Underbanked

A new class of fintech startups is using loan applicants' social networks to determine creditworthiness as the banking industry debates the merits of alternate underwriting methods.

LendUp, which makes subprime consumer loans online and over mobile phones, announced Wednesday that it has raised $50 million in equity funding, plus an additional $100 million in debt financing.

As a recent college graduate, I could have been more engaged with my longer-term financial health had I had today's fintech tools at my disposal.

Several small banks are beginning to offer employer-based loans, a payday loan alternative for under-banked consumers.

Consumer credit is better than ever before, even as Americans households have started levering up. But the big question for banks looking to re-commit to consumer lending is how.

In a speech in New York City, Sanders vowed to remove the ability of the Federal Reserve to pay interest to banks for their excess reserves, turn the credit rating agencies into nonprofits, allow the U.S. Postal Service to offer bank products, and cap ATM fees and interest rates for loans.

Banks have made changes to overdrafts, such as lowering fees offering clearer explanations. They better, as the CFPB will soon offer new rules for overdrafts. Plus, overdraft revenue has declined at many banks. Still unanswered is the question of how to offer short-term credit, if overdrafts disappear.

Dilip Ratha, an economist at the World Bank, shows how the power of a simple remittance sent from one family member to another could be magnified to improve the lives of poor people.

Carver Bancorp in New York, like many community banks, seems to be back on track after surviving the financial crisis. But the company, and CEO Michael Pugh, have an new objective - figuring out how to stay relevant with younger customers.

Developing banking solutions for lower-income consumers means getting to the heart of the financial volatility they face trying to make ends meet.

A startup backed by philanthropist Pierre Omidyar has emerged from stealth mode with technology that promises to provide consistent value and a degree of privacy to electronic money.

The Treasury Annex building in Washington is slated to be renamed in honor of a bank that served emancipated slaves after the end of the Civil War.

Angus Deaton's efforts to improve understanding of poverty have helped open the door to financial services firms meeting the market demands of the world's poor.

The vaguely defined term needs an overhaul to meet the financial demands of refugees and others long ignored by efforts to expand banking access.

Contrary to industry representatives' opinion, overdraft rules are necessary for a service that has become a revenue driver for banks.

A new Fannie Mae program allowing nonborrower income to count in qualifying homeowners for low-down payment loans received near-universal praise from industry representatives and federal officials at a recent housing symposium here.

The online payday lender Integrity Advance is being sued by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for allegedly deceiving consumers about its loan costs.

Springleaf Holdings has changed its name to OneMain Holdings after buying its top competitor from Citigroup for $4.49 billion.

A handful of entrepreneurs have created apps that let workers, especially those with inconsistent incomes, receive portions of their paychecks before payday. Their emergence underscores how slower payments look out of date in an on-demand world.

Our nation has a long way to go to protect those defending our homeland. Stopping the damage of high-cost credit is an important first step.