BANK TALK
Exploring the Finances of the Unbanked

Five Facts about the Business of Payday Lending

January 27th, 2012
  1. Today there are about 11,000 Starbucks in the United States but 19,700 payday loan stores. There were 2,000 payday lending stores in 1996.
  2. Lenders made $29 billion in loans last year. (more…)

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January 27th, 2012 10:15:10

Bank Notes

January 25th, 2012

NetSpend shines: NetSpend Holdings (NTSP) shares closed yesterday at $8.68. The shares closed at $4.02 on August 10th, 2011. In that short time, NetSpend’s share price is up 116 percent. This morning, NetSpend announced an agreement with convenience store chain (more…)


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January 25th, 2012 14:22:20

Connect the Dots from RedGear to H&R Block

January 24th, 2012

H&R Block owns the tax preparation software company that will channel financial products to tax filers in locations through the United States this year.

RedGear Technologies, based out of Utah, is a subsidiary of H&R Block. Block acquired RedGear a few years ago. RedGear’s primary product is TaxWorks, a tax software package designed to help preparers by offering (more…)


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January 24th, 2012 14:12:41

Two Banks will Offer Refund Checks

January 19th, 2012

Two small midwestern banks will be providing tax refund transfers during the upcoming tax season. The transfers are being marketed under the name “QIK Funds.” They will be offered by Citizen’s Bank and by New Capital Bank. New Capital is a division of Marshall County State Bank.

The refund transfer is a version of the refund anticipation check (RAC). The checks are (more…)


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January 19th, 2012 11:58:16

Magner v. Gallagher: The Sunset for the Disparate Impact Claim?

January 18th, 2012

The Supreme Court intends to hear a case whose effect could dramatically undercut most attempts to prove discrimination under the Fair Housing Act.

In Magner v. Gallagher, plaintiffs are petitioning the Supreme Court to reverse a judgment made by a lower appeals court that  nullified (are you following the triple-negative legalese?) a (more…)


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January 18th, 2012 12:55:18