Personal Financial Advice from a former Certified Financial Planner
Credit unions and banks are both financial institutions that offer similar services such as checking accounts, savings accounts, loans, and credit cards. However, there are some key differences between the two that make credit unions a better choice for many people. Regulatory Foundations: A Brief Background Before diving into the …
Although checks are less commonly used than they once were, there are certain instances where writing a check is the only option, or just the better option. You can get a checkbook from the bank by ordering checks at your bank or credit union. However, that might be overkill if …
Payday loans have gotten a bad rap, and deservedly so. Payday lenders have behaved in a predatory manner. However recent payday loan rules and regulations have eliminated some of the worst abuses. While a payday loan should be no one’s first choice, when used properly, for the short-term only, a …
Waiting for your bank or credit union to raise the interest rate they pay you on your savings or money market accounts? Don’t hold your breath. Better Savings Interest Rates While the Fed kept interest rates at zero, most banks followed suit with their basic interest-bearing accounts, getting as close …
OK, here we go. The first big bank merger (or acquisition) since 2008 was announced today. It is significant for several reasons. Banks Are Back? As the financial industry imploded in 2008, it took the banks with them. It also exposed a lot of their shadier practices and brought out …
I’m going to do a whole series on this based on some questions I keep getting, but for now, here is the short version. A cashier’s check is a check drawn on the bank’s funds, instead of a person’s funds. As a result, such a check would never bounce, or …
If you know anything at all about personal finance, you know that big banks are financial institutions for big suckers. Right now, with interest rates at, a little bit over zero, everywhere, it isn’t as easy to tell, but big banks have never been good deals for average customers. Big …
After facing the biggest customer backlash in recent memory over its decision to implement a $5 per month use fee for customers using a Bank of America debit card, the banking giant has reversed course and announced that it will not charge the $5 debit card fee starting next year. …
The huge government bailout of banks during the height of the banking crisis was the cause of much concern and hand wringing. Among political types, the debate centered around the theoretical concepts of whether or not the government should be involved in propping up banks and whether or not such …