A recent study by the American Enterprise Institute examined how community banks are faring under Dodd-Frank and found that banks under $10 billion in assets are bearing significant burdens from CFPB rulemaking, new mortgage lending rules and the Basel III capital requirements. The study projected that many smaller banks will either close or merge due to falling profit margins, resulting in greater concentrations of assets among larger banks and inadequate services for “small businesses and individuals who do not fit neatly into standardized financial modeling, or who live outside of metropolitan areas served by larger banks.” The study concluded: “Neither of these outcomes will protect consumers, the financial system, or the recovery of the American economy.”