Commentary

In October, the NCUA Board approved final revisions to Part 704, the regulation that governs corporate credit unions. The major changes in the regulation are in the areas of capital, credit concentrations, and credit risk. From corporates' perspective, the biggest accomplishments in the regulation include dramatic improvements in the following...

We live in an age of rapid technological advances that are continuously influencing the way we access and exchange information. Our use of the Internet, e-mail and new electronic devices condition us with a need for information on demand. Yet we find ourselves in line at the grocery store patiently...

When evaluating bill payment and home banking services, credit unions will be faced with two bill payment models, good funds and risk-based. While differing in how payments are made, both models are viable options that can be used to serve members effectively. Good Funds The good funds model can be...

While CUSOs wait for formal word from the SEC whether the agency will continue financial service CUSOs' license exemption under the Chubb Letter, now is a good time for credit unions to determine whether they will roll the CUSO's investment services back under the credit union's roof, or consider another...

Facilities are capitalized improvements that represent a significant portion of a credit union's operating budget. Even though depreciated, occupancy is a significant expense in a budget, generally just below personnel and information technology. Often, the facility is seen just as the home for staff and the place where members go...

The credit card portfolio debate gets more intense every week. Nearly every trade publication in recent months has included news about another organization planning to buy portfolios, another credit union selling their portfolio, or someone urging credit unions not to sell. With so many buyers and competition in the market,...

Vault access palm readers and ATM iris scanners. Welcome to the future of credit unions. Technology has delivered tools to the financial services industry that were once only imagined in the movies. As some credit unions blaze the technology trail installing futuristic gizmos and gadgets, how do you know what's...

How Since the beginning of the last century, how Americans planned for their golden years has changed drastically since the beginning of the 20th century. . Before the implementation of the Social Security Act of 1935, Americans who wanted to live comfortably needed to systematically put money away most often...