Recent developments at the federal and state levels, compounded by the nation's continuing economic doldrums, have forced our financial institutions to examine the array of products offered and seek new and increased revenue.

Share draft accounts frequently offered free to members are being re-examined as the products may need to be fee based in order to recover the income losses on debit transactions. An article in the Aug. 17 issue ("Fee Checking May Help Boost Post-Durbin Income," page 18) makes the case for adding fees to checking accounts.

Before jumping on the fee-based account bandwagon, credit unions need to review the options offered by checking product providers and consider the impact on the membership. While many of the fee proposals come with rewards and ways to reduce the fees, let's keep in mind our members who may ultimately bear the brunt of the cost recovery strategies even though Durbin sought to protect consumers with the interchange cap.