A checking account at one bank is the same as a checking account at another bank, right? Well, maybe not. In fact, according to the J.D. Power 2021 U.S. Retail Banking Satisfaction Study, now 41% of people do all their banking online. This is a pretty big shift from traditional banking.
After reviewing the financial strength of a bank, here are several other things to consider as you decide what’s really most important to you in selecting a bank.
The online bank versus nearby location
While having a nearby brick and mortar location is important to many banking consumers, you might find better interest rates with an online-only bank because they don’t spend lots of money to maintain physical branches. As people switch to taking care of all their basic banking transactions online, one of the reasons to visit your local bank branch is to talk with a banker. If you believe you’d benefit from such discussion, make sure the online bank you’re considering will facilitate that for you.
Understand key bank fees
In addition to charging loan fees when they lend out money, banks bring in much of their revenue by charging fees on your deposit accounts. You’ll have a much more positive experience by ensuring your bank’s fees don’t outweigh the benefits of the account you’re considering. Here are three key fees to understand:
- Monthly maintenance fees. This is a monthly fee a bank charges on an account. Understand how yours works. Banks will waive these fees if your account is above a certain balance. Others waive the fees if you behave in a way they want you to behave. For instance, if you use a debit card versus writing a paper check. Others want you to make direct deposits. Still others want you to use their bill pay service. Understand this fee class and determine if you can abide by the terms your bank sets for them.
- Overdraft fees. These fees are charged to a checking account if you attempt to buy something but don’t have enough money in your account. There are a variety of ways to avoid overdraft fees, such as signing up for a protection program or linking your savings account to automatically pay the rest of the bill. Take the time to understand your bank’s options to avoid overdrafts and the cost associated with them.
- ATM fees. Some ATMs require you to pay money to use their machines, especially if the ATM you’re using isn’t in your bank’s network. Don’t overlook the opportunity to save money by ensuring that the bank you’re considering supplies ATMs in your area so you won’t have to pay a fee every time you need to use an ATM.
Other banking tools
Banks often provide tools to help you budget your daily and monthly expenses. Many offer free credit scores and credit monitoring. Others offer automatic transfers into a savings account. Still others offer the ability to open multiple savings accounts and label each account for different purposes.
Keep these tips in mind the next time you need to choose a new bank. With many different banks to choose from, a little research can ensure the bank you choose fits your financial needs and priorities.
You’re ready to take out a loan to buy a house, a car or get a credit card. You fill out the application and wait to hear back from your bank on its decision whether to loan you the money.
And then you get the dreaded phone call. Your credit score wasn’t high enough to approve the loan! Was there anything you could have done to get a higher credit score?
Getting and maintaining a high credit score is just like playing a game. But just like any game, you first need to understand the rules so you can create a winning game plan. Here are the rules of the credit score game you need to understand so you can get the highest score possible.
- Rule 1 – Pay your bills on time (Comprises 35% of your credit score equation). Payment history is the most important component of your credit score and is pretty straightforward – it’s a record of whether or not you’ve paid your bills on time.
Action: Don’t be late paying your bills! A one-time late payment may not affect your score, but multiple late payments will drag down your score. Even better, understand what vendors report your payment history and which ones do not.
- Rule 2 – Refrain from maxing out your credit (30%). Just because you have a $10,000 credit limit doesn’t mean you should use it all. Using close to or all of your credit limit signals to lenders that you may be a high-risk borrower. Insurance companies also love to use high-limit spending as a reason to increase your home and auto insurance, so be forewarned!
Action: Don’t use more than 25% of your available revolving credit, and pay the outstanding credit card balance in full each month.
- Rule 3 – Build a long history of using credit responsibly (15%). Lenders want to see a track record that you can handle being entrusted with a credit limit. If you have old credit accounts that are still open and in good standing, that signals your trustworthiness, which is reflected in a higher credit score.
Action: When you open a credit account, keep it active for as long as possible. If you stop using an account, consider leaving that account open, but only if it will help your score and not hurt you in obtaining new credit.
- Rule 4 – Use multiple types of credit (10%). Lenders like to see you with both revolving debt (credit cards) and installment debt (car and house loans).
Action: If you have a low credit limit, request a limit increase. Many banks will honor the request, especially if you’ve had a history of making on-time payments. If you don’t have a history of using installment loans, consider making a small purchase (such as an appliance or electronic device) using an installment loan.
- Rule 5 – Avoid too many credit inquiries (10%). Applying for many loans or credit cards in a short period of time tells lenders you may be attempting to acquire more credit than you can handle.
Action: Apply for only one type of credit at a time. Multiple inquiries for the same type of credit, for example a mortgage loan, within a short period of time will only count as one inquiry.
You can improve your credit score by understanding these rules and putting them into practice.
With 30-year fixed rate mortgages approaching historical lows of 3%, you may be thinking about refinancing an existing mortgage. But you better read the fine print before signing on the dotted line to avoid paying too much money. Here are some common mistakes homeowners make when refinancing their mortgage.
- Not shopping around. When looking to refinance a mortgage, many homeowners simply check a couple advertised rates and pick the lowest one. But there are many factors affecting the total cost of refinancing, so it pays to carefully look at not just rates but also terms and fees offered by different lenders. Remember that a mortgage with a lower rate and higher closing costs from one lender can ultimately cost more overall than a mortgage with a higher rate but lower closing costs from another lender.
- Saying yes to current mortgage loan forbearance. Loan forbearance occurs when your current lender allows you to delay making a payment or allows you to lower your payments. This is a common offer during the current pandemic. If you are considering refinancing in the future, think twice before taking advantage of this offer. Accepting a bank’s offer to skip a couple payments, even during a pandemic, may signal cash flow problems that could negatively affect your mortgage refinancing options.
- Not improving your credit score. The willingness of banks to lend you money at favorable rates is often contingent on your credit score. You must therefore know your current score and actively work to improve it. So don’t take out a new loan or credit card in the months leading up to refinancing. Also pay your bills on time and never use more than 15% to 20% of your available credit line on credit cards. By doing this you can vastly improve your interest rates and related closing fees.
- Not looking over the good faith estimate. Origination fees, points, credit reports and other fees are all included with closing costs when refinancing a mortgage. These fees aren’t finalized until you receive a good faith estimate (GFE). Any changes you notice to fees on the GFE compared to what you were originally told is a red flag. Compare the final refinancing document you’re about to sign with the rates and fees originally presented to you. Challenge any increases.
By being aware of refinancing pitfalls, you can actively eliminate any surprises and create a situation where multiple lenders are fighting for the right to lend you funds.
It suddenly just got a whole lot more difficult to buy a home
The banking sector is the latest industry to dramatically change how it operates in response to the current economic environment. The most visible changes for consumers are new requirements for taking out a mortgage.
Here are some tips for working with banks and other lending institutions in the midst of tighter lending requirements and a heightened awareness of staying healthy.
Save more for a mortgage downpayment. New requirements for taking out a mortgage are requiring borrowers to put down at least 20% and have a credit score of 700 or better. Unfortunately, the average credit score of U.S. citizens under the age of 50 is below 700. The short-term reality is that you may need to save for a bigger downpayment and actively manage your credit before getting your dream home.
Take advantage of your bank’s mobile app. Social distancing is changing the way we interact in public and banking is no exception. Traditional bank tellers, drive through options, and in some cases entire branches, are being replaced with digital banking options and mobile deposits. This trend will surely accelerate in the aftermath of COVID-19. For the branches that remain open, visiting will likely be more restrictive. Smaller capacity banking spaces and appointments might be required to help banks control the flow of traffic.
Use digital payments for your purchases. While cash might still be king in the U.S. economy, consider using “germ-free” digital payments as retailers are steering customers toward electronic transactions. With businesses needing to adapt to new spending habits, innovation is going to steer towards digital payment technologies and make paying with cash more difficult in the future.
Look for lending deals. During these uncertain times, banks will be putting more effort into connecting with their customers. Bank leaders are making it a priority to personalize the banking experience with proactive marketing campaigns. Be on the lookout for special deals offered by lending institutions to help keep you as a customer.
Most everyone knows you need to budget, balance and save. However, here’s a list of the ten steps to ensure you walk on stable financial ground.
- Set a budget and stick to it – Make financial goals and then create a budget that supports those goals. Account for expenses on a monthly basis and set budget limits for dinner out and other forms of entertainment.
- Pay off all debt (except a home mortgage) – Make debt payments a part of your budget until paid off.
- Set aside money for future expenses – Plan in advance for both short- and long-term big expenses and create a line item for them in your monthly budget.
- Save for emergencies – Set aside funds each month to build a reserve of three months living expenses (eventually build up to six) to guard against job loss or unexpected expenses. Having these savings automatically deducted you’re your income makes it easier.
- Take advantage of available plans – Company-sponsored 401(k) plans and/or other retirement plans, 529 savings plans and education funds will help you financially later. A little put away today can mean a lot is available tomorrow.
- Spend only what you have – Limit uses of credit vehicles like credit cards and high interest cash advances. Pay off credit cards by due dates each month.
- Manage your financial life – Regularly manage and monitor your accounts and statements, including balancing your debit/checking account and investment accounts.
- Keep an eye on your credit score – Making timely payments is one of the best ways to maintain good credit for future lending. If used responsibly, automatic payment systems like online banking can be beneficial.
- Set up Identity Theft Protection on your financial accounts – Regularly change your online and mobile passwords, and safeguard your financial statements.
- Openly communicate with your spouse about your family’s financial position – Make sure you both agree on short- and long-term goals. Teach your children the power of saving and budgeting to put them on the path to a successful financial future.
In the race to get our kids through high school and on to life beyond, I’ve seen a breakdown in the education system to explain basic financial skills. Here’s the first half of a list of essential economic concepts that every high school student should understand.
How bank accounts work – Provide your child with a basic understanding of checking and savings accounts. Show them how to use checks and debit cards to pay for goods. Teach them how to access their accounts and reconcile their statements each month.
How credit cards work – Help your child understand that credit card spending actually creates a loan. Emphasize the importance of not carrying a balance by paying off credit card debt each month.
Tax basics – Prepare your child to anticipate taxes on not just purchases but on their wages as well. Assist them to fill out their first W-4 and explain how it will affect their paycheck. When your child receives their first paycheck, walk them through their paystub to explain Social Security, Medicare, and federal and state tax withholdings.
The power of a retirement account – It might seem a little early for this, and it’s a hard concept for a young person to grasp, but explain to them the advantages of long-term savings tools like a Roth IRA.
How credit scores work – While no one but a credit reporting service actually understands all the aspects that go into creating a credit score, it’s still important to teach your child what can impact their credit and how that can affect their ability to get a car or house loan in the future. Everyone has access to a free credit report each year. Walk your child through their report.
Spending within your means – Save then spend. This is a simple concept that is hard to accomplish. By teaching your child good habits early, you give your child a stable financial foundation for the future.
The art of saving – Part of spending within your means and saving go hand-in-hand. Teach your child healthy savings habits. Perhaps it’s setting up a separate savings account, setting aside a set amount each month or even a percentage of what they earn.
Look for the second part of this article next week!