The recent financial crisis has revealed that Americans at all income levels exhibit difficulty in managing their finances and are ill-prepared to weather economic stresses.

Mainstream financial institutions have struggled to meet the needs of low-income families living paycheck to paycheck.

There are few affordable short-term, small-dollar credit products in the marketplace that meet borrowers’ immediate needs and that help put them on a path toward financial prosperity.

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.

An estimated 30 to 40 million American households are financially underserved. They lack access to the financial products and services that enable them to save, build assets, and achieve financial prosperity.

Low-wage immigrants are a particularly hard-to-reach segment of the underbanked population.

A credit score affects virtually every aspect of a person’s financial life—from buying a home or starting a business to the interest rate on credit cards.

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

In the face of today’s economic crisis, Americans have started saving again. And while saving could be a short-lived response to the crisis, the current impetus to save has created an opportunity for financial services organizations to lead the way in encouraging saving, especially those institutions targeting financially underserved consumers.

A unique model for regional, employer-based collaboration to increase the usage of basic financial services has emerged recently in Minnesota, with relevant lessons for companies, communities, and advocates nationwide.

Millions of lower-income consumers lack access to high-quality financial products and services that simultaneously meet their short-term needs and prepare them for long-term financial success.

Gain insights from this third annual event, including the importance of building relationships, understanding the underbanked market, and increasing our conversations around saving.