Public Policy
Make a Pledge to Save
By Janie Ginocchio We’ve recently talked about taking advantage of a new savings opportunity in Arkansas by using split direct deposit for state tax refunds, and in previous blog posts we’ve talked about making a New Year’s resolution to save as well as best practices...
New Pandemic Relief Bill to Help CDFIs Serve the Underserved
On Dec. 21, Congress passed a pandemic relief and economic stimulus bill that includes $12 billion for Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFIs) and Minority Deposit Institutions (MDIs) to help ensure funding reaches very small businesses and communities...
Take Advantage of Tax-Time Savings Opportunities
By Janie Ginocchio In April 2019, we announced that Gov. Asa Hutchinson signed Act 774 of 2019, which required two direct deposit lines on the state income tax form so you could split your state refund into two bank accounts. This year, we facilitated the passage...
Tax Time is Savings Time in Mississippi
Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves signs a proclamation designating Mississippi Saves Week. Last week, Governor Reeves signed HB 597 into law, adding a second line for savings for the 2021 tax year. By James Owen Mississippians have a powerful new tool to save money,...
Southern Bancorp Statement on CFPB Decision to Remove Payday Lending Rule
On July 7, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) announced that it had revoked the mandatory underwriting provisions of the 2017 Payday Lending Rule. This removed the requirement that payday lenders first determine a potential borrower’s ability to repay...
Meet ALICE
By Janie Ginocchio You might be thinking, “I only know one person named ALICE and she’s my 86-year-old great aunt.” That’s surely true, but what’s true, too, is that ALICE is your waitress at your favorite diner, the lovely people who help you get your groceries to...
Economic Impact Payments: How a Digital Economic System Can Leave the Unbanked Behind
By James Owen Cutting checks to 171 million Americans is no easy logistical undertaking. It gets harder when you don’t have direct deposit information for as many as 110 million.[1] That challenge is why you’ve probably tried to check the status of your refund on the...
Talking about Poverty: Chained CPI
Editor’s note: This is one in a series of blog posts to critically examine how poverty is defined, measured, and talked about, and how those conversations influence public policy. The economic ramifications of the COVID-19 pandemic have brought how the U.S....
Building Wealth and the CARES Act: Some Points to Remember
By James Owen Building wealth doesn’t happen overnight. But over the next few days, you’ll likely have to make some decisions that could help you build long-term wealth. In late March, Congress passed the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act....
Banking the Underserved at the Speed of Trust
It’s easy to miss important parts of the Delta. At first glance, a juke joint could be mistaken for a roadside shack. A flooded field is actually the start of a productive rice crop. And a neon-lit payday lender might be a debt trap. Also perhaps overlooked, immigrant...
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