced two indebted bank holding companies into involuntary bankruptcy this summer. Secured lenders may soon follow their lead and start foreclosing on bank stock collateral.

A recent article by Thad Woodard proposed slashing the number of Federal Home Loan Banks in order to free up funds for community lending. But the Home Loan Banks' member institutions are already empowered to push for consolidation any time they choose, writes the FHLBanks' Steven F. Rosenbaum.

There have literally been dozens of tablet-based point of sale solutions introduced to the retail market and with reason. The demand for a better point of sale software solution has been increasing rapidly.

Startups that focus on person-to-person payments or peer-to-peer lending may well be the future heavyweights of the financial services industry. Banks must either band together to create viable alternatives or risk losing relevance.

Even activities permitted under the Volcker Rule may not be worth the legal and compliance costs for small and midsize banks, according to three attorneys at Bass, Berry & Sims.

Personal financial management (PFM) services are falling short of their potential because financial institutions aren't collecting enough data on payments to property categorize purchases.