Tag Archive | "Bank Accounts"

4 ways to Handle a Financial Windfall

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When you get a sudden wealth from some source like sudden inheritance from any of your relative or by the means of any lottery program, it is a matter of joy no doubt, but at the same time such winnings are accompanied with a lot of social and economic issues. These can be:

  • Destroying your life style badly.
  • You stop caring about the things
  • You may also loose your some of your close friends and relatives.
  • It can quickly spiral into a living nightmare

These circumstances result in bad consequences and under their influence there is also a possibility that you may lose your wealth along with your close friends, family and health and this is a true disaster.

But if you understand the psychology of this sudden wealth, it can really help you to take certain right steps to protect and preserve this money, saving your lifestyle and your friends, family and health. For handling a windfall, keep in mind the following steps to profit yourself.

Affects of money on your behavior

If you are lucky enough and a huge amount of money from some where, this luckiness can be accompanied with certain irrational behaviors, for instance:

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Can Online Hackers Steal Your Money

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Online hacking of bank accounts has become quite common nowadays. Banks are offering secure online banking to their customers. But despite these efforts online hackers remain at large. Many believe that it would be best to avoid online banking.

Threat

Online hackers are a serious threat and problem in the United States. They cost Americans millions of dollars, every year. Banks are trying desperately to protect accounts from these hackers.

Statistics

The Internet Complaint Centre has provided some statistics. They report that Americans lost about $559 million to thieves. This loss took place during the year 2009.

The Biggest Problem

Bank Trojans have been reported as being the biggest problem. These are malicious codes designed specifically designed for banking fraud. They cause problems to people who bank online.

Bank Trojans are invisible and can steal multiple types of data. This includes passwords as well. Advanced Bank Trojans can also make fraudulent transfers.

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Private Banks Offer Extra Services to Wealthy Clients

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All of the consumer banks have a private banking division that offers quite desirable benefits to their wealthy clients. Such clients with their fat accounts get excellent rates and the best customer services from the bank. “I always told (my clients), ‘Don’t go to the branch; I’m your teller. You need a check cashed? You need checks ordered? Call me,’” says Michael Baughman, who previously worked for a private banking division of consumer bank BB&T, based in Winston-Salem, N.C.

Banks hunt these affluent customers, because they engender a great and repeated business from them.

Perks of Private Banking

Private banking advantages start with a special service for banking errands like opening CD accounts or administering checking accounts.  It is like a service by a five star restaurant. For such type of clients, there are higher rates on deposit products. They also get easy sanction for mortgage refinance.

In banks for private banking clients, everything is flexible including the various fees and service charges.

Who is Invited

Some of the private banking divisions obtain their customers generally by incitement.

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Benefits of Opening a High Yield Online Saving Account

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Do you have an online high yield saving account? Till now, if you don’t; you must have it. Following are the reasons which support this decision:

Automatic Savings

Most of the online banks allow you to have automatic savings. The mechanism is to drag a preset amount by a stipulated time to be pulled into your online savings account. This arrangement may be either from your checking count or from your paycheck in case of direct deposit.

Hence there will be an automatic saving without letting you spend it. It may be a small amount, but just think; how much it will add up to over a period of time. Furthermore, you will also earn interest on this saved money.

Very Little Interest on Brick and Mortars

Now banks don’t offer a reasonable rate of interest to lure you for opening an account. The interest rate that I am getting as Annual Percentage Yield in one of my checking account is just 0.20%. It is really negligible.

Out of Sight, Out of Mind

In many of the Brick and mortar accounts, your checking and savings are available are from an ATM. When you are short in your checking account, you transfer it from your savings. On the contrary, you cannot access your online savings at an ATM. Consequently,

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How to Avoid Checking Accounts Fees

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A majority of consumers prefer to have a free checking account. It is desired, as you don’t have to keep a balance or bound to write a fixed number of checks on monthly basis. Some of the banks allow you to open a free account, if you deposit a check on regular basis. This could be a payroll check or government check.

Few of the institutions may require a definite minimum balance or free checking. If you feel comfortable with these terms, then you may not feel reluctant to open the account. One of the ideal methods to shun the charges is to search for the appropriate account for you.

There may be ample of charges allied to a free account. You can get away with many of these by adopting good checking practice.

Non-Sufficient Funds

The non-sufficient or NSF fee is one of the most costly one that you come across with. The right administration of your checking account will help you in avoiding the overdrawing. You may build up a mechanism, so that you don’t forget to subtract ATM or check card debits.

If you own a joint account and feel disturbed that the other user doesn’t have ideal bookkeeping skillfulness, then apply for an overdraft security at the bank. The bank will connect your checking account to the other account you have with them and take away the overdrafts from the other account. You have to pay some charges, but it much less than that of NSF Fee.

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Types of Checking Accounts

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Banks are offering many types of accounts according to the client’s demand. Following are some perfect ways to protect your money in your account and also the implemented tactics for a bounced check. A new law has made all the difficult things easier, although it is critical to keep your account with a good repute.

Banks and accounts

Banks know very well how to work on their strategies. They attract customers with wealthy gifts, bonuses and different innovative packages to force them to open a checking account with their own will. The most important thing is that the checking account you just chose to open meets all your requirements very cheaply.

It is quite a difficult task to select a checking account; one must be very careful as there are many types of such account, especially when it comes to your choice and need. Carelessness can lead to the wrong sort that might not match your needs. Be specific to avoid extra charges for which you will regret.

Types of bank accounts

The popular checking bank accounts are:

  • Basic
  • Free
  • Interest-bearing
  • Joint
  • Express
  • Lifeline
  • Senior/student
  • Money market Read the full story

What Happen When You Withdraw Investment Early?

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Investing your money in a deposit certificate is a good way to invest your money. Because you get regular income from your investment. But  do you know that you can lose your interest and a part of your money if you withdrew your investment before it matures?

Withdrawal penalties

Banks discourage early with drawl of investments from their investment schemes. Their penalties are stiff on early with drawl. They are going to charge 365 days interest on investments of 36 months or longer periods due to early with drawl.

Federal law also protects their actions. According to Federal Law, a minimum penalty of seven days interest is legal on cash deposits that are cashed out within first six days after deposit.  Banks are free in declaring their own penalties on with drawl of investments after seven days. There are no restrictions on banks in this field.

The early with drawl penalties can be understood in an example. Suppose that you had invested your money in an 18-month deposit certificate. Four months have passed. Now you have decided to with draw your money. In this case, the bank will impose a penalty of six months’ interest on you. So you will lose a part of your investment instead of gaining something from it due to early with drawl.

Some banks are imposing stiffer penalties on early with drawl of money. So be sure that you will have enough money in your hand after investing your money in deposit certificates of the banks. Read the full story

Drawbacks of a Joint Bank Account

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Banks offer joint accounts for companies as well as personal use. But such accounts are not secure and there are many drawbacks of these accounts like no account holder can stop a joint account owner from withdrawing all funds. So there are more possible ways to open your individual account for the same purpose with less factor of risk.

Disadvantages of joint bank account

Commonly joint bank accounts are opened with family members and with business partners but still there is a factor of risk in these accounts. Your money is not safe in such accounts and there is no limitation of withdrawal by any partner.

Ownership’s right

Banks are offering joint accounts to e

very body in the world. But the fact is that once you accepted the offer by bank to open a joint account and sign the papers, every partner has 100 percent rights to that account. Normally people accept joint account offer between there good relations like,

  • Minor children and parents.
  • Elderly parents and adult children.
  • Cohabitating couples.
  • Roommates.
  • Business partners. Read the full story

Are Banks Responsible for Overdraft Fees?

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A common and pricking issue among credit card holders is the overdraft fee that is charged by the banks either it is fair or unfair. Credit card users declare it as an unfair act by the banks, but many experts declare it as a fair act. That’s because an overdraft fee is only charged to people if they overdraft their accounts. The best way to avoid overdraft fee is to avoid over drafting your account.

How to avoid Overdraft Fee

Try to manage your account and protect it from overspending. Start building a back up funding in your account by breaking your chain of living paycheck to paycheck. Alternatively, you can also arrange an overdraft protection with your bank. Ask your bank whether it’s a credit agreement associated with your account or a saving account.

Pay Off your Payments on Time

Usually, most banks argued about outing the large payments first due to the fact that such payments are more likely to contain credit implications if they don’t get paid.

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Be Aware of Financial Frauds

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With the rapid development in the financial world, the number of financial institutions has risen vastly. When there is a rise in a particular factor, it often leaves behind many drawbacks and same is the case with the financial industry.

Banking Frauds

Often we hear on the news about millions and billions of dollars of fraud which takes place in the banks because of the loop holes which allow people to make use of it. In order to tackle this problem, banks have now started providing text and email alerts. In order to subscribe for this service, you would have to sign up online on the website of your particular bank.

Bank fraud

Using Email & Text Alerts

A survey showed that majority of the customers had said that they would sign up for the services but hardly a handful did. The reason behind this was the delay in the alerts which usually took place from the time the suspicious activity was suspected up till 48 hours. However, now Visa has resolved that issue and alerts are being sent in real time. Read the full story

 

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