Top Questions

1. >Checking Your Credit Report

Credit, whether good or bad, can affect everything these days, from buying a car or a home to getting better insurance rates, but many people still have no idea what's on their credit reports. The truth is, having a solid credit history can go a long way in saving you money over time, even if you don't plan to make a big purchase or apply for a credit card. The good news is, checking your own credit report doesn't affect your credit score and doesn't need to cost you anything. Everyone is entitled to one free credit report per year from each of the three major credit bureaus, and there a...

2. >Free Checking Accounts

Free checking accounts let you safely store and access your money without the fees of normal banking. It used to be that most major banks offered some form of free checking. These accounts are harder to come by these days, but online banks, credit unions and other lenders do offer free account options. Three of the best free checking account providers are Bank5 Connect, Capital One and Simple. Two of these options are online banks which offer most of the same benefits you'd get from traditional financial institutions. Are you ready for a checking account option where you don't need to wo...

3. >Second-Chance Checking Options

A person's banking history can prevent them from having a good credit history or establishing any credit history because most credit card companies require that a person have a bank account. ?Second-chance checking options were developed by some banks to provide an opportunity for a person who has a poor banking performance in the past to establish a good record of banking. The main idea is to graduate from a second-chance checking account to full banking privileges after a defined period. Wells Fargo, BBVA Compass, and Woodforest National Bank offer the top three second-chance banking o...

4. >Where to Open a New Checking Account

Looking to open a new checking account? With so many checking accounts available, determining which bank offers the best option for your needs can be difficult. That is why we've reviewed the key features of various checking accounts to bring you our top three, which are Capital One 360 Checking, Ally Online Checking and Charles Schwab High Yield Investor Checking. Of course, this isn't to say you won't find great checking account offers through nationwide banks such as Wells Fargo or Bank of America, and you might even find better offers through your locally managed banks and credit u...