Checking accounts, savings accounts, online banking, fees, and how to get more from your bank.
Every check has a small box on the back labeled “Endorse Here.” What you write in it decides who can cash the check and how. There are three endorsement types most people will ever use — blank, restrictive and special — plus a fourth, the qualified endorsement, that turns up in business. Here is what … Read more
Signing a check over to someone else — creating what banks call a third-party check — lets the person you hand it to deposit or cash a check that was written to you. It is legal, it is an old and ordinary thing to do, and it is also the one endorsement that banks refuse … Read more
Mobile deposit lets you put a check into your account by photographing it in your bank’s app — no branch, no envelope, no waiting in line. The part people get wrong is not the photo. It’s the back of the check. Most banks now require a specific endorsement for mobile deposits, and a missing or … Read more
Checking, savings, money market accounts, and CDs all do different jobs. See how each one works, what to compare (APY, fees, access, and FDIC/NCUA insurance), and which accounts you actually need.
Banking comes with its own vocabulary, and a lot of it shows up as abbreviations: three or four letters stamped on a statement, mentioned during a loan application, or used by a teller without much explanation. You don’t need to know all of them, but a working knowledge of the common ones makes it much … Read more
Setting up online banking looks simple from the outside — type in some information, pick a password, and you’re in. But the setup process actually involves several distinct steps, and a few of them, especially the security ones, are worth doing carefully rather than quickly. This guide walks through exactly how to open an account … Read more
Most people know a bank as “the place my paycheck goes” or “the app I check before I buy something.” But a bank is actually a business with its own way of making money, its own rules, and real differences from the credit union down the street or the banking app on your phone. Understanding … Read more
A joint account is a bank account shared by two or more people, who each have full access. Learn how joint accounts work, their pros and cons, and key risks.
FDIC insurance protects your bank deposits if your bank fails, up to a set limit. Learn what it covers, the coverage limit, and what isn’t protected.
Mobile banking lets you manage your accounts from a smartphone app. Learn what you can do with it, how it differs from online banking, and how to stay secure.