Changes Enhance Control, Choice and Clarity for Customers
As part of its commitment to provide more control, choice and clarity for its customers, Bank of America announced that beginning this summer it will only authorize single debit card transactions at the point of sale if a customer has enough money in their account at the time.
This [...]
Each year starts with lofty goals, but resolutions are hard to keep. Rather than attempt a lifestyle change overnight, set small, attainable goals.
Here, SmartyPig offers five super easy resolutions anyone can use to put finances on track:
Know your credit score
Good credit is the foundation for achieving financial goals. It’s crucial to stay on top of [...]
Credit card companies are busy crafting new tricks and traps to bypass both Federal Reserve Board rules and new federal law set to take full effect in late February 2010, a new research report from the Center for Responsible Lending finds. Entitled “Dodging Reform: As Some Credit Card Abuses Are Outlawed, New Ones Proliferate,” the [...]
65% of corporate financial advisers have stated that the ‘the banks are not lending’, according to an independent survey commissioned by Centric Commercial Finance. 72% said that cash flow was proving to be their clients’ biggest challenge. Disappointingly, 56% of respondents claim that banks have removed or are restricting clients’ facilities.
Tim Hawkins comments: “The [...]
Governments, industry can make choices to increase financial inclusion in the next decade
The growing use of branchless banking, including mobile phone banking, is inevitable in most countries. But it’s far less certain whether large numbers of the unbanked poor will use these alternative channels for financial services beyond payments, such as savings and credit. [...]
Parents With Young Children Hit Hardest By ATM Fees
Overdraft bank fees have been public enemy number one for American consumers, but apparently, there’s a new villain in town: ATM fees. More than a quarter (26 percent) of Americans are more angry about having to pay ATM fees than they are overdraft fees (24 percent), according [...]
The economic contraction has highlighted the internal duel between Americans’ beliefs and actions according to the latest Solid Index, a survey by SunTrust Banks that studies Americans’ emotions and perceptions toward their finances. The Solid Index revealed that while more than half (58 percent) of the respondents feel that their financial situation contributes to their [...]
According to an economic study released today, consumers who opt to use a network branded prepaid card could pay as much as 35-70% less in fees compared to low balance checking and debit accounts, making prepaid cards a far more cost-effective, valuable financial tool for many.
The comparative economic analysis was conducted by economist Michael Flores [...]
Expert Offers Tips for Getting the Most out of Your Benefits in Tough Economy
As the open enrollment season comes into full swing, experts encourage workers to pay particularly close attention to benefit elections this year to help offset financial challenges brought on by the recession. One-in-four workers (25 percent) reported that they don’t pay attention [...]
Industry-first Initiative Makes It Easier to Reduce Balances and Avoid Interest Charges
Chase Card Services, a division of JPMorgan Chase & Co. introduced Chase Blueprint(SM), an innovative set of features that dramatically improves the way customers can manage their spending and borrowing. Blueprint helps consumers take charge of their finances with free tools they can use [...]