Articles
Bank Foreclosures One of the Easiest Ways to Buy Foreclosures
Bank foreclosures are homes and properties that are currently owned by various banks or lenders. These banks own them because they are the result of foreclosure actions. The previous owners of the home had fallen behind in their mortgage payments and the bank foreclosed on the home. Bank foreclosures are actually one of the easiest and safest ways to buy foreclosures.
One of the reasons that bank foreclosures are easy to buy is that you get to deal directly with the bank. Banks are interested in selling their foreclosed properties because they are not making money on homes that they own. Some banks advertise their bank foreclosures in the classified ads or market them through a real estate agency. However, their main goal is to sell these homes and finance a mortgage for a new buyer. You can typically buy bank foreclosures 10-15% less than market value. While this is not as good a rate as you can get for other types of foreclosures, bank foreclosures are an easy purchase and make a good option for first time buyers or first time investors.
Another reason bank foreclosures are easy to buy is that there are generally no other judgments or liens on the property to worry about. There are usually no back taxes to be concerned about, and you don’t have to feel intimidated or sorry about evicting tenants or the homeowner, either. That can be a difficult thing to do, and buying bank foreclosures saves you those concerns. The bank is also usually very good about letting you access the property and to have various inspections. Bank foreclosures have a lot of advantages.
When buying bank foreclosures, there is nearly always some room for negotiation. You can negotiate a lower down payment, a lower interest rate, a reduction in closing costs and a discounted asking price. However, as the buyer, you need to ask for these things, and be realistic in your expectations. Banks are not going to give their bank foreclosure properties away; they need to make some money on these properties. After all, the business of banks is money. There are flexible lenders out there though, and it makes sense to track them down when you are looking for bank foreclosures. A flexible lender can make all the difference in getting the deal you want on a nice property.
It is not that hard to find good bank foreclosure homes. You can often find information by contacting a realtor. Locating bank foreclosures can also be done with a bank foreclosure listing service such as Foreclosure Data Bank. Listing services offer a lot of foreclosure information in one place which makes them very convenient. Bank foreclosures are just one type of foreclosed properties that are usually listed in Foreclosure Data Bank. When you want a fairly safe and risk-free way to buy a home yet still get a good price, bank foreclosures are one option you should definitely consider.
Finding the Right Bank for You
Banks are often considered to be the best treasurers. Selecting a bank is a crucial decision and it should not be influenced or impulsive. There are a number of financial institutions offering multifarious fringe benefits to customers. Sometimes choosing the right bank becomes an overwhelming task. It does not matter what account you intend to open, you need to conduct a proper research on the options available, before deciding on a particular bank.
Your primary concern should revolve around the ability of the institution to meet your specific need. In addition to this, it is essential to determine the annual banking charges involved and the standard of service that a particular bank offers. It pays to call and take an appointment with a bank executive to get an idea of the standard of customer service provided by the bank.
Tips for selecting the right bank for you:
There are several tips on how to select the appropriate bank for you, one that would provide you with the best possible service and benefits. The basic tips are as follows:
Shop around
It is necessary to shop around for a bank that would offer the services you expect. It is beneficial to opt for a bank that is insured by the FDIC. The insurance is a guarantee of insurance up to $100,000.
Bank Fees
There are different fees attached to the various services offered by the bank. Banks try to make their profit from the funds generated via these fees. The fees that you need to enquire about are ATM fees, flat monthly fees, overdraft protection fees, fees charged on using ATMs that do not belong to your bank and commission charged if you stop payments on checks. In addition to this, some banks even charge a fee for writing checks, dropping below the minimum balance fees, canceled checks, monthly statements, inquiries on the bank balance and closing of your account.
Location
The location of the bank is very important. It is essential to have easy accessibility to the bank you choose, for conducting and monitoring your monetary transactions regularly. Sometimes, the banks charge extra fees for using an ATM machine that does not belong to them. It is very important to deal with a bank situated at a convenient distance from your residence, to ensure an effortless access to your money.
Online banking
Online banking has evolved as a major necessity for avid Internet users. It makes the banking transactions more convenient, as you could pay bills online, check your bank balance, transfer funds from one bank account to another and link onto other financial institutions from home.
Details of a bank account:
Most banks offer different types of checking and savings accounts. It is beneficial to opt for a bank that charges low or no fees to write a check, if you frequently transact that way. If you believe in saving, you need to search for a bank that offers a good rate of interest on the savings account.
You should conduct adequate research on the various pros and cons of selecting a particular bank.
Panama Bank Secrecy Laws
Today Panama has become the Switzerland of Latin America. There are 150 banks in Panama many of which have their name on a 40 story modern skyscraper. Panama is often touted as having the best banking secrecy laws in the world. This author believes this to be true and we will address the bank secrecy laws of Panama in depth.
The first important point to look at is the existence of any tax treaties that Panama may be in with any other countries. This is an easy topic since Panama has no tax treaties with any other countries. Tax treaties can be privacy invasive for a banking client. Under some treaties the bank must collect a certain percentage of taxes from interest income paid to the clients and this money is turned over to the client’s home country. Other treaties call for an exchange of information so if a requesting country wanted to gather certain facts about a bank account or if a certain constituent of theirs had a bank account the bank would be obligated to provide the information. The European Union Withholding Tax Treaty is a very relevant treaty.
The next type of treaty one must look at is called the Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty, or MLAT. This treaty allows countries to request information from other countries in the treaty. The general way this type of treaty operates is through diplomatic channels. Panama is in such treaties. The requesting country must have a criminal case on file in the national courts of their country. They would then cite this case already in their criminal courts when the request for information is made. The requesting country would a need to show that the requested information about the Panama bank account is absolutely required to successfully prosecute the case and that the requesting country has no other way to obtain such evidence. Then the request is considered by Panama. Panama may ask for more information. Panama could deny the request on whatever grounds they wish to use. Panama could also decide to conduct their own investigation because they feel that some Panama laws may have been broken and delay the MLAT request until after they have concluded their investigation which may be some years. The statue of limitations could expire before Panama completed their investigation. This is not to say that Panama is in the habit of thwarting requests for information but Panama does have a right to investigate crimes that took place in their jurisdiction. As a result of these investigations they could confiscate assets and prosecute individuals under their own laws.
For the MLAT to take effect the violation in question must be a crime in both the requesting country and the country the information is requested from. Various MLAT treaties have all sorts of details and exceptions and should be read individually if you are seriously interested in a particular treaty. Panama not only has no tax treaties with any other nation but all income tax related offenses in Panama are civil offenses only, not criminal offenses. So tax matters are not a crime in Panama. Thus Panama does not participate in requests for information in tax offenses. Panama does cooperate in certain areas freely. If one acts fraudulently while in the capacity of a fiduciary in a financial relationship Panama will cooperate. Panama also cooperates in cases of narcotics trafficking, money laundering, terrorism and child pornography.
The Panama Bank Secrecy laws are contained in a number of different legal statues. We will go through some of the relevant ones:
The Panama National Banking Commission was formed by Cabinet Decree 238 of July 2, 1970.
Article 74 of Decree 238 deals with protecting the privacy of Panama bank clients. It states that the Commission is prevented from conducting or requesting investigations concerning the banking affairs of any bank clients. Any data obtained by the Commission in the course of its normal regulatory functions may not be revealed to any person or authority, except if subpoenaed in accordance with the legal provisions in force (Panama Court Order required). If a violation of this occurred Article 101 of this Cabinet Decree contains provisions for the dealing of such a violation.
Article 101 of Cabinet Decree 238 states that:
“Any person who furnishes information in violation of this Cabinet Decree, or who violates any of the prohibitions established in it, for which no specific punishment is provided for, shall be subject to a monetary fine as determined by the Banking Commission, without prejudice to applicable criminal and civil liabilities.” This is fairly strong language.
Article 65 of Cabinet Decree 238 deals with how the National Banking Commission may gain access to documents relating to the bank’s operation, not individual records of banking clients. The Banking Commission needs to regulate the banks financially and thus inspect their books but this is mandated to be done on a collective basis, thus the books for the bank as a whole are inspected not the records for an individual account holder at the bank. The Banking Commission may not examine or inspect any type of individual deposit accounts, nor the securities held in custody by the bank for clients, nor the safe deposit boxes belonging to clients and their contents, nor the documents associated with receiving credit from the bank, unless there is a Panama Court Order in place that specifically authorizes such inspection or examination according to Article 89 of the Panama Commercial Code.
Panama statues specify that bank secrecy may be lifted by a Panamanian court through Article 89 of the Commercial Code. This is not a commonly invoked procedure but is possible concerning serious criminal activities.
Articles 168 and 170 of the Panamanian Criminal Code contain two sections which enables criminal prosecution for violation the privacy of Panama banking clients:
Article 168. Any person that is in legitimate possession of correspondence, records or documents which are not intended for public knowledge and notwithstanding discloses said correspondence, records or document without proper authorization, even in the event that they were addressed to him, shall be subject to prosecution, whenever such disclosure might inflict damage.
Article 170. Any person that in the course of his occupation, employment, profession or activity obtains knowledge of confidential information that in the event of being made public could inflict damages, and such person discloses that information without the consent of the concerned party; or in the case that disclosure of such information were not necessary to safeguard a higher interest, shall be punishable by imprisonment of 10 months to 2 years or a comparable fine, and the inability to practice his occupation, employment, profession or activity for not more than 2 years. One can readily discern that this would cover Panama Stock Brokers, and Panama Banks including all the employees and officers. This could also be construed to cover Directors of Panama Anonymous Bearer Share Corporations and Council Members of Anonymous Panama Private Interest Foundations.
Panama has done away with numbered bank accounts as have the rest of the offshore tax haven jurisdictions. This is due to pressure from FATF, the Financial Action Task Force. FATF is a private entity that unofficially dictates anti-money laundering statues to the banks worldwide. Numbered accounts are no longer allowed.
Panama through the use of anonymous Bearer Share Corporations accomplishes practically the same privacy as the old numbered bank account. The banks around the world including those in Panama must know who their customers are. This usually means getting identity documents such as passports, driver’s licenses, national identity cards, and letters of reference from banks and businesses. The Panama Bearer Share Corporation is anonymous in that there is no reporting or recording of any stock ownership records in any registry or database thus it is impossible to determine who the natural persons are behind the corporate veil. This means when international wire transfers are sent only the name of the anonymous corporation appears in the wire, the true owner of the account is not revealed for the world to see same as it was when numbered bank accounts were allowed. With regards to writing checks the same applies assuming the signatory signs the check in a hard to read manner. To provide for more privacy Panama only allows an attorney to form a corporation or foundation. This cloaks the formation of the corporation with Panama attorney client privilege further protecting the owners of the corporation or foundation with an additional layer of privacy. In most tax haven jurisdictions the formation of a corporation handled by a corporate agent which does not provide privileged communication to protect the identity of the person owning the corporation.
One can readily see why Panama has become the new Switzerland of Latin America.
For more information, please visit:
http://www.panamalaw.org
email at: panamalegal@hush.com
Banking – Banking And Online Banking – The Business Of Banking
Banks provide banking services for profit. The banking services comprise of receiving deposits of money, lending out money and processing various transactions. These are the services which banks conventionally follow. However, some banks issue banknotes also as legal tender and many offer ancillary services like selling insurance products, investment products and stock broking for earning additional profit. Presently, the business of banking has become regulated and banks require authorization to trade in most jurisdictions.
The advent of online banking
Today banks are no more simple bookkeeping concerns as they were initially set up as. Now there are the electronic records involved in all spheres of banking activity together with the usage of sophisticated technologies. Tested and fool proof methods have come to be used now for monitoring all banking activities. Advanced technologies have made the wide range of banking services-from transactions to accessing of the accounts much more easy and convenient. And now all these have converged into online banking.
Online banking has emerged as the best and most suitable of all technologies employed in banking by incorporating all advancements. Online banking involves the use of personal computers to access the accounts and ATM cards for withdrawing money. It does away with the necessity to always seek the bank authorities’ approval for carrying out the various transactions.
Online banking services
Though all the established banks having a multinational presence offer online banking services some small banks having a low consumer base may still not be offering this. In order to secure an online bank account the concerned banks offering these need to be consulted. An online account application is often called for in order to review the financial rating of the online bank account aspirant. Having a good credit rating will help one stand in good stead in starting up the online account.
Upon securing an online bank account one can avail of the various net banking facilities. The account holders will be handed the account name/number together with the secret password/PIN. This account can be accessed from a (personal) computer conveniently. In this way one can easily start making good use of the many online banking services available via one’s online account.
With banking services going online a new era of banking is fast emerging. Indeed, banks will expectedly soon become online entities for us and the queues and hassles which are oft faced at a bank counter will be a thing of the past.
Internet Banking- Matters to Fact
Internet banking is the new buzz word around the corner. Forget traditional banking and the way you used up to queue to get the transactions done. Internet banking is here to change that all. Now banking is no more taking out time from your schedule and to start with finding a place in the car park and then waiting for your turn to get to the counter. Internet banking gives you the freedom to do banking at your finger clicks.
The easiest and the safest way of banking is here. Introduce yourself to internet banking. Now you can do the transactions sitting right into your office cubicle or from your home. It can be said that with this the new era of banking has arrived and for the better of it. Internet banking is simple for anyone who has a access to internet. It certainly is beneficial compared to the traditional way of banking. You simply use internet instead of using paper or phone to access your account and can enjoy it from virtually anywhere, even if you are on a vacation to Bahamas. Secondly you can have the reports like your account information, monthly statements, reconciliation reports etc. whenever you want to access. No calling up to the bank or the customer care to get a work done, everything is conveniently at the fingertips.
The major concern of a few was the security of Internet banking which is till now well addressed by the security applications or firewalls used by the banks providing this facility or the online banks. Every transaction made through internet banking is completely safe and can be relied upon. Although there are some issues which one need to understand to keep the security levels high. You should try to avoid accessing your account from unsecured lines or machines. In any case do not revel your banking ID and password to anyone even if trying to pose a bank employee. These are the few things which make your internet banking experience wonderful and safe.
There are many benefits of using internet banking like
• It saves a lot of time and effort.
• Can transact with the click of a button.
• Completely safe and secure.
• Fewer fees with most of the services rendered free.
• Can coordinate with your financial software.
• Easy to understand and to use.
• Scores more points over traditional banking.
• Useful for everyone.
That’s why internet banking is a popular service now used by millions of account holders worldwide. Now with the fast growth in the number of users opting for internet banking a no. of online banks is building up to provide service to the customers. These online only banks are virtual but provide quality service to customers offering them with many new and exciting features
Kaupthing Bank – Thinking Beyond
Kaupthing Bank is a northern European bank offering integrated financial services to companies, institutional investors and individuals. These services include corporate banking, investment banking, capital markets services, asset management and comprehensive wealth management for private banking clients.
Kaupthing Bank was formed by the merger of Kaupthing and Búnaðarbanki Íslands in 2003 and is the largest bank in Iceland. The bank operates in ten countries, including all the Nordic countries (Denmark, Faroe Islands, Finland, Norway and Sweden), Luxembourg, Switzerland, the UK and the US. The bank is the eighth largest bank in the Nordic countries in terms of market capitalization and it employs over 2,500 people and maintains 36 retail branches in Iceland.
In recent years, Kaupthing Bank has been one of the fastest growing financial groups in Europe. The Bank’s expansion has been achieved through sound organic growth and a number of strategic acquisitions. The most recent acquisitions are those of FIH Erhvervsbank in Denmark in 2004 and in 2005 the UK bank Singer & Friedlander, now Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander. The aim of this growth is to further enhance the Bank’s ability to provide comprehensive services to its client base in the UK, Scandinavia and elsewhere in northern Europe.
As of December 31st 2006, the bank had total assets of €42.9 billion. In 2006, it ranked number 1,006 on Forbes Global 2000, which is an annual ranking of top 2000 corporations in the world by Forbes magazine. The same year, it ranked number 177 (up by 34 seats from 2005) on the list of the world’s largest banks composed annually by the international finance magazine The Banker.
In 2006, Kaupthing Bank had net earnings of €971 million, compared with €659 million in 2005. About 70% of the operating profit originated outside of Iceland (30% in Iceland, 34% in the UK, 26% in Scandinavia, 8% in Luxembourg and 2% in other countries).
The Name
The bank is known as Kaupthing Bank outside of Iceland. In Iceland, its official name is Kaupþing Banki hf. formerly, its official name was Kaupþing Búnaðarbanki hf., but the name was changed as the former name was considered too unwieldy for most people. From 2003 to 2006 the company used the name KB banki for its retail operations in Iceland. In December 2006 however, the bank started using the old name of Kaupþing for its network of high-street bank. It was announced that the change was part of the bank’s plan to operate under the same name everywhere. [4]
History
Founded in 1930 Búnaðarbanki Íslands was publicly owned from its inception and was privatized by the government in stages between 1998 and 2003. Kaupþing Bank was founded in 1982. Four years later, it was one of the founding members of the Iceland Stock Exchange. Half of the bank was sold to the Icelandic savings banks in 1986. The other half was sold to Búnaðarbanki Íslands in 1990, which sold its shares to the savings banks in 1996. The savings banks began selling its shares to the public on the stock market in 2000.
Acquisitions, mergers, subsidiaries
- 1982 Kaupthing hf. founded in Iceland
- 1998 Kaupthing Luxembourg, S.A. opened
- 2000 Kaupthing Faroe Islands opened, Kaupthing New York opened, Kaupthing Stockholm opened
- 2001 Kaupthing Bank Copenhagen opened, Kaupthing Lausanne opened, Sofi acquired in Finland
- 2002 Aragon acquired in Sweden, JP Nordiska acquired in Sweden, Auðlind acquired in Iceland
- 2003 Kaupthing merges with Búnaðarbanki Íslands to form Kaupthing Bank, Tyren acquired in Norway, Norvestia acquired in Finland, Kaupthing Limited opened in the UK
- 2004 A. Sundvall acquired in Norway, FIH acquired in Denmark
- 2005 Singer & Friedlander acquired in the UK
- 2006 Kaupthing Limited merges with Singer & Friedlander to form Kaupthing Singer & Friedlander in the UK
Finding Business Bank Account
Even if you are a business veteran or has started your business, a business bank account is necessary. It makes things a lot easier for you especially when you balance your cashbook. If you do not open a business bank account, you will have trouble managing your business finances.
You may decide to try the bank where you have your personal account. Since you already have a track record with them, they will be more supportive. However, it is still advisable that you get the best deal for your business rather than settling on one bank. Most banks offer different services and products and you should look for something with good flexible benefits for your growing business.
Shop around and compare banks on the high street and always ask the following:
· Do they have small business team that gives advice for start ups?
· What types of business bank account do they offer?
· Do they charge extra for the services?
· How often do they charge (per transaction or one off)?
· What are the possible hidden charges?
Choosing the Business Bank Account
This depends on your needs and how you run your business. A fixed fee account will be better if you have large numbers of transactions, instead of paying fees per transaction. If you need standing orders and free direct debits, the bank you chose will help you decide what type of business bank account you need.
If you want, you can even choose to open several business bank accounts with different banks especially if one single bank can not provide all your needs. Look for banks that can offer better deals if you commit all of your business bank accounts to them.
You will need the following accounts:
· Current Account – Used for everyday on going costs. Look for a bank which offers this kind of business bank account with acceptable interest rates.
· Loan Account – a business bank account that is used to monitor your loan accounts. Review the banks’ different options for loan accounts because sometimes it is better to get a personal loan instead.
· Foreign currency account – You will need this business bank account if you have deals overseas. This saves you from paying multiple large conversion charges.
You should regularly check your accounts. Consider online banking. Opening your business bank account online will be better as all banks have this free of charge, sometimes even offering lower fees.
Choosing a bank for your business is very important; realize that what you need is an institution that gives you flexible or suitable terms for your business. This means that you need to choose a business bank account that is customized for your individual business. Remember that you have many choices for banks. If it does not work out as planned, just change to another one, but do not forget to do your research or you might end up worse than before.
When you have decided what business bank account and which bank you are going to work with, set up a meeting to discuss the requirements you need.
How to Find Business Banking Online
When it comes to online business banking it is necessary to know what to look for when choosing a bank and enjoy the advantages of getting it right. A good relationship is essential in online business banking. It is important to invest time in choosing the right bank the first place.
Banks offer different business banking services and the fees they charge as well. Some have special teams who deal with business accounts and useful information for start up business.
Choose the right bank
Before making a decision it is a good idea to compare at least 2 banks though many people open their business account with the same bank that holds their personal account. Bank charges vary in the services they offer, so it is best if you compare and get the best all around deal. If you go online and search for business banking, use some business account finder to compare deals. You may even want to choose your business account on the bank’s ethical or religious standing – investment policies issues such as human rights and environmental responsibility.
When dealing with business banking, it is a good idea to ask about:
- If the bank has a dedicated team for small businesses
- Services they offer
- Amount of services
- How do they charge for each transaction
- If there are additional charges (some banks charge if you exceed the overdraft limit)
- If they have local branches – especially if you have to make transactions every week
- If there are special offers for start up businesses or for new accounts.
Choose business banking account
- Current Account- For frequent transactions includes payments or receipts. A good option if you pay interest and late payment fees on credit balances, but not all banks offer this.
- Readily Access Deposit Account- Any cash not needed for frequent transactions. These can be put into your current account so you can check it anytime.
- Term Deposit Account – for long term funds
- Foreign Currency Account – for overseas trading
- Loan Account – for taking out loans
- Merchant Account – for businesses so you can accept credit and debit card payments and transactions.
All major banks nowadays offer online business banking. Doing it online is a more efficient way of managing your business accounts. You can check your balances and view statements, transfer money from one account to another, pay suppliers online, fix regular payments such as salaries and even request for chequebook and statements. You can also download your account information and print it out for analysis.
Online business banking is cost-effective. Banks offer online banking at no extra cost!
Most businesses manage their online business banking using internet banking, you can check your account from any computer using web browser. Larger businesses are offered PC banking and require them to install a special banking software on the computer. This is an effective solution for large volume of banking transactions and link directly your accounting system to your bank.
Credit Australia ? are you One of the People not Being Helped by the Banks?
Australia’s voluntary banking code, designed to protect consumers, is up for review amid concerns bank customers facing financial trouble are not being helped.
The Code of Banking Practice, which has been adopted by most of Australia’s banks, provides a framework of best practice for banks when dealing with individuals and small businesses. The code is legally binding on signatory banks.
A leading financial watchdog, The Banking and Financial Services Ombudsman, has said some banks need to improve the way they deal with customers facing financial hardship.
Among its list of concerns were reported cases of bank staff failing to respond to customers facing financial hardship, and failing to provide customers with the necessary information to get help. In some cases the customer had to use the words ‘financial difficulty’ and ‘hardship’ before bank staff responded.
The BFSO also felt some banks were being unhelpful by failing to give customers adequate time to return the required paperwork, and threatening them with debt collectors if they failed to return documentation on time.
A number of bank customers have been required to dip into their superannuation pots before an application for help has been accepted according to BFSO.
A number of banks have also failed to help customers with small business or investment loans, which they are required to do so under clause 25.2 of the code.
An example cited by the BFSO in its quarterly bulletin, described an incident where a bank customer renegotiating a loan found his bank had listed a default against his account before negotiations for assistance were over. It also told of how he had been repeatedly contacted by the bank’s collection department.
Another customer was asked to provide medical evidence to back up a claim of financial hardship caused by an illness.
The BFOS has advised a number of banks, it considered to be failing to comply with the banking code’s provisions for consumers in financial difficulty, to update their procedures to ensure genuine consideration is given to customer’s individual circumstances. They also advised banks to provide written reasons to customers for declining requests for help with financial problems, and to train staff to recognise when a customer is experiencing financial difficulties.
Another financial organisation with jurisdiction over the Code of Banking Practice has said it considers failings not to be with the code itself. The Code Compliance Monitoring Committee (CCMC) takes the view the banking code has set a high benchmark for banks, which they are working towards.
“In the CCMC’s view, the code has, overall, worked well to encourage subscribing banks to develop and implement policies and procedures to improve their handling of customers in financial difficulty,” it said.
The CCMC echoed the experience of the BFOS, stating it was aware some bank customers haven’t been informed of hardship provisions.
The review of the Code of Banking Practice should be completed by the 31st of May 2008. Among the issues it will examine are: how the code has operated since its last review; what barriers, if any, exist to stop banks signing up; and how any difficulties banks or customers face in interpretation or comprehension of the code can be tackled.
8 Personal Banking Don’ts
Presumably the object of having a bank account is to save you money, or at least to help you more easily and properly manage it. But there are also several ways in which your use (or misuse, as the case may be) of your personal banking account could lose you money. Below you’ll find out how to avoid the eight most common blunders when it comes to personal banking.
1. DON’T pay more than you have to: If you’re like most people, you haven’t really made the effort to comparison shop for the best personal banking terms you can find. Most bank accounts have some sort of fees or another associated with certain aspects of utilizing and/or maintaining your account, from annual fees to check-writing fees to fees for falling below a minimum balance to so-called “overdraft protection fees” to counter fees (to name just a few). These fees can slowly eat away at your savings. Banks change their policies all the time, so it’s never a waste of time to look around and make sure that you really are getting the best deal for your money.
2. DON’T ignore your bank statements: When your bank statement arrives in the mail, do you simply toss it without even reading it? Many people do. But bank statements often contain errors, and the only way you’ll know when one occurs is if you read through each statement carefully and compare it against what you know to be true (hopefully by way of a regularly balanced checkbook). Without reviewing your statements, you could wind up stuck with a fee for a payment you didn’t make. You could find that someone has copied your ATM/debit card and made purchases against your account. The only way to catch this is to take it upon yourself to read your statements and check them for accuracy.
3. DON’T be careless with ATMs: Be conscious of other people around you when using an ATM. Do not write your PIN number anywhere near your ATM card and be sure to shield it as you type it in. If you make a mistake writing out a slip, don’t just throw it away or leave it lying there – pocket it and dispose of it properly later. If you request a receipt make sure you take it. And many machines automatically spit out a receipt after a transaction is completed whether you request it or not. Be alert to this happening and make sure to grab that receipt before you walk away.
4. DON’T leave paper lying around: After you’re finished reviewing your bank statements, don’t just carelessly leave them lying out where anyone can see – or steal – them. Even simply throwing your statements away can lead to identity theft. Digging through trash is one of the primary ways identity thieves get the goods on their victims. Don’t make yourself an open target. Lock away any bank statements or other related documents that you wish to hold on to. Invest in an expensive shredder – the confetti type are best – for the ones you don’t. And then remember to use your locked file cabinet and shredder diligently whenever you are through with your bank statements. It’s for your protection.
5. DON’T bank online in a public place: Forget about people looking over your shoulder for a moment. An even bigger threat in banking online at a library or a cyber-café or other WIFI hotspot is another computer user on the same internet connection being able to snoop on what you’re doing. Wireless networks are not totally secure. People can use that opportunity to capture your personal information and sabotage whatever transaction you’re making. No online banking emergency is so urgent that you need to make yourself that vulnerable.
6. DON’T be a loyalist: In other words, don’t become so enamored with your bank, or so lazily accustomed to it, that you continue to bank there without consciousness of how comparatively good or bad a deal you are getting. If you’ve consistently borrowed money from the same bank, maybe it’s time to start exploring your other options. Even if you shopped around long and hard to find this bank, time passes, deals change. It’s worth reevaluating every now and again your decision on where to bank. And it’s particularly easy to do this type of research online.
7. DON’T be a stranger: Establish a relationship with your bank and the people who work there. The best way to get the best possible deals from a bank is to let them get to know you. Set up a meeting with the manager of your local branch, just to introduce yourself and key them in to your financial goals. You may never actually need their assistance beyond the norm, but if you do – if a problem arises, an error or a financial emergency – you’ll benefit greatly from having already established a rapport with the folks whom you’re asking for help.
8. DON’T be afraid to ask: Banks are in the
business of keeping their clients. This sometimes means they will go above and beyond their normal service offerings to keep your business. Whether you are looking for a more favorable rate on one of your accounts, free financial software, or even a toaster, don’t be afraid to ask about specials. In the process don’t forget to remind them how loyal a customer you have been. You’d be surprised how many promotion items that are available to you, but are not given to you. It’s just taking up space in your bank’s storage room.
In summary, taking care with your banking habits, being protective of your banking information, and remaining aware of how the deal you’re getting compares with other deals available to you will help prevent you from making many of the most common and detrimental mistakes in personal banking.
Search
Categories
Archives
- June 2010
- May 2010
- April 2010
- March 2010
- February 2010
- January 2010
- December 2009
- November 2009
- October 2009
- September 2009
- August 2009
- July 2009
- June 2009
- May 2009
- April 2009
- March 2009
- February 2009
- January 2009
- December 2008
- November 2008
- September 2008
- July 2008
- June 2008
- May 2008
- March 2008
- January 2008
- November 2007
- September 2007
- July 2007
- March 2007
- February 2007
- June 2005
- February 2001