Interest in secondary capital is growing, and new strategies, larger loans, and precedent-setting decisions by the NCUA could dramatically change the way credit unions deploy it.

Three credit union leaders talk about tactics to keep lending in line with federal regulations.

With credit union acquisitions of banks on the rise, the ABA has gone on the offensive. Sound CU shares why its recent purchase of The Bank of Washington makes good business sense and its strategies for onboarding former bank customers, employees, loans, and more.

Four credit unions with deep experience in SBA lending weigh in on building an effective program that frees up capital and minimizes risk.

The NCUA’s new cybersecurity assessment tool is a handful, but there’s help at hand.

The regulator blames the victim while selling out credit union members when they need their credit unions most.

Salad and scotch isn’t the real issue at the regulator. The real issue is how it liquidated taxi medallion lenders and borrowers to top up its own budget with TCCUSF recoveries.

The regulator’s war on concentration risk belies the reality that all credit unions have niches and concentrations, and it's an excuse not to creatively seek workouts in the cooperative spirit.

Based on July traffic (and our editorial instincts), here are the top articles and blogs that appeared on CreditUnions.com.

Five can’t-miss data points this week on CreditUnions.com.

Shiny coin of $736 million does little to disguise the regulator’s $21.7 billion error at the cost to America’s credit unions.

Enterprise-wide awareness at Heartland Credit Union helps the Illinois cooperative stay in step with regulatory rule-following.

The industry is safe, but it’s not sound. Today’s political climate is right for the regulator to take on a new role as the movement’s champion.

Based on May traffic (and our editorial instincts), here are the top articles and blogs that appeared on CreditUnions.com.

The regulator kept the corporate crisis bailout money for itself, further undermining the pillars of the cooperative system. Does anybody care?

Options exist for many credit unions to hold public funds that boost liquidity while serving the community.

Credit unions headquartered in the Central Region reported more loan accounts per members than those headquartered in other states. In what other areas did these cooperatives excel?

Five can’t-miss data points this week on CreditUnions.com.

A half-century after he helped save public broadcasting, what can the TV icon, and my family friend, teach the credit union movement in its own moment of crisis?

Huge new reserves for the NCUSIF appear as if from nowhere while credit unions get peanuts from the corporate credit union bailout.

The NCUA board touts its payback to credit unions, but soaring reserves hide a different story.

Hike the Hill, demand change, join together to encourage state and federal lawmakers to step in and save the system from the regulators.

The regulator listens to no one but itself — keeping more and spending more while the FDIC shrinks. Now, the fund owners have the means to model the fund’s performance.

How will independent experts view the NCUA’s merger of the corporate credit union bailout leftovers into the share fund?

Creating future accounting fictions is at the core of the regulator’s rationale for paying itself more and returning less to credit unions.

Are you willing to get involved in saving the NCUA from itself and the credit union movement for future generations?

Keeping credit unions’ money for itself in the corporate bailout fund merger is the last straw — NCUA’s self-interest trumped its cooperative responsibility.

The NCUA does not need to keep credit union corporate bailout money, if the past is still prologue.

Free from congressional oversight, how will the still-independent NCUA answer calls for its own financial answerability?

The case for merging the TCCUSF & NCUSIF and how credit unions can comment on the proposal.

The regulator is offering a rare opportunity for input on how it handles billions in credit unions’ money, but the movement better move fast.

Merging the TCCUSF and NCUSIF is a good idea. But don’t let NCUA fool you into keeping $1 billion of your members’ money.

Five can't-miss data points featured this week on CreditUnions.com.

Here’s how and why to learn more and then speak out about the NCUA’s proposed merger of the corporate credit union and share insurance funds. Plus, attend our webinar.

Payouts to senior managers after the PenFed takeover of Belvoir FCU also show need for transparency.

Capital adequacy, asset quality, earnings, ALM, productivity, and growth underline quarterly financial performance for credit unions.

While the NCUA and the industry examines the merger process, maybe it’s time to consider providing a way for credit unions considering going away to save their value and re-deploy it for the common good.

A Keystone State credit union vanishes to merger but not without a fight.

A look at one recent merger shows how information shared and withheld can influence the outcome: the disappearance of yet another credit union with a proud, long history.

The proposed NCUA rule would require payoffs to take place in the open, exposing merger deals to transparency before members give away millions in equity and member value.

An NCUA webinar series relays tools and tips from which all credit unions can benefit.

Trade lobbies and compliance consultants say it isn’t just regulations that seem frozen, and what follows the thaw?

Five can't-miss data points featured this week on CreditUnions.com.

Five can't-miss data points featured this week on CreditUnions.com.

Industry attorneys add that banker lawsuit is not a reason to avoid applying under the new NCUA rule, especially as application demand ticks up.

The NCUA board chair's GAC speech may pave the way for a once-in-a-generation opportunity for the credit union movement to leverage the loosened shackles of regulatory reform. Are we up to it?

The NCUA’s board chair says his top priority in 2017 is returning to credit unions the several billion dollars they’re owed from the regulator’s bailout of corporate credit unions in the Great Recession.

Small Credit Union Roundtable kicks off GAC with diverse success stories, NCUA pitch for leveraging grant opportunities.

Merging the corporate credit union fund with the share insurance fund is an idea worth considering.

NCUA leader says expansion of acceptable bonds and other criteria for new membership markets is regulatory relief that doesn’t run counter to the Drumpf administration’s ban on new rules. Bankers have sued.

More than $8 billion of credit union money is tied up in and around the regulator’s bailout of the corporates, but little else is really known.

Something doesn't add up with the NCUA internal watchdog's report.

Four can't-miss data points featured this week on CreditUnions.com.

When the agency sets no measurable goals, it's hard for credit unions to hold it accountable.

The agency’s board ducks responsibility and shrouds in secrecy what’s happening with $3 billion in recoveries from the sellers of dubious private mortgage securities.

CFPB Director Richard Cordray tells Money 20/20 audience about his agency’s programs to encourage product innovation, within limits.

The NCUA could accomplish so much more by being open about how it plans to manage and distribute billions of dollars from the corporate credit union collapse and bailout.

The latest news should be good for credit unions invested in the failed corporates, but lack of regulator clarity makes it hard to know what's really going on.

Reactions vary as the credit union industry prepares for its primary regulator to add ‘S’ to CAMEL.

The regulator’s move may be first step of more relief to come.

Federal regulator grows its own budget instead of using credit union’s cooperative insurance fund as a collective resource to rehabilitate or resolve credit unions in difficulty.

The need for monitoring grows as does the bank account as another $161 million is added ahead of the fund’s 2021 shutdown date.

Day two at ACUC sees focus on polling, projects, the regulatory burden, and how to compete.

New regs would provide a safe harbor under NCUA rule, but some say the effects could re-define small-dollar lending and sharply reduce availability.

NAFCU conference attendees hear of hope for change in Washington, how size and gender matters in executive pay, and that risk management includes reputations.

While credit unions await payback, a look at the agency’s audit numbers for the past six years show its secretive rescue plan might have cost more than it saved.

Examiners expected to follow new mobile rules from joint regulator council.

Three critical questions about the corporate resolution plan to be addressed at this Thursday's board meeting.

Improving processes and building relationships with regulators are two ways credit unions can ease compliance pain.

The growing role of credit union service organizations in providing scale and expertise has caused increased scrutiny from the industry regulator.

Since the beginning of 2015, the NCUA placed a final ruling on 14 regulations. What are these regulations and how will they impact credit unions?

A review of NCUSIF audits show a rebuff of reality that marks seven years of building budgets while thwarting the fund’s intent to sustain and nurture.

NCUA chair Debbie Matz leaves the board as the movement prepares to live with burdensome new capitalization standards that data show nearly no credit unions currently run afoul of.

NACUSO conference points up innovative opportunities, regulatory challenges for collaborative entrepreneurship in the credit union model.

The regulator's drastic move is a troubling illustration of how the agency created to foster the movement’s safety and soundness is becoming a threat to its future.

With Ed, there was only one direct path to the goal. That path was either with you, around you, over you, under you, or through you. You could step aside or get on board.

Bipartisan support erases party lines for credit union advocates for regulatory relief.

Credit unions need to value service as much as profitability and be able to show it.

Agency rule seen as especially favorable for real estate lending as regulatory relief languishes on Capitol Hill.

Compliance dance card overflows in 2015 while credit union legal beagles see TRID and true changes in 2016.

One tech startup titan calls it quits while another touts hitting scale. Internet Archive FCU and CU Wallet see very different 2016s.

Huge transportation bill includes some credit union-friendly measures that may, or may not, be harbinger of more to come. Either way, they do provide some regulatory relief.

The digital feature is part of the agency’s new resolution process for credit unions and their members.

How will the agency’s ruling ultimately affect credit unions?

Not all dark waters as TRID changes take effect and HMDA changes announced, but much work remains.

Cost reductions, process efficiencies, and compliance comfort are some of the benefits of a holistic, vigorous new approach.

In this Q&A, Kristen E. Edmundson, vice president of audit and compliance at Purdue Federal Credit Union, shares her perspectives on pain points, best practices, and the future of vendor management.

Pacific Northwest Ironworkers FCU used a cash injection to ramp up lending and pull itself from the brink. Now, it’s posting peer-shattering numbers.

In 2010, Fairfax County Credit Union received supplemental capital from the U.S. Treasury. Here’s how it used those funds to improve the long-term health of the credit union and its membership.

Michael Wettrich, president and chief executive of the $90 million Education First Credit Union in Ohio, makes the case for supplemental capital at credit unions.

Supplemental capital is a useful tool that is long overdue; however, it is not without risk and potential complications.

Regulator welcomes recommendation for congressional action, says increased authority would benefit the industry’s ability to secure member data.

When it comes to influencing regulators, whether credit union bills make it into law is often not as important as the attention they attract. Here's an update on why.

Call it what you will, CFPB's promise to go easy on mortgage disclosure changes provides some temporary relief.

Learn how credit unions performed in first quarter 2015 and find new opportunities in today's encouraging economic environment.

Preparation, communication, and simple hospitality can go a long way toward making the grade with the regulator.

The deadline to submit comments about NCUA's risk-based capital proposal is April 27. This roundup of RBC2 commentary offers inspiration and suggestions for crafting a comment.

More than 1,000 credit union advocates from across the industry have made their voices heard. This selection of comments about NCUA’s revised risk-based capital proposal highlights drawbacks of the rule and underscores the importance of feedback.

Legal battle and years of uncertainty could follow a final rule like this.

Data from different sources documents discrepant views about the Temporary Corporate Credit Union Stabilization Fund.

This "fundamentally flawed" policy actually creates a capital problem.

Rick Metsger says the NCUA has a duty to protect the insurance fund against "material risks."

Like generals, regulators are always fighting the last war.

Much of the logic surrounding RBC2 is absurd, especially the idea that it offers any more protection than effective examination.

Reserves are different from capital, and with RBC2, credit union members pay the price.

The argument that existing capital regulations are ineffective just doesn’t hold water.

Systemic rules like RBC are always simplistic and inflexible, a kind of bureaucratic bludgeon.

The NCUA is proposing an invasive, possibly illegal solution to a problem that does not exist.

Callahan's research chief goes on the air with CUbroadcast to discuss why the NCUA board should vote against the agency's proposed risk-based capital rule and why credit unions need to lodge their comments now.

The Federal Credit Union Act requires the NCUA to submit an annual report to the President and Congress by April 1. Another year has come and gone with no report.

Reports show feds quietly raising bar on security and noting demographic differences in mobile banking and payments.

Credit unions should focus their efforts on persuading NCUA board member Rick Metsger to change his mind on RBC.

These credit union-ready memes offer a quick way to share a memorable comment via social media.

NCUA will assume it's all peachy-keen unless the agency hears from credit unions.

The annual performance of the share insurance fund is a real-world test of NCUA’s ability to identify future risk, document potential shortfalls, and accurately manage uncertainties.

Already commented once? Do it again. Haven't yet? Now's the time.

Current comment period should be just the beginning of constant contact with those who rule our world.

Yay or nay, the cooperative system needs your participation on matters of such consequence.

Call for comment gains urgency as April 27 deadline approaches.

Exercise your right and do the right thing for your members by commenting on the risk-based capital rule. It's your "vote." Make it count.

Ed Callahan passed away six years ago, yet his impact on the industry still resonates today.

Regulators and legislators promise reform to skeptical audience, plus other observations from four days in DC.

When will the NCUA pay attention to how the FDIC views risk-based capital?

Escape the circus and live beyond the limits of the imaginary lid. Comment on the RBC rule.

Learn how credit unions performed in fourth quarter 2014 and find new opportunities in today's encouraging economic environment.

Is making the NCUA look professional more important than debating rules before they're passed?

Industry preparing RBC commentary as NCUA rolls out annual regulatory review list with more to consider, and a deadline in August.

A new era of transparent debate and both sides of the story will be good for us all!

NCUA preaches member data protection, told to practice the same, as agency prepares regulatory response to California thumb drive mishap.

NCUA is setting an anti-democratic precedent in its repeated efforts to keep private the legal opinions about its public regulatory authority. RBC is one example. The CUSO rule is another. Will there be more?

How did the three board members and NCUA fare during the open meeting in which the agency released the revised risk-based capital proposal?

New Jersey de novo says it’s well capitalized but heavily restricted, and CEO has some suggestions for working together.

To craft an effective response, credit unions must understand how board members view the rule.

If NCUA implemented the role of the practitioners in the spirit of member participation, then the precedent could be an important milestone in how the agency works with credit unions.

A speech by the vice chair of the FDIC should be top of mind as the industry considers the new risk-based capital proposal.

Investment gains of more than $700 million prove the three liquidated corporates have always had positive capital.

The fact an examiner jeopardized sensitive data from $13.1 million Palm Springs FCU is appalling at so many levels.

Credit union leaders explain the difficulties of running an organization in the face of new regulatory challenges.

The ability to manage interest rate risk is another advantage of the cooperative model.

The proposed rule will not provide credit unions with more flexibility or additional tools to manage liquidity and interest rate risk.

The credit unions on NCUA’s risk-based capital panel have an opportunity to make a difference for the cooperative system.

NCUA's listening session should be a wake-up call for credit unions. Why does the regulator want to follow an ineffective banking model when the cooperative approach has proven time and again to be superior?

According to Wright-Patt Credit Union CEO Doug Fecher, risk-based capital should be a conversation between regulators and cooperatives, not a hard and fast rule.

Callahan's quarterly Trendwatch presentation is now available in its entirety. Learn how credit unions performed in 1Q14 and find new opportunities in today's economic environment.

Comparing home-based credit unions to buggy whips trivializes the modern quality services they provide to their members

RBC mandates a one-sided approach to financial soundness that requires credit unions to play only defense with no offense. No team wins that way.

NCUA has yet to provide a weighting for human error.

The 2013 annual audit of the TCCUSF shows credit unions are due billions of dollars in refunds. Now is the time for a thorough review of NCUA’s stewardship.

NCUA asserts home-based credit unions are "stuck in the past," but the fact these credit unions have an average charter length of 55 years and have survived the Great Depression, World War II, the Vietnam War, and the Great Recession tells a more meaningful story.

NCUA’s proposed rule to prohibit credit unions from operating out of private residences has wide-reaching effects not only for the 74 home-based federal credit unions but also for every credit union operating in this country.

The comment period on NCUA’s proposed risk-based capital requirement runs through May 28. Take inspiration from these credit union leaders when crafting a response.

With NCUA’s proposed risk-based capital rule, banks come out on top.

A panel discussion on the most comprehensive and consequential regulation ever proposed for credit unions.

Backtesting NCUSIF reserve expenses for losses shows no link to actual losses for past five years

Bank regulators vote to strengthen the leverage capital requirements for the eight largest banking organizations by taking an approach the cooperative model has used for more than 100 years.

NCUA chair Debbie Matz does not understand that in member-owner cooperatives, it is the consumer who decides what is relevant or not.

NCUA’s proposed RBC rule would double credit union capital requirements versus banks for common asset classes where risk weights are different.

An analysis of capital requirements for a bank and a credit union with the same asset size and composition.

First Tech FCU created a chief investment officer role to manage the multibillion-dollar institution’s investment portfolio.

NCUA's proposed rule not only presents an unbalanced portrait of the home-based credit union today but also overrides the right of a credit union to choose a different design and purpose.

Anecdotes and comments about NCUA home-based credit union rule demonstrate the power of the cooperative model.

Callahan's quarterly Trendwatch presentation is now available in its entirety. Learn how credit unions performed in 2013 and find new opportunities in today's economic environment.

When did a public hearing become a secret proceeding?

A credit union owner's analysis reveals a $357 million real loss of market value in the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund over the past 12 months.

NCUA overestimated losses on investments by $7.6 billion and now estimates it owes credit unions a refund of $1.9 billion in TCCUSF premium overpayments.

Timely data that provides transparency at all levels of system performance can be a significant, cooperative strong, advantage for credit unions.

If the tables were turned, how would an NCUA examiner respond to NCUA's own management of NCUSIF funds?

One NCUA examiner-turned-CEO offers advice and insight for credit unions looking to tackle regulator concerns head on.

How effectively are existing NCUA information and examiner resources being used?

The final CUSO regulation passed at the November board meeting took more than two years to develop and will not collect any meaningful information until early 2016.

NCUA’s November board actions and subsequent commentaries represent a lack of meaningful interaction between regulators and credit unions.

NCUA’s November board actions and subsequent commentaries represent a lack of meaningful interaction between regulators and credit unions.

At its October board meeting, the NCUA released a final liquidity rule to be put in place by March 2014

The standoff over government funding and debt ceiling is a warning for a credit union system that depends on outside liquidity providers.

As of June 30, 2013, the total of the reserves established by each of the five corporates prior to liquidation shows that $5.4 billion of combined OTTI write downs are still unused.

Opportunity for credit union owners of Members United and Southwest to recover some of the losses on portfolios.

The June 30, 2013, update of the U.S. Central Federal Credit Union securities shows that of the total $3.5 billion other-than-temporary-impairment (OTTI) future loss estimates, more than $2.3 billion is still unused.

Here are four different ways you can join the conversation about the need for an understanding of cooperative principles in regulatory leadership.

The results of the Co-Ops 4 Change "NCUA Survey" are in!

Co-Ops for Change is crowd-sourcing data on each corporate credit union’s portfolio that was taken to collateralize the NCUA Guaranteed Notes (NGN).

Credit unions are rediscovering the power of a community action website – a channel to encourage members to speak out and to participate on issues of common concern and interest.

As the first major Co-Ops 4 Change initiative winds down, support for the movement is taking off.

I’m number 3. We need 100,000. Why are we only 1% of the way there?

Just a quick update on our progress here at Arizona State Credit Union.

I’m not naïve to think this is going to be easy. But I’m also not going to let people count us out until we put up the good fight.

Having a background and deep understanding of cooperative principles is a very desirable attribute of any incoming NCUA Board member.

The future direction of the credit union movement depends on having regulatory leadership which understands both the industry and the cooperative principals by which we operate.

I’m number 3. We need 100,000. Why are we only 1% of the way there?

I have a great working relationship with NCUA but I think our industry is being confronted with the need to transform itself.

Now is the time for credit unions to ask critical questions about the soundness of the cooperative system.

Jay Murray, CEO of Mid-Atlantic Corporate FCU, shares his ideas for regulation reform at the annual Governmental Affairs Conference in Washington, DC.

Chip Filson, Chairman of Callahan & Associates, announced Monday a major initiative: A New Vision for Cooperative Regulatory Leadership for the 21st Century.

Chip Filson, Chairman of Callahan & Associates, shares his WhiteHouse.gov petition drive to change the way Washington selects NCUA Board members.

Chip Filson, Chairman of Callahan & Associates, announced today a WhiteHouse.gov petition drive to change the way Washington selects NCUA Board members.

What does the president’s cabinet nomination of the CEO of a cooperative mean for credit unions?

The writings of Michael Porter help us understand why NCUA's activities have discouraged the creation of member-owner value.

Lack of cooperative principles led to NCUA missteps during the financial crisis. Restoring those principles, widely tested through 75 years should, be our guide forward.

To promote the continuous evolution of the credit union charter and its multifaceted contributions to the country’s economic progress, a new cooperative regulatory structure is needed.

Credit unions themselves need to spearhead NCUA reform. Here are the reasons.

At the heart of credit unions is a new organizational model based in cooperative design. It should also be at the core of the regulatory system. A radical overhaul is called for.

Federal regulations govern a credit union’s subsidiaries, and the devil is in the details.

Will the NCUA board do the right thing for credit unions? Can NCUA evolve with changing priorities?

NCUA’s June 30 data confirms a turnaround at Arrowhead and prompts serious questions about the agency’s supervisory judgments.

Is NCUA fulfilling its fiduciary role in the oversight of the corporate credit union system?

In the light of day, NCUA’s disclosure that FIS received an information technology supervisory letter from the FDIC doesn’t appear threatening. Is that good or bad?

The CLF contains $2 billion of credit union capital. What kind of governance model for the CLF would allow credit unions to never depend on the kindness of strangers?

NCUA advises of its top priorities, but warns recommendations may extend beyond written regulations.

Examinations require an investment, and credit unions, CUSOs, and credit union members should have a clear set of goals for that effort.

NCUSIF’s audited financials can help credit unions evaluate NCUA’s management of the $11 billion in cooperative system’s capital.

NCUA testimony before the House Financial Services Committee leaves elected officials with serious questions about the agency's actions.

A summary of key provisions of the proposed action with commentary on what the rule will mean for credit unions.

A new audit shows the NCUA Corporate Resolution Plan cost credit unions almost $1.5 billion more than previously reported.

There has been no public accounting for the Temporary Corporate Credit Union Stabilization Fund for nearly two years. Where are the voices calling for light?

Surviving in a new economy requires successfully managing risk and satisfying new regulatory requirements.

To take the pulse of collaborative business lending, CUSP gathered three business lending CUSO CEOs to discuss the markets they serve, why experience is so important, and what consolidation means for the future of their businesses.

During Monday’s NCUA Board meeting, the Board took multiple actions that are significant for credit unions, their members, and the “full faith and credit of the U.S. government.”

Credit unions could use a dividend payment from the over-reserved share insurance fund to improve their balance sheets, make more loans, and help members in need.

NCUA’s new Board member must embody characteristics and champion efforts that are essential to the cooperative financial system.

August 2 proved to be a pivotal day for the country, for credit unions, and for NCUA.

Evaluating NCUA’s call for voluntary prepayment can be tricky, but here are some key factors to consider.

Henry Wirz, CEO of SAFE Credit Union, provides his recommendations for reform in the credit union system.

Use your democratic voice to demand more information on NCUA’s voluntary payment plan.

NCUA has been pushing due diligence when working with third-party companies, and cooperatives must approach new relationships with an eye for detail.

Many have heard that NCUA is setting its sights on CUSOs because CUSOs are playing a more important and influential role in the credit union industry.

The new request presents an opportunity for a vote of confidence on NCUA’s management of the corporate stabilization process.

The information contained in the analysis is so misleading it casts doubt on NCUA’s ability to understand the issue and its impact on credit unions.

Key metrics to evaluate your credit union and bridge the gap between macro trends and micro performance.

Systemic reform is necessary to satisfy the growing needs of members.

Operating expense to income, efficiency, members per employee: Three metrics to evaluate your credit union and bridge the gap between macro trends and micro performance.

How to redesign the NCUSIF for a 21st century credit union system.

When will the CLF return $1.9 billion in capital stock funds that belongs to credit unions?

Cost of funds, net interest margin, operating expense ratio: Three metrics to evaluate your credit union and bridge the gap between macro trends and micro performance.

The opportunity to address a fundamental flaw in the cooperative structure is available, the options are actionable, and credit union energy is pent up, ready for action.

Environmental and societal changes necessitate a strategic approach to growth. As credit unions expand profitability analysis, how do they toe the line between fiscal stability and duty to members?

Engaged Board members contribute to Guthrie's membership as well as its bottom line.

Fate has dealt difficult cards for consumers and institutions alike. How will credit unions show the way forward?

Callahan & Associates

What every Board volunteer needs to know to steer a credit union in 2011.

Understanding how to manage incentive programs creates smoother CUSO operations.

Credit union volunteers and leaders are working to change the financial landscape of America.   

The challenge of credit union literacy involves knowing who we are and how we got here.

Year-end data reveals how much, or how little, credit unions are participating in the NCUA Guaranteed Notes program.

Credit union volunteers must meet certain financial knowledge requirements. Shouldn’t the movement’s governing agency be held to a similar standard?

A healthy regulatory environment requires transparency, member representation, and member participation, all lacking today. The movement should take a hard look at the current situation determine what is not working and how repairs might be made.

It presents my belief that we have come to an impasse with the NCUA and with those who think our system is simply a “bank-lite” version of financial services. I make no secret how I feel about those who would sacrifice our system for quick fixes or political convenience instead of nurturing our collective capabilities to respond to the everyday needs of our members.

Credit unions are positioning themselves to acquire new locations and expand their branch footprint, all without sacrificing their cooperative values.

The Board-Management Relationship has changed; both sides understand more effort is needed and more is at stake.

Credit union CEOs need to urge their representatives to take another look now.

The perfunctory review shows there is no governance process controlling NCUA’s exercise of its authority.

There is a member story behind every loan, and credit unions are making a difference in lives across the country.  

NCUA's corporate actions require scrutiny. Here is an initial reaction.

The focus is an analysis of NCUA’s September 24 actions on the Corporate system and lessons to be drawn for future action. The information is to help you decide what these actions might be for corporates, natural person credit unions, your members and the American Financial System.

On June 25, NCUA put Arrowhead Credit Union into conservatorship. The confusing events that followed leave the Agency's motivations unclear.

The 2010 Technology Survey indicates most credit unions are increasing their technology budgets depsite a challenging earnings environment and uncertainty around NCUA assessments.

Credit unions have the ability to serve members through all financial times.  

NCUA’s 0.124% NCUSIF premium announcement follows this logic: Things are bad because we said so. Therefore, we’re taking this premium action because things are bad.

The world is watching. A phrase from the '60s that is applicable to upcoming credit union events.

An interview with Chip Filson about Callahan’s upcoming webinar discussing the credit union opportunity in 2010 and 2011.

Is the Regulator about to disrupt the current Corporate recovery and impose a new solution?

In late July, Inland Empire community leaders sent NCUA a letter about Arrowhead’s conservatorship. On August 10, NCUA responded but failed to address the writers’ chief concern — when will they get their credit union back?

The credit union says it is seeking its constitutionally guaranteed due process from NCUA.

With three hurricanes brewing in the Atlantic, we look back to one of the most disastrous storms to ever hit the United States and how today's credit unions are building on the strengths that were revealed during that horrible time.

Five years ago, I forecast that Katrina could cost the credit union system up to $2 billion. How wrong I was!

A Senior Examiner presented the Agency’s latest slide deck on the state of the credit union system and the focus of upcoming exams. One CEO, due for an exam, wrote me in reaction to the slides.

Our current climate is not only a time of opportunity but also a time for action.

A complaint filed by Kappa Alpha Psi FCU suggests its liquidation runs deeper than regulatory obligation.

A new section of Southeast Corporate’s website gives members an outlet to speak out about the value their Corporate provides.

Inclement weather and regulatory action are shaking up the country from coast to coast.  

Session will focus on results, circumstances surrounding delayed release of audits

The Fed’s recovery strategy increases attention to small businesses. Is the credit union system aligned in meeting this need?

Should Regulatory Policy Make Temporary Failure a Permanent Condition?

Recent regulatory actions make it critical to understand how credit unions — and the system in which they operate — are different from banks.

Critics of the credit union charter say it's been struck a fatal blow by economic troubles. They're wrong.

The passage of the Durbin Amendment likely will give big merchants the power to dictate consumer finance, just as they did in the 1950s.

Long-term retention of top executives helps credit unions avoid the scramble of leadership recruitment.

Consumers are Spending, Legislation is Agreed Upon, and FDIC Sits Tight

Independence Day celebrates not only our freedom but also the many efforts and sacrifices made to achieve it. The price is eternal vigilance.

We know how the NCUA plans to repay an $810 million draw it took earlier this month. Unfortunately, still unanswered is what the agency plans to do with that loan.

Cash flow from the legacy assets are an important factor in the financial healing of the corporate system.

The fund reports a $186 million positive variance to budget.

Hershey Federal Credit Union was hit with the impact of financial troubles before 2009 and worries about growth and regulation in the upcoming years.

Over the course of 2009, many new regulations came about that have an impact directly on credit unions.

A glimpse at the cheer worthy, jeer worthy, and tear worthy stories for the week of March 29, 2010.

With everyone wanting and urging increased lending, why isn’t it happening?

Arizona State Credit Union CEO, Dave Doss talks about how the credit union saw trouble in 2008 and in turn began to tighten its belt early.

A glimpse at the cheer worthy, jeer worthy, and tear worthy stories for the week of March 22, 2010.

A glimpse at the cheer worthy, jeer worthy, and tear worthy stories for the week of February 15, 2010.

To help credit unions make the most of their time in front of lawmakers – both national and local – we’re providing a three-pronged attack for political persuasion, as well as a 60-page resource of articles and insight from Chip Filson.

NCUA seems not only at cross purposes with credit unions, but completely out of touch with the dominant priorities of the Administration.

NCUA should think less about “being in control” and more about working cooperatively to shape a system for the future.

Wanting to “be in control,” NCUA runs the risk of cracking the cooperative system. Rather the agency should work more with credit unions to shape a cooperative system for the decades ahead.

NCUA’s proposed new corporate rules leave managers confused: Would investing in the reconstituted corporates be prudent? Right now, no one could be sure.

It is almost a year since the NCUA took over WesCorp and almost two years since NCUA published an audit. Whatever happened to "honest numbers"?

"Find a bright spot and clone it. That’s the first step to fixing everything from addiction to corporate malaise to malnutrition."

So is the 2008 Report just missing in the Agency bureaucracy or is this a more serious situation? And why is this issue so important in the midst of multiple responsibilities? An allegorical Sherlock Holmes sets out to get the answers.

Credit unions accounted for the NCUSIF Stabilization Expense in numerous different ways. Now the recently announced assessment for ASI credit unions adds another layer of complexity to this issue.

WesCorp staff, like all corporates, has been devoting much time and resources to analyzing the proposed 704 corporate rule. Read the logic behind their analysis and why NCUA should allow this information to remain public.

What do the proposed regulations mean for your credit union and your corporate? Will this rule create the corporate system in which your credit union will invest?

The crisis now facing credit unions is best solved not with an “insurance” mindset but a capital one, keeping credit unions operating and growing.

Insurance funds like the FDIC were set up to pay off relatively small claims, not solve problems during systemic failure. NCUSIF in 1984 and the CLF were set up differently, with capital. The financing now facing credit unions is best solved not with an “insurance” mindset but a capital one.

Deborah Matz had called the monthly meeting of the NCUA board to consider several proposals including the highly anticipated release of the detailed corporate regulatory proposal. However, the full proposal is currently available on CreditUnionsRising.com.

Leaders of all the organizations within the credit union system are stewards of a mutually endowed legacy. That legacy includes financial and physical resources, but it also includes the values and promises to each other that were the basis for accumulating the resources in the first place.

On Friday, October 9, CUNA and NAFCU announced they were in agreement on a proposal to send to NCUA. However important this option will be in the evolution of the credit union system, it is not the most important capital priority for NCUA or the credit union system.

While participants spoke on a variety issues, four key issues seemed to resonate most often in their comments and questions. Here is a summary of these issues and selected comments from attendees.

Confusion surrounding how credit unions should report the NCUSIF impairment leads to significant reporting inconsistencies.

In June we finally got a glimpse of the full PIMCO analysis of the corporate credit union system, only to find that little of their actual methodology was revealed.

Last Thursday's, September 24th, NCUA Board meeting demonstrated the need for the Board to start asking some tough questions about numbers being presented to justify Board actions.

While short-term problems still exist, the Agency can participate in a mutual effort to create a credit union system for the 21st century. That priority would be a refreshing start.

The following is an edited version of remarks by NCUA Chairman Edgar F. Callahan and General Counsel Wendell Sebastian from two talks to credit union managers and to the credit union press. They discuss the capitalization plan and what credit unions have to do to make this new insurance system work.

NCUA’s abrupt change from collaboration to dictate, accompanied by the dramatic escalation of immediate expense write-offs, sent shock waves across credit union land.

Credit unions and auditors are taking a range of approaches to expensing the NCUSIF assessment.

Listerhill Credit Union does not miss a beat in getting back to serving members after NCUA's decision.

The fundamentals remain good, but Meritrust CU is keeping a sharper eye on the financials after NCUA's decision.

Financial Partners is making sacrifices, lowering rates, and raising some fees, but its service holds onto members.

When the White House announced its intention to nominate Deborah Matz to the NCUA board and appoint her Chairman, a whole new world of possibilities was created. These include actions responding to the current crisis as well as whatever might accompany a change of leadership at NCUA.

The last time Brooke spoke to Bill Clinton, she interrupted him to say: “But this credit union thing is all messed up. We’ve got to get that fixed.” Those are our marching orders.

NCUA’s description of the corporate problem dramatically changed tone after the initial January announcement. It has also gone back to rewrite the past. However, there is one solution that could unite the industry.

Rather than matching investment losses as incurred, either from payment defaults or bond sales, NCUA has required all credit unions to expense today these loss estimates which go out years into the future. Chip Filson proposes a better solution, one that is consistent with how cooperatives generate capital, that is from future earnings.

When one looks at the recent NCUA initiated legislation now incorporated in HR 1106, the “Helping Families Save Their Homes Act of 2009,” the proposal certainly feels like a white elephant. Here’s why.

Educate yourself on the corporate issue with a compilation of Chip Filson's latest articles, webinar and press conference.

The credit union industry faced dramatic revelations at the onset of 2009.

On Tuesday, March 31st, Chip Filson hosted a press conference to review his assessment of NCUA's actions after the Conservatorship became final overnight. This is his full press statement.

A follow-up interview with Chip Filson about events following NCUA’s conservatorship by CUtv’s Hunter Moss

When Ed Callahan went to NCUA in 1981, the Illinois Credit Union League presented him with a framed memento to hang in his DC Office. The sign read: “We don’t run credit unions.” This wisdom was forgotten when last Friday, NCUA put itself in charge of the two largest Corporates with total assets of over $60 billion through conservatorship.

The industry is deeply concerned about the numbers used in taking the decisions to conserve Wescorp and US Central. I would like to explain the basis for this concern. I have attempted to describe the situation in a way that a lay person, the press, or any other interested party might understand the implications from the conclusions you reached.

NCUA has provided the architecture to address the corporate network’s collective possible losses. Simultaneously it has set in motion at lease five processes to minimize those losses while maintaining full daily corporate activity and evaluating all future options.

Just days after NCUA acted in January, Chip Filson hosted an open call on its actions. This video clip provides Chip’s interpretation of NCUA’s actions and what it means for the industry.

NCUA announced that $5 billion was necessary to position the Agency and the credit union system to deal with potential losses from Corporate Credit Union investments.

The landscape for the credit card processing market for credit unions is changing as new options are developed for the industry.

Vendor management has become a hot topic over the past year as the risk associated with vendor relationships becomes increasingly apparent.

Norm D'Amours should be relieved of his powers as chairman of the NCUA. If he does not have the decency to resign, President Clinton should replace him as chair with either of his other two appointees. The President should also ask for D'Amours' resignation from the Board -- it is time for him to leave the federal regulatory body of the credit union movement in this country.

The Federal Credit Union Act charges a credit union's board of directors with responsibility for the credit union's investments and permits the board to delegate this authority to an investment committee. However, the draft of the new Rule 703 covering investments for natural person credit unions, appeared to require the board to have a thorough knowledge and more direct involvement in investment decisions. This was the intent attributed to phrases in the proposal such as "consistent with NCUA's intent to place more responsibility with credit union boards ..." and requiring that "board of directors fully understand the potential risk characteristics of its investment options." This wording prompted concern among credit union staff and boards. How much knowledge did directors need? Would volunteer directors have to follow the markets daily and master the lingo of bond traders?

Sometimes the best advice is to do nothing.

I feel the wind blowing, and it's blowing in favor of monopoly. You can feel it in telecommunications; you can feel it in banking. It's an ill wind. Look at telecommunications.