Banking with your smartphone? There’s an app for that. But some customers are finding there’s a fee for it as well.
Banking
The Real Lesson Behind Excessive Overdraft Fees
When you remove the financial safety net, and individuals understand the choices, they are surprisingly good at doing the right thing.
4 Reasons Excessive Overdraft Fees Just Won’t Go Away
Despite regulatory reform aimed at reining in checking account overdraft fees, the penalty is still a cash cow for banks — to the tune of about $31 billion a year. That’s down from $37 billion in 2009, but a new report from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau makes clear the number ought to be far lower. Why? Because customers who …
Bernanke’s Dilemma: No Good Moves Left
It could be risky for the Fed to continue its easy-money policy – and dangerous to stop.
Viewpoint: Ben Bernanke, Enabler of America’s Fiscal Dysfunction
By trying to compensate for poor fiscal policies, the Fed is making it easier for the President and Congress to evade their responsibilities.
10 Steps to Spring Clean Your Finances
When it comes to spring cleaning, you probably haul the junk out of your garage, scrub your fridge, and wash the rugs and drapes. But don’t forget about your personal finances. Just after tax season is the perfect time to perform …
Europeans Are Thinking the Unthinkable: That Debt Defaults Might Make Sense
Instead of struggling to keep the euro zone together, default may be less painful in the long run for the people of overindebted countries
The Real Significance of the Bitcoin Boom (and Bust)
Online currencies like the Bitcoin are one day likely to alter government policy, just as the bond market did in the 1990s
Financial Independence? Today’s Young People Don’t Expect It Anytime Soon
In a mere two years, the proportion of teenagers who expect to be financially dependent on their parents until their mid-20s has doubled. That gives us all another reason to feel sympathy for parents who have teenagers right now.
Why Banks Love Debit Cards Again
Debit cards were supposed to be toast. The industry started writing their obituary when financial reform targeted overdraft fees and interchange or “swipe” fees, which had made debit cards extremely lucrative for banks. So …
With Cyprus Bail-In, Europe Bids Adieu to ‘Too Big to Fail’
In June 2012, the European Commission outlined a set of proposals for dealing with failing banks in the E.U. Known as the “E.U. framework for bank recovery and resolution,” the proposals didn’t receive much public attention …
Why Derivatives May Be the Biggest Risk for the Global Economy
Since the recession, the value of derivatives outstanding has grown, and they remain very risky with the potential for large, unpredictable losses.