May 1, 2020 | Public Policy Blog, The Un- and Underbanked
By James Owen Cutting checks to 171 million Americans is no easy logistical undertaking. It gets harder when you don’t have direct deposit information for as many as 110 million.[1] That challenge is why you’ve probably tried to check the status of your refund on the...
Dec 17, 2019 | Public Policy Blog, The Un- and Underbanked
By James Owen Editor’s note: This is the second blog in a series aimed at understanding the what, where, why, and how of unbanked and underbanked households. If you love maps, this is the blog post for you. And if you like numbers, here are two important ones: seven...
Nov 14, 2019 | Public Policy Blog, The Un- and Underbanked
By James Owen Southern’s mission is to be wealth builders for everyone. If you’ve spent any time following our Twitter, Facebook, reading our blog posts, or participating in our community events, you’ve probably seen a post or had a conversation with a Southern...
Sep 19, 2019 | Public Policy Blog, The Un- and Underbanked
Most of us don’t think twice about how easy it is to access money. If you’re like me, it’s so easy you can do it before your first cup of coffee. Select, swipe, sip. But for too many Arkansans, just accessing their money is a challenge. Nationally, seven percent of...
Feb 28, 2019 | News, Public Policy Blog, The Un- and Underbanked
By Darrin Williams, Southern Bancorp, Inc. CEO As appeared in the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette on Sunday, February 24, 2019 The last week of February is a big week for savings in America and in Arkansas. It’s America Saves Week, and thanks to a recent proclamation from...
Nov 19, 2014 | Public Policy Blog, The Un- and Underbanked
As a Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) seeking to provide affordable and accessible financial services to Arkansans and Mississippians, a recently released FDIC survey on unbanked and underbanked households in America caught our attention. The study...
Sep 10, 2013 | Public Policy Blog, The Un- and Underbanked
In May 2013, Jackson Hewitt released a report showing nearly 8 million uninsured Americans who qualified for health insurance premium payment assistance would be unable to do so because they are unbanked, meaning they do not have a checking or savings account. Of...
Jul 19, 2013 | Public Policy Blog, The Un- and Underbanked
As state and federal officials prepare for the October 1, 2013 enrollment date of the Affordable Care Act, unbanked and uninsured residents within Southern Bancorp Community Partners’ targeted areas of Arkansas and Mississippi, as well as the rest of the country, may...
