Summary of Lisa Servon's The Unbanking of America

Please note: This is a companion version & not the original book. Sample Book Insights: #1 The world has changed since I opened my first bank account as a child. Today, I do most of my banking online at odd hours. For my children, going to the bank means popping over to the nearest ATM to get cash. #2 The consumer financial-services system, which consists of mainstream banks, alternative financial services, and informal practices such as saving in structured groups of friends or coworkers, is broken. Americans lack safe and affordable financial products and services when they need them most. #3 While some have chosen to leave banks, others have been pushed out. Major banks and credit unions rely on private-sector databases such as ChexSystems to keep track of how consumers handle their deposit accounts. This is how these databases work. #4 While people try to adapt to these changing situations, policymakers’ view of personal finance has remained static. They insist that a formal relationship with a mainstream financial institution will improve the lives of those who are unbanked or underbanked.