Faster payments mean a vendor getting paid by its customer quicker, or getting a P2P transfer into the recipient’s bank account the same day. Automated Clearinghouse (ACH), the network that connects every financial institution, and makes payroll deposits, bill pay and business settlements possible, has been undergoing changes in phases. The phases represent incremental steps in the process to shorten the length of time it takes to make payments, from days to hours. The third phase of this transition went into effect March 16, 2018, and credit unions and their members, especially business owners, need to be aware of the impact. 

In keeping with the tradition started last year, where we scored how well we did on the previous year’s predictions, here is a look at what we thought was going to happen in 2017, versus what really did.

ThePaymentsReview introduces a new feature, which will occasionally highlight regulatory topics important to credit unions.

[Editor's Note: This article was previously published on CU Insight, and has been modified.] 

Credit unions typically incorporate minimal fees, deriving most of their non-interest income from interchange on credit and debit portfolios. As the income from interchange declines, some credit unions look to fees to replace that revenue. What fees can be charged is, in part, limited by “Reg Z”.

Thanks to recent NCUA changes to open up and simplify member business lending.

Focus will be on the future of payments. Featured presenters announced.

CSCU announced the theme and featured presenters for the CSCU 2017 Annual Conference.  This year’s conference will focus on the future of payments and will provide the insights and direction that credit unions need to be ready for the many technological advancements coming soon that will impact their institutions and their relationships with members.

“CSCU has held an annual meeting for over 25 years and for the first 20 of those, the payments industry did not change that much,” says CSCU president, Bob Hackney.  “During the past five years the industry has been inundated by countless new technological innovations changing the way members pay for their products and services and connect with their financial institution.  The payments landscape is rapidly evolving and can be interesting to look at, but it also has created a lot of confusion so we designed our 2017 conference to address how the changes today and in the future will impact credit unions.”