Wisdom for Life from Children’s Stories
Chip Filson views recent mergers and bank acquisitions through the lens of children’s stories to ask the industry: when is it time to say enough?
States Weighing In on the Matter of Credit Union Purchases of Banks
State lawmakers in Colorado are doing something that members of Congress have refused to do. They have said that credit unions cannot buy banks. State legislators in Tennessee have said the same thing. David Baumann reports on the issue and whether other states may follow suit.
Credit Union Acquisition of Community Banks Rising, But Still “Small Proportion of Overall Consolidation”
Credit union purchases of community banks is a hotly debated argument, with bank and tax advocates arguing that it’s time Congress reassess credit union tax exemption, but credit union advocates argue it’s a drop in the bucket of bank consolidation.
Transparency: A Test for the Cooperative System
Chip Filson comments on transparency and credit unions’ ability and often motivation to keep members in the dark about their operations, and how they are learning this lesson from their regulator.
FOMO Business Decisions
In the age where good things go quickly and buyers need to act fast to get what they want, Chip Filson cautions credit unions from falling into the habit of purchasing banks out of FOMO instead of member focus.
What Credit Unions Can Learn from Morris Plan Banks
Chip Filson contemplates the old Morris Plan Bank model, its history, its eventual downfall, and why credit unions purchasing banks might be following in its flawed footsteps.
Current Whole Bank Purchases Illuminate Core Issues and a Glaring Deficiency
In a follow-up to his article on bank acquisitions, Chip Filson dissects four recent bank purchases made by credit unions and ponders the lack of transparency which he believes may suggest an unsettling trend.
Ten Questions for Whole Bank Purchases
Chip Filson urges credit unions to carefully review these ten questions before considering any bank purchase.
Banker—But No CU Official—to Testify at House Competition Hearing
A hearing on consolidation in the financial services industry will feature the perspective of the American Bankers Association, which has warned about the impact of credit unions purchasing banks, reports David Baumann of the Washington Credit Union Daily.
What Credit Unions Can Learn from Morris Plan Banks
Morris Plan banks, which began the same time as credit unions, were the original consumer bank lending success. Their growth far surpassed credit unions. There are none left today. Is there a message for credit unions seeking scale by buying whole banks in this example? Chip Filson looks into the now extinct banks.
