Bankshot

Racism at the branch and in the workplace makes it harder for Black Americans to gain access to financial services. In the second episode of the Access Denied podcast, innovators and researchers from the fields of human resources, banking and wealth management explain how industries leave people out — and what needs to be done to change it.

A Federal Reserve-issued digital dollar could speed up payments, expand financial access and reduce financial crime. But it also brings trade-offs that policymakers are only just beginning to consider.

A disputed outcome could cause significant market turmoil in the coming months — and have far more serious repercussions over the longer term.

The fees have helped banks recoup costs of free or low-cost checking accounts for decades, but they can penalize low-income customers and drive them away from banking. Is there a better way?

For decades lawmakers have ignored broad structural flaws in the National Flood Insurance Program, which underpins millions of home mortgages. And the problem is only getting worse.

The stock market has reached record highs despite rampant unemployment, recession and a global pandemic. What gives?

With the USPS emerging as an election-year flashpoint, postal banking is an idea that could gain steam. But a number of proposals are out there, and they have widely varying implications for financial inclusion.

As the discredited Libor interest rate benchmark enters its last months, some banks are turning away from the repo-based alternative that regulators prefer. What could go wrong?

Regulators are urging banks to offer small-dollar loans again and lifting existing restrictions on nonbank lenders. But the real challenge is making those loans favorable to consumers without losing money.