Archive for Banking
FDIC Insurance Limit Increase Extended
Posted by: | CommentsFor years, the FDIC has insured bank accounts up to $100,000. In light of the recent banking crisis and consumer fears, the FDIC insured banks up to $250,000 per account. The move was aimed at increasing American confidence in the banking system. It appears to have worked. However, the higher FDIC coverage limits were temporary. FDIC Insured Banks $250,000 Coverage Limits Extended When first implemented,... Read more→
Good Enough Checking From Your Bank or Brokerage
Posted by: | CommentsI was going through my stack of mail to look at (separate from the stack that has things that actually need taken care of) and came across an offer for Fidelity’s mySmart Cash Account. Intrigued, I decided to take a look at the Fidelity checking account that they were so proud of that they included a glossy little flier to advertise it. The result? What the—? Regular Bank Checking Sucks... Read more→
Interest Rates, Mortgages, HELOCs, Credit Cards, and the Fed
Posted by: | CommentsDays like yesterday and today are why I write the Finance Gourmet. For those of you who didn’t see it, the Federal Reserve, or Fed cut interest rates to between 0% and 0.25%. All day today, the media has been droning on about what it means for consumers, homeowners, and the economy. Unfortunately, they are in such a hurry to do so, that they skip over all the details. So,... Read more→
Free Credit Score at My Credit Union
Posted by: | CommentsSeveral years ago when I was a wild-eyed fresh out of college computer guy, I got my first “real” job with a local company. The company had around a 100 employees or so which meant that the HR person was the Office Manager. On my first day, the Office Manager went through all the basics with me: payday, W-4 forms, copies of my Social Security Card (or passport), and so on. We also went... Read more→
