Register Now Available for Get Smart About Credit Day and Receive CRA Credit!
Get Smart About Credit Day is scheduled for October 21.  Throughout the month of October, thousands of bankers will reach out to local groups, teaching the responsible use of credit.  Without your help, many individuals could be saddled with debt that will take years to pay off.  Register now to attend one of two informational webinars scheduled for August 25 and September 9, designed to help presenters engage their audience and learn how to receive CRA credit for your participation.  Questions or comments about the program may be directed to Becca Beasley at rstover@azbankers.org.

Fake Check Scam Campaign Sign-up
Help AzBA combat check fraud by participating in a joint public awareness campaign with the Consumer Federation of America (CFA).  CFA will provide your bank with bulk quantities of a new English/Spanish language brochure about fake check scams at no charge (except for minimal shipping expenses) if you agree to have your tellers hand the brochures to customers who come in to deposit a check or money order of $1,000 or more or withdraw $1,000 or more. If you want to participate, please complete the partnership form and fax it to Susan Grant at CFA by November 1. With questions, contact Susan Grant at CFA, 202.265.7989, or Becca Beasley at AzBA, 602.258.1200.  View FAQs and the partnership letter for more information.

FDIC Insurance Increase made Permanent
On July 21, President Obama signed the Dodd-Frank reform bill into law, marking a historic and completed unprecedented time in the banking industry.  Among a myriad of uncertainty and 5,000 pages of legislation, bankers should be reminded that FDIC deposit insurance is now permanently increased to $250k. The increase is retroactive to January 1, 2008.

FDIC Approves Rule Extending TAG Program
As expected, the FDIC approved a final rule that will extend the Transaction Account Guarentee Program, which offers unlimited deposit insurance on non-interest bearing accounts, from July 1, 2010 to December 31, 2010.  The final rule also reduces from 0.50 percent to 0.25 precent the interest rates on qualifying NOW accounts offered by banks participating in the program.

Consumer Resource: National Money Night Talk
The first annual National Money Night Talk is on September 16.  This one night in the back-to-school window is designed to get parents talking to their kids about money.  Visit www.moneynighttalk.com to take the pledge to talk to your children about money on September 16.  You will also find age-appropriate toolkits and resources to help guide your discussion.  Together we can educate future generations on money management!