<p>The Pew Safe Banking Opportunities Project, a project of the Financial Security Portfolio, develops and promotes standards for bank accounts so that moderate- and lower-income working households who are new to or have been left out of the mainstream banking system can find safe, affordable, fair, and empowering financial  products.</p> http://www.pewtrusts.org/news_room.aspx <p>A Forbes.com article on the plight of unbanked Americans cites Pew Health Group research on the correlation between bank accounts and savings among low-income Los Angeles families.</p> Tue, 31 Jan 2012 13:00:00 GMT http://www.pewtrusts.org/news_room_detail.aspx?id=85899369850&WT.rss_ev=f&WT.rss_f=Safe Banking Opportunities Project&WT.rss_a=What Will It Take To Save the Unbanked?&WT.z_contenttype=NewsArticle <p>Susan Weinstock, project director at Pew Health Group, is quoted by the New York Times' Bucks blog on the need for better bank fee disclosure. The blog discusses recent research from the Safe Banking Opportunities Project on the impact of hidden or unexpected bank fees on the working poor in Los Angeles.</p> Fri, 28 Oct 2011 12:20:00 GMT http://www.pewtrusts.org/news_room_detail.aspx?id=85899365784&WT.rss_ev=f&WT.rss_f=Safe Banking Opportunities Project&WT.rss_a=Fees Help Drive Working Poor From Banks&WT.z_contenttype=NewsArticle <p>An article on Time's Moneyland blog about a Pew report on the impact of hidden or unexpected bank fees on the working poor quotes Susan Weinstock, project director of the Safe Checking in the Electronic Age project at Pew Health Group.</p> Fri, 21 Oct 2011 09:25:00 GMT http://www.pewtrusts.org/news_room_detail.aspx?id=85899365482&WT.rss_ev=f&WT.rss_f=Safe Banking Opportunities Project&WT.rss_a=‘Gotcha’ Fees Force Customers to Quit Banks&WT.z_contenttype=NewsArticle Pew Study Shows Low-Income Los Angeles Households Face Significant Barriers to Maintaining Bank Accounts Tue, 18 Oct 2011 08:30:00 GMT http://www.pewtrusts.org/news_room_detail.aspx?id=85899365259&WT.rss_ev=f&WT.rss_f=Safe Banking Opportunities Project&WT.rss_a=Hidden or Unexpected Fees Cited as Top Reason Working Poor Close Bank Accounts&WT.z_contenttype=PressRelease <p>“Hidden or unexpected fees” were cited as the number one reason Greater Los Angeles’ working poor, those who are employed yet remain in relative poverty, closed bank accounts in the past year, surpassing job loss or lack of money, according to a survey of predominately Hispanic, low-income households.</p> Tue, 18 Oct 2011 08:30:00 GMT http://www.pewtrusts.org/our_work_report_detail.aspx?id=85899365257&WT.rss_ev=f&WT.rss_f=Safe Banking Opportunities Project&WT.rss_a=Slipping Behind: Low-Income Los Angeles Households Drift Further from the Financial Mainstream&WT.z_contenttype=Report <p>An article about a new Muncie, Indiana banking initiative cites research from the Safe Banking Opportunities Project about the cost of being unbanked or underbanked.</p> Thu, 24 Feb 2011 10:55:00 GMT http://www.pewtrusts.org/news_room_detail.aspx?id=328274&WT.rss_ev=f&WT.rss_f=Safe Banking Opportunities Project&WT.rss_a=‘Bank on Muncie’ Initiative to Help Residents Save More&WT.z_contenttype=NewsArticle <p>Eleni Constantine, director of Pew Health Group's financial security portfolio, was interviewed for an NPR story on alternative financial services and their impact on low-income and minority customers.</p> Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:26:22 GMT http://www.pewtrusts.org/news_room_detail.aspx?id=60509&WT.rss_ev=f&WT.rss_f=Safe Banking Opportunities Project&WT.rss_a=To Bank or Not to Bank&WT.z_contenttype=PewInTheMedia <p>An article from USA Today about the increasing popularity of check cashing services and their impact on the poor, quotes Eleni Constantine, director of the Pew Health Group's Financial Services Portfolio.</p> Wed, 11 Aug 2010 11:08:53 GMT http://www.pewtrusts.org/news_room_detail.aspx?id=60347&WT.rss_ev=f&WT.rss_f=Safe Banking Opportunities Project&WT.rss_a=Many Shun Bank Accounts but Pay More for Financial Services&WT.z_contenttype=NewsArticle <p>In a study conducted by the Pew Health Group, the organization found that half of lower-income families use alternative financial services rather than banks to manage their money, a decision both costly and unregulated.</p> Tue, 20 Jul 2010 11:50:00 GMT http://www.pewtrusts.org/news_room_detail.aspx?id=60121&WT.rss_ev=f&WT.rss_f=Safe Banking Opportunities Project&WT.rss_a=Report Measures Financial Habits of Low-Income Families&WT.z_contenttype=NewsArticle Terms and Conditions Page http://www.pewtrusts.org/terms_and_conditions.aspx