State of Community Banks and Credit Unions and the Potential Role of the Dodd-Frank Act

The Dodd-Frank Act includes numerous reforms to strengthen oversight of financial services firms and consolidate certain consumer protection responsibilities within the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). To help minimise its regulatory burden on small institutions, including community banks and credit unions, the act exempts such institutions from several of its provisions. However, the act also contains provisions that impose additional requirements on small institutions. Historically, community banks and credit unions have played an important role in providing credit to small businesses and other local customers. This book examines the significant changes community banks and credit unions have undergone in the past decade and the factors that have contributed to such changes with a focus on the Dodd-Frank Act provisions that regulators, industry associations, and others expect to impact community banks and credit unions, including their small business lending.