Lending

Ricky Beggs, vice president and managing editor for Black Book USA , a Gainesville, Ga., publisher of electronic and print valuation guides, gives the latest scoop on the used-car market. Each week, Black Book representatives attend more than 50 auto auctions nationwide, gathering data the company  uses to report values for... READ MORE

Mike Schenk CUs could lend an additional $10 billion to the nation’s small businesses. Small businesses are noticing the credit union difference. While other lenders have tightened or curtailed business lending, credit unions have increased it. Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. statistics show banking industry business loans increased only 8% in... READ MORE

Bill Klewin It’s time to rethink all your old lending assumptions. In my April 2008 column, I wrote about black swans. To refresh your memory, a black swan is a highly improbable event with three principal characteristics: 1) It’s unpredictable; 2) it carries a massive impact; and 3) after the... READ MORE

Dianne Molvig The cat-and-mouse game of card fraud has CUs and vendors scrambling. Fortunately, CUs can take steps to reduce fraud risk. In August 2008, the Justice Department indicted 11 people for allegedly stealing millions of consumers’ credit and debit card information from TJX, BJ’s Wholesale Club, OfficeMax, Boston Market,... READ MORE

Michael McLain NCUA changes prohibit certain credit card practices for FCUs. The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), Office of Thrift Supervision, and Federal Reserve Board issued final rules in December 2008 to better protect credit card users. The rules prohibit certain unfair and deceptive acts or practices, and improve consumer... READ MORE

By Bill Vogeney The economic conditions credit unions are experiencing today are unprecedented. Unemployment is climbing. Interest rates are falling. Home values and construction starts are declining. Weak sales threaten every auto manufacturer in the world. This being the case, why would you think the same old approach to managing... READ MORE

By John Wallace Have you recently repossessed or foreclosed on any collateral? Have your delinquencies increased during the past 12 to 18 months? If so, these are signs your lender liability exposure has increased. Given today’s increasing foreclosures, repossessions and collections, lender liability lawsuits likely will continue to rise. In... READ MORE

Steve Rick Common sense and vision chart a course for success in 2009 and beyond. Is there a silver lining for credit unions in the economic gloom and doom of the day? Yes, for those that navigate carefully, according to Credit Union National Association (CUNA) economists, who examined the state... READ MORE

Judy Dahl Eliminating paper saves time and money, helps the planet, and provides faster, better service to members. A thick sheaf of paper typically heralds each closed mortgage. It’s solid and real—but expensive, time-consuming, and environmentally harmful. That’s why mortgages at $4.8 billion asset BECU, Tukwila, Wash., now are paperless from... READ MORE

Steve Rick Excess inventory will dampen home prices throughout 2009. Many people are asking what the economy will look like in the coming months. Because the major cause of the current recession was the housing bubble bursting, any economic recovery will depend on revitalizing the housing market. Let’s look at... READ MORE