Financial health means having day-to-day financial systems in place to manage income and expenses. It means having resiliency against unexpected shocks in the form of accessible financial options to handle ups and downs.

The United States financially underserved market generated $89 billion in fees and interest in 2012, representing growth of 8% from $82 billion in 2011.

From the U.S. Financial Diaries: Learn how and why short-term savings matter, especially for people in the United States who are earning unsteady incomes and facing unforeseen financial challenges.

U.S. Financial Diaries: Ahmed and Shaila Hossain are immigrants from Bangladesh who moved in 2010 to Queens, NY, where there is a large Bangladeshi community.

In this case study, the Center for Financial Services Innovation looks at the steps Regions took to create and implement products and services for the underserved, and why it is important to the bank to serve this customer segment well.

Banks and credit unions can and should be doing much more to support consumer credit building – and, importantly, they can do so in ways that align their own success with the success of their customers.

When Patrice Peyret started Plastyc in 2006, he saw an opportunity to help people outside the mainstream economy participate in better and more cost-effective financial services.

The current economy has spawned renewed examination of the market potential for secured credit cards.

Low-income underbanked consumers typically lack sufficient savings to cover short-term needs or unexpected expenses—let alone to build a nest egg for longer-term goals.

This paper outlines some of the major themes which emerged during Fourth Annual Underbanked Financial Services Forum, in 2009, inlcuding an exploration of the heterogeneity of underbanked market segments

Learn how the increased scrutiny recently placed on the payday loan industry has underscored the need for innovation and motivated financial services providers to develop solutions.

This paper discusses the implications of stored value cards for unbanked and underbanked consumers, exploring positive effects such as the potential to build assets and improve credit records.