Ben Bernanke wants banks to make more loans in low-and-moderate income neighborhoods.

Bernanke offered that opinion during his speech today in Washington. When asked to comment about how lending could stimulate more business activity, he said “We at the (more…)

The day draws near to when Wells Fargo will decide if it is going to trigger a clause that would require Jackson Hewitt to make a substantial cash payment. The SEC appears to be taking an active interest in this issue.

In a January 11, 2011 letter, SEC Assistant Director Larry Spirgel sought answers to some specific questions that he felt were lacking in Jackson Hewitt’s March quarterly (more…)

Liberty Tax service provided a glowing update on its 2011 tax season with news that it increased volume by 11 percent and revenues by 12 percent year-over-year.

Their gains outpaced those reported earlier this month by H&R Block. Block said that it grew volume by 5.7 percent. Overall, Block’s fees dropped 2.2 percent, although they said that they made gains in the market of consumers with more complicated returns. That news bodes well for H&R Block Premium, a growing element in their portfolio which focuses on small business owners and middle-to-upper income clients.

Block seems to have hit on a new area of growth with its revamped online tax product.

Jackson Hewitt has an annual report for 2010, but no indication of their early season results.

While regulators have stopped a debit card program that came with a credit option, they are yet to issue any kind of guidance about the larger issue of credit itself.

We know that the Office of Thrift Supervision forced MetaBank to pull back its i-advance card. The OTS acted last fall after consumer groups decried its payday (more…)

While Bank of America has been able to differentiate itself in the media through its clever redesign of its overdraft policies, most banks have done little to change. A more reasoned review of the Bank of America method should come to the same conclusion.

I reviewed about 100 comments made by consumers to the FDIC during its 2010 rulemaking (more…)