A person’s age plays a significant role in their willingness to utilize the convenience of banking online. Weekly trips to the bank were part of the normal routine throughout the working years for many older people and the thought of accessing a bank account through a computer is simply beyond comprehension. The fact remains, long lines in a brick and mortar banking...

A credit card is not more than a small piece of plastic but it has the power to transform your life. It is the key to a better lifestyle and higher standard of living albeit at a cost. You can spend more than you earn and keep paying off the amount with the passage of time. All in all, it seems like the best possible deal you would find. But this is not the case. Credit...

New research from the Principal Financial Well-Being Index shows that the economy is the greatest source of stress for Americans, followed by their personal finances, job and health. According to the 52 percent of retirees and 42 percent of workers, the cause of a high stress level is the economy, while according to the rest 30 percent of retirees and 34 percent of workers,...

Are you ready for the next move in the war on consumers? Banks are preparing to institute debit card fees in response to the caps that are about to go into effect. Tomorrow marks the day when a cap on debit card fees charged merchants will go into effect. Banks stand to lose billions in fees – even though the modified rules aren’t as limiting as those originally proposed. Banks...

Many of us have come to rely on debit cards. They are convenient methods of payment, working like credit cards — and accepted where credit cards are used. You can swipe your debit card quickly and easily, without worrying about paying interest; your money comes right out of your checking. And now, banks are betting on the fact that you will want to keep the convenience...

One of the items that has been in the financial news a lot lately is the effort to come to an agreement on caps to swipe fees on debit cards. While originally proposed at 12 cents, the new swipe fee announcement puts the fee at a base rate of 21 cents, with the ability to tack on a little extra for fraud protection. These new rules could already be heralding the end of...

No doubt, you are aware that Fair Isaac, the company that markets the FICO score, is a leader in consumer profiling. After all, the company offers numerous scores, from a special mortgage score to an “expansion” score meant to help those without traditional credit loans be evaluated by the way they make utility payments and rent payments. Now, though, FICO...

Many of us assume that when we want to open a bank account, it’s a simple matter. After all, we aren’t borrowing anything; we should be able to open a deposit account with minimal fuss. While many financial institutions will let you open a deposit account with the identification information required by law, and by answering a few questions, others will add another...

There has been a lot of hand wringing lately by banks. Regulations are in effect, and soon, a debit fee interchange cap will be instituted. Big banks, which have been enjoying big profits since many of them repaid their TARP obligations, are complaining about lost revenues. And, in order to recover some of the money they say they are losing as a result of regulations and...