PayThink

According to American folklore, the famously long-legged Abraham Lincoln was once asked: "Abe, how long should a man's legs be?" Lincoln is reported to have answered: "Long enough to reach the ground."

Too-big-to-fail stifles economic growth. Oligopolies and asset concentration strangle competition and suppress innovation, job creation and free markets in financial services, as they once did in oil, steel and telecommunications.

Industry watchers expecting foreclosure trends to follow a predictable path are destined for surprises, as the recent figures from RealtyTrac demonstrate. March marked a 4-year low in new foreclosures, with actions increasing in judicial states, but surprisingly declining in non-judicial ones. In the aftermath of the AG settlement with the major servicers, this result seems counterintuitive to say the least. However looks may be deceiving on closer examination.

Though it caved to First Premier’s lawsuit, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has failed to resolve the uncertainty about the rules for credit card fees.

The Go name, says Peter Lucas "establishes a fresh, vibrant brand personality. It's short, memorable and easy to spell. It's fun. And young. And it fits on banners and business cards and leaves lots of white space."

One of the great differentiators for credit unions is access. Members are seeking convenience and easy access to their accounts.

Co-Op Financial Services is deserving of a thanks.

Looking to increase your loan portfolio? Ever thought about lifestyle lending? A type of indirect lending, lifestyle loans support retailers, medical providers and businesses by providing financing to their patients and customers.

Joe Smith could choose a large consulting firm as project team leader only and mandate that this firm pick experts and on-the-ground compliance staff from a wider range of outfits.

The Senate is preparing to consider legislation that would allow credit unions to engage in more commercial lending, a proposal that the industry has long championed. This proposal is a really bad idea, but because of the political constituency behind credit unions it may actually be passed into law. In the event, the National Credit Union Association and the U.S. taxpayer may be facing significant losses in the future.