Through independent research and innovation, the Filene Research Institute explores issues vital to the future of credit unions and consumer finance.


Policy

  1. Important Advice for the CFPB

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    “My most important piece of advice to all you would-be writers: when you write, try to leave out all the parts readers skip.”
    - Elmore Leonard

    The supply of commentary on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) creation far exceeds its demand. This has to do not only with its implications on the way financial firms operate, but the heated discussions that usually arise when talking about any new governmental body. Political or professional reactions aside, we can all agree that, factually, the CFPB exists.

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    categories » Policy, Regulation and Deposit Insurance

  2. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac: Implications for Credit Unions

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    Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac: Implications for Credit Unions engages the work of legal expert David Reiss to break down the benefits, purported and real, that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac bring to the mortgage market and the credit union system. This research is critically important for credit unions, because:

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    categories » Policy

  3. Interchange Regulation: Implications for Credit Unions

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    When Jane Doe swipes her debit card for groceries, gas, or a book at the airport, little does she know that her behavior supports a whole ecosystem. The merchant certainly gets paid, but only after coughing up an interchange fee. But a provision in 2010’s financial reform legislation is sending a tremor through that ecosystem, directly affecting debit card issuers like credit unions

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    categories » Policy, Pricing