PayThink

There is an interesting little theme to be found in Credit Union Journal’s ongoing coverage of the one-year anniversary of Bank Transfer Day. And perhaps it’s not so little after all.

Smaller banks, fearing the regulatory burden from the legislation will crush them and no longer holding the hope that Romney could lighten the load, are now weighing their future. For many that might mean consolidation.

Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has made it clear he plans to leave office, but who from a long list of likely (and far-reaching) candidates should be chosen as his replacement?

The Dodd-Frank Act, sold to the public as the tamer of the Wall Street titans, may well end up having a disproportionate impact on smaller institutions, thanks to the costs of capital implications of being "not too big to fail" and the advent of the CFPB.

It was a privilege and a learning experience to meet some old-school bankers during my travels as an examiner some 50 years ago. Here are some who left lasting impressions.

Now that the uncertainty of the elections is out of the way, we may see certain Dodd-Frank rules finalized by regulators soon. And opponents of the law see one upside: if Democrats are less on guard defending the law, they could be more pragmatic about adjustments.

The rise of the prepaid card is sure to be one of the Durbin Amendment's biggest legacies. It also suggests any savings merchants derive from the law will be short-lived.

The Obama victory moves the financial industry to Plan B, according Dealbook. Wall Street may need to set a new tone in efforts to minimize the impact of Dodd-Frank. Most of the focus from the large banks may center around implementation of the Volcker Rule on proprietary trading.

The model for the future is simple: Provide easy access across multiple channels to improve the customer experience.

Capital is important, but ample loan-loss reserves, governed by stringent supervision, are a much more direct, responsive way to account for credit risk.