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What You Need to Know About Wire Transfers

Monday, November 5, 2018

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Dan RafterDan Rafter
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Need to send money quickly? Or maybe someone wants to send money to you fast. If so, a wire transfer might be the solution.

In some cases, like closing on a new home, it might even be a requirement. But the term wire transfer is often confused with other types of electronic transfers including services from places like Western Union, ACH transfers and peer-to-peer payment apps such as Venmo or Square Cash. We’ll explain the differences and how to complete a wire transfer safely.

What is a wire transfer?

Speed is what sets a wire transfer apart from the other services we mentioned earlier. With a wire transfer, you can send money electronically from your bank account to another person’s or company’s bank account instantly. And if you are owed money, a company or individual can send money to you with the same speed.

If you are sending a wire transfer domestically — to another individual or company in the United States — the funds you are sending should be available during the same business day. If you are receiving funds from a company or individual based in the country, you should also receive those dollars in your account the same day.

Wire transfers happen quickly because they are electronic. When someone asks for a “bank wire,” a bank or credit union sends funds to an account holder at another bank or credit union through an electronic network. The most common of these networks are SWIFT, Fedwire or the Clearing House Interbank Payments System known as CHIPS.

There are two main types of wire transfers: domestic and international.

  • A domestic wire transfer occurs between individuals or companies in the same country. These transfers can happen quickly. To complete a domestic wire transfer, you’ll usually just need some basic information such as the recipient’s bank name and address, the bank’s routing code, also known as its ABA number and bank account number.
  • An international wire transfer happens when a person or company sends money to an individual or company in a different country. For an international wire transfer, you might need to provide additional information. For instance, Bank of America says that you’ll need to state the purpose of the wire transfer, the currency that the recipient of your transfer is using and the recipient’s SWIFT code or International Bank Account Number, better known as an IBAN.

How to complete a wire transfer

Fortunately, wiring funds is an easy process. The fastest way usually involves signing up for online banking at your local bank and then initiating a transfer from your financial institution’s online banking portal.

Wells Fargo, for instance, recommends that its customers sign up for its online banking and then visit the “Transfer & Pay” section to enroll in its wire transfer service.

You then simply choose the recipient of your funds and the account from which you want to send your money. You might have to provide additional information if you are sending funds to a different country.

There might be a limit on how much money you can send through a wire transfer. For instance, if you a completing a wire transfer from Chase online, you can only transfer a maximum of $100,000 a day if you have a personal account at the bank. You can transfer up to your available bank account balance if you send a wire transfer through the phone or by visiting a branch in person.

Make sure, though, that you have enough funds to cover your wire transfer. Your bank won’t complete your transfer if you don’t have enough money in your account to cover the amount you want to send.

How long does a wire transfer take?

Speed is the biggest advantage of sending a wire transfer. It’s no surprise, then, that wire transfers can take as few as one business day to clear.

Gurnee, Ill.-based Consumers Credit Union says on its website that it usually takes half a business day for the funds from a domestic wire transfer to arrive in an account. If you send a transfer to a U.S. account in the morning, the funds will usually be available that afternoon.

Wiring money to international destinations takes longer, usually from three to five business days. TD Bank, for instance, says on its website that international wire transfers usually take three to five business days to close.

How much does it cost to send a wire transfer?

Most banks and credit unions will charge a fee to send a wire transfer. These fees vary according to the bank or credit union you are using.

Ally Bank, for instance, charges a $20 fee every time you wire money to another financial institution in the U.S.

Citibank, though, charges a range of fees depending on the type of account you have with the institution. Citi’s fees for domestic wire transfers range from $17.50 to $25. It charges more for international wire transfers, $20-$35. Citi does waive both its domestic and international wire transfer fees for customers with higher-level accounts.

Bank of America charges a $30 fee for outbound domestic wire transfers, $35 for international transfers sent in foreign currency and $45 for international wire transfers sent in U.S. dollars.

You might also have to pay to receive wired funds. Wells Fargo, for instance, charges $15 for its clients to receive a wire transfer.

Are wire transfers safe?

Wire transfers are generally safe, if you are wiring money to someone you know or to a company for a service provided. Even then, it’s recommended that you call to confirm wiring instructions rather than rely on emailed instructions — read more about phishing scams targeting homebuyers below.

Scams can happen when people wire money to strangers, both in the U.S. and in other countries.

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation says that criminals like wire transfers because the money in these transactions arrives in bank accounts so quickly. Because of this, criminals can get their money before their victims discover they’ve been scammed.

Why would anyone wire money to a stranger? The FDIC says that scammers might convince victims to wire them funds to claim their winnings from a lottery that doesn’t exist. Others might offer victims a profitable work-from-home opportunity, but require a wire transfer of funds to get this opportunity started.

The FDIC recommends that you always ignore requests from strangers asking you to wire them money. As the agency says, this is usually the sign of a scam. Anytime someone pressures you to wire money quickly, you have probably been targeted by a scammer.

A common scam? The FDIC says that a criminal might call you, saying that one of your loved ones is stranded in a foreign country and needs you to wire cash so this relative can get home.

The best way to avoid scams is to only send money to people you know and companies that have performed a service for you or from which you have ordered a product. Never wire money to a stranger, no matter how convincing a story that stranger may be telling.

Mortgage closing scams. Fraudsters take advantage of the flurry of emails common at the end of a homebuying process as the closing date approaches. A common phishing email might falsely claim that wiring instructions have changed, instructing the homebuyer to send closing funds to an account that scammers control. Even if you don’t receive any suspicious emails, it’s good to call your real estate agent or settlement agent to confirm instructions and that funds have “cleared.”

Wire transfer vs. ACH payment

Wire transfers and ACH payments are similar. Both are ways to send money from one account to another without the use of physical checks.

But an ACH payment — a payment made with the help of an automated clearing house — differs from a wire transfer because it relies on what is known as a batch process. ACH payments typically power the transactions you make when you use online banking to pay bills.

Your bank will receive ACH transactions in a batch, which are then processed by the Automated Clearing House. Then, these transactions are dispersed to the proper bank accounts.

Because of this extra step, it takes longer for the money from an ACH transaction to show up in your account. The money could appear in your account the next business day, though this can vary depending on your bank.

Alternatives to wire transfers

You could always choose a personal check or cashier’s check, but if you want to send money to another source electronically, you do have some other options. However, if you’re looking to skirt your bank’s wire transfer fees, several of these have fees of their own.

Apps: You can use financial apps such as PayPal, Square Cash and Venmo to send money to service providers and individuals. Beware, though, that “instant” transfers usually carry a fee — Venmo, for example, charges $0.25 for a transfer to an eligible Mastercard or Visa debit card.

Be careful with these, though. As with wire transfers, you might fall prey to a scammer. Never send money to a stranger. And if someone you don’t know requests money from you through an app such as PayPal or Venmo, don’t send anything unless you can verify that the request is legitimate.

ACH transfers: As mentioned above, Automated Clearing House transfers — better known as ACH transfers — can help you move money from your bank account to the account of another. The money, though, often won’t show up for several business days.

Most banks don’t charge ACH fees, but Bank of America is an exception, charging $3 for its customers to send an ACH transfer to another bank account.

Money transfer services: Western Union or MoneyGram transfers are sometimes called “wires” and although you could walk into a Western Union store today, send money (for a fee) to your sister in Dubuque, Iowa, that she pockets a few minutes later, it would take longer to show up in her bank account.

Advertiser Disclosure: The products that appear on this site may be from companies from which MagnifyMoney receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). MagnifyMoney does not include all financial institutions or all products offered available in the marketplace.

Dan Rafter
Dan Rafter |

Dan Rafter is a writer at MagnifyMoney. You can email Dan here

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4 Companies That Help You Get Your Paycheck Early

Monday, August 27, 2018

Editorial Note: The editorial content on this page is not provided or commissioned by any financial institution. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and may not have been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities prior to publication.

Disclosure : By clicking “See Offers” you’ll be directed to our parent company, LendingTree. You may or may not be matched with the specific lender you clicked on, but up to five different lenders based on your creditworthiness.

Louis DeNicolaLouis DeNicola

Financial emergencies have a habit of cropping up at the worst possible time — when you’re stuck in-between paychecks. Perhaps you need $250 for an emergency car repair, but you just paid rent and won’t have the funds until your next payday in two weeks. Normally, you might want to turn to a credit card or a payday loan, racking up onerous fees in the process.

What if you could get a portion of your next paycheck early without paying hefty fees or interest?

That’s the premise behind the following four services. They try to help workers make ends meet without taking on debt by giving them access to the money they earn when they earn it.

Earnin

  • Available if you have direct deposit.
  • Withdraw up to $100 per pay period, with this amount increasing to $500 with continued use of the app.
  • No fees or interest.

EarninWhat it is: Earnin is an app-based service available on Android and iPhone smartphones. Once you download the app and create an account, you connect your bank account and verify your paycheck schedule. You must have direct deposit set up and linked to a checking account.

How it works: In order to use Earnin, you need to upload your timesheet, either manually or by connecting a time-tracking account to the app (your employer must use one of the eligible timesheet partners in order for this to work). Using this information, Earnin estimates your average take-home hourly rate after taxes and deductions.

As you work, the hours will be automatically shared with Earnin, or you may have to upload your timesheet. You can then cash out a portion of your earned pay before payday.

You can withdraw up to $100 each pay period. Based on your account balances and Activehours use, the pay-period maximum could increase up to $500. The payment will arrive in your checking account within a few seconds, or within one business day, depending on where you bank.

Earnin doesn’t connect to your employer’s payroll. It connects to whatever bank account you use to collect your pay. The next time your paycheck hits your bank account, Earnin will automatically withdraw what you owe. There aren’t any fees or interest charges for using the service, however Earnin does ask for support in the form of tips.

DailyPay

  • Works with popular ride-share and delivery services.
  • Get paid daily for your fares or deliveries.
  • There’s no interest. You pay a flat fee that is subtracted from the day’s earnings.

DailypayWhat it is: DailyPay caters to workers who are employed by ride-share or delivery services, such as Uber, Postmates, Instacart, Fasten, and DoorDash. It can also be used by workers at restaurants that use delivery apps, such as GrubHub, Seamless, or Caviar.

How it works: After signing up for DailyPay, you’ll need to connect a bank account where DailyPay can send you payments. Next, you’ll need to connect your DailyPay account with the system your employer uses to track your hours. DailyPay tracks the activity within the accounts and sends you a single payment with the day’s earnings, minus a fee. Restaurant workers get paid for the previous day’s delivery earnings, minus a fee, from all the connected delivery programs.

DailyPay charges a fee of $1.25 for every transfer that you make, with the funds being delivered the next business day. If you need your money before tomorrow, you can do an instant transfer that has a fee of $2.99.

PayActiv

  • Employer must sign up and offer PayActiv as a benefit.
  • You can withdraw up to 50% of your earned income.
  • Fees vary based on what program the employer chooses.

PayactivePayActiv is an employer-sponsored program that allows employees to withdraw a portion of their earned wages before payday. While you can’t sign up on your own, you can ask PayActiv to contact your employer about offering the service. There’s no setup or operating costs for employers.

Once your employer offers PayActiv, you sign up and withdraw money as soon as you earn it. You can withdraw up to 50% of your earned income during each pay period via an electronic transfer or withdrawal from a PayActiv ATM (available at some employers’ offices).

The early payment comes from PayActiv, but it isn’t a loan and you won’t need to pay interest. Instead, your employer will automatically send PayActiv an equivalent amount from your next paycheck.

There is $5 fee per pay period when you use the service, although some employers cover a portion of the fee, according to Safwan Shah, PayActive’s founder. As a member, you’ll also get free access to bill payment services and savings and budgeting tools.

FlexWage

  • Employer must sign up and offer FlexWage as a benefit.
  • You’ll receive a reloadable debit card tied to an FDIC-insured account where your employer deposits your pay. You can add earned pay to your account before payday.
  • There is a flat fee of $3 to $5 for early transfers.

FlexwageFlexWage is an employer-sponsored program that relies on the use of a payroll debit card and integrates with employers’ payroll systems. If your employer offers FlexWage, you can get your paycheck deposited into an FDIC-insured account with the linked Visa or MasterCard debit card. You can also add earned, but unpaid, wages to your account before payday without paying any fees.

With FlexWage, the employer determines how often you can make early withdrawals and the maximum amount you can withdraw. Unlike PayActiv, FlexWage doesn’t act as a middle-man. Your paycheck advances will come directly from your employer’s account.

Need more money?

While cash advance apps can help when you are in a small pinch, they often cannot help when you have a larger expense that needs to be paid quickly. They can also cause short-term financial troubles, since the amount of your advance is going to be subtracted from your next paycheck, simply delaying your financial troubles.

If you need more money and want to have more time to pay off your loan, you might want to take a look at getting a personal loan. Personal loans often come with fixed interest rates and fixed loan amounts that are paid out over a specific period of time. Money is deposited directly into your bank account and some lenders can get you your funds the same day that you apply.

Want to compare multiple personal loan offers from a variety of personal loan lenders? Check out LendingTree where you can easily compare personal loan offers and find the best rate on your loan.

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LendingTree is our parent company. LendingTree is unique in that you may be able to compare up to five personal loan offers within minutes. Everything is done online and you may be pre-qualified by lenders without impacting your credit score. LendingTree is not a lender.

Bottom Line

These four companies work slightly differently, but they share the same basic premise: giving you early access to the money you earned, without saddling you with a painful assortment of fees. If you’ve had to rely on borrowing money in the past when funds are tight, these could be a better alternative to credit cards or payday loans.

Advertiser Disclosure: The products that appear on this site may be from companies from which MagnifyMoney receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). MagnifyMoney does not include all financial institutions or all products offered available in the marketplace.

Louis DeNicola
Louis DeNicola |

Louis DeNicola is a writer at MagnifyMoney. You can email Louis at louis@magnifymoney.com

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What the New DOL Fiduciary Rule Means For You

Friday, June 9, 2017

Editorial Note: The editorial content on this page is not provided or commissioned by any financial institution. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and may not have been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities prior to publication.

Kate DoreKate Dore

Geeting advice on future investments

Seven years in the making, the Department of Labor’s long-awaited Fiduciary Rule finally went into effect June 9.* The full breadth of the rule’s impact won’t officially be felt until January 2018, when advisors must be fully compliant with the rule’s requirements.

The rule survived an upheaval by the Trump administration, which had hinted earlier this year that it might seek to block the rule’s implementation.

Aimed at saving consumers billions of dollars in fees in their retirement accounts, the Department of Labor’s new fiduciary rule will require financial advisers to act in your best interest. However, the final rule includes a number of modifications, including several concessions to the brokerage industry, from the original version proposed six years ago.

Here’s what you need to know about these new rules and how they may affect your money.

*This story has been updated to reflect the rule’s successful release.

What is a Fiduciary?

So what exactly is a fiduciary? According to the Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Board, the fiduciary standard requires that financial advisers act solely in your best interest when offering personalized financial advice. This means advisers can’t put personal profits over your needs.

Currently, most advisers are only held to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s suitability standard when handling your investments. This looser standard allows advisers to recommend suitable products, based on your personal situation. These suitable products may include funds with higher fees — with revenue sharing and commissions lining their own pockets —  which may not reflect your best possible options.

What is Changing Exactly?

Affecting an estimated $14 trillion in retirement savings, the Department of Labor’s new fiduciary rule is meant to help you receive investment advice that will aid your nest egg’s ability to grow. Many investors have been pushed toward products with high fees that quickly eat away at profits.

All financial professionals providing retirement advice will now be required to act as fiduciaries that must act in your best interest. This applies to all financial products you may find in a tax-advantaged retirement accounts. Because IRAs offer fewer protections than employment-based plans, the Department is concerned about “conflicts of interest” from brokers, insurance agents, registered investment advisers, or other financial advisers you may turn to for advice.

Despite these new protections, the Department of Labor also made some key concessions. Previously, brokers were required to provide explicit disclosures about the costs of products to their clients. This included one, five, and ten year projections. However, this requirement has been eliminated. After heavy pushback from the industry, the Department of Labor also agreed to allow the use of proprietary products.

Additionally, the Department of Labor has pushed the deadline for full implementation of their new rules. Firms must be compliant with several provisions by June and fully compliant by January 1, 2018.

Despite all of these concessions, the Department of Labor’s highest official insists the integrity of their rule is still in place.

Exceptions You Should Know About

Although advisers working with retirement investments will no longer be able to accept compensation or payments that create a conflict of interest, there’s an exception many brokers will likely pursue.

Firms will be allowed to continue their previous compensation arrangements if they commit to a best interest contract (BIC), adopt anti-conflict policies, disclose any conflicts of interest, direct consumers to a website that explains how they make money, and only charge “reasonable compensation.” The best interest contract will soon be easier for firms and advisers to use because it can be presented at the same time as other required paperwork.

How These New Rules Might Affect Your Investment Options

Although these new rules don’t call out specific investment products as bad options, it’s expected advisers may direct you to lower-cost products, like index funds, more regularly. New York Times also predicts the new regulations may also accelerate the movement toward more fee-based relationships. They also suggest complex investments like variable annuities may soon fall out of favor.

What Will the Larger Impact of These Changes Be?

Backed by extensive academic research, the Department of Labor’s analysis suggests IRA holders receiving conflicted investment advice can expect their investments to underperform by an average of one-half to one percentage point per year over the next 20 years. Once their new rules are in place, they are anticipating retirement funds will shift to lower cost investments, savings consumers billions of dollars.

What You Can Do To Protect Yourself

Although these new rules are a positive step for consumers, it’s important to remember there are still a wide variety of financial professionals out there. And the quality of the advice you receive can vary greatly based on their level of education, experience, and credentials. In order to find someone who is equipped to handle your unique financial situation, you will still need to do your homework.

You may want to start by looking for a fee-only financial planner. Due to the nature of how they are compensated, fee-only financial planners operate without an inherent conflict of interest. They are paid a fee for the services they provide and they don’t earn commissions from product sales.

Once you’ve narrowed down your options you’ll want to ask about their credentials, what types of clients they work with, what types of services they offer, while carefully checking their background and references. Like any professional working relationship, you’ll want to feel comfortable with someone you are receiving financial advice from, so it’s important to make sure your personalities and priorities are aligned. Remember, no one cares more about your money than you do. That’s why it’s essential to carefully vet anyone who is working with you to secure a healthier financial future.

Advertiser Disclosure: The products that appear on this site may be from companies from which MagnifyMoney receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). MagnifyMoney does not include all financial institutions or all products offered available in the marketplace.

Kate Dore
Kate Dore |

Kate Dore is a writer at MagnifyMoney. You can email Kate at kate@magnifymoney.com

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4 Digital Banks That Treat You and Your Money Well

Thursday, October 20, 2016

Editorial Note: The editorial content on this page is not provided or commissioned by any financial institution. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and may not have been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities prior to publication.

Kayla SloanKayla Sloan

4 Digital Banks That Treat You and Your Money Well

If you are still banking with a physical bank, it may be time to go digital instead. Digital banks offer several benefits and features that physical banks can’t, or don’t, offer due to the cost of operating a physical location. Because online banks don’t have these overhead costs, they can offer more benefits to help customers save money on fees, and earn more money via interest too.

There are several online banks from which financially savvy customers can choose from these days. If you are looking to go digital with your banking, here are a few good options to consider.

Ally Bank

Interest Checking Account
Ally is a digital bank with a full range of services, including online savings accounts, money market accounts, CDs, IRAs, checking accounts, credit cards, and more. It has also been named the “Best Online Bank” 5 years in a row from 2011 to 2015 by Money Magazine.

Ally has become a popular place for people to store their savings in an online savings account due to the great interest rates on savings accounts and money market accounts. These accounts offer daily compounded interest, FDIC insurance deposits, and no monthly maintenance fees.

Checking accounts with Ally Bank allow customers to earn interest on their money, which is something that is not as common with physical banks.

Customers of Ally Bank also enjoy the ability to use any of the 43,000+ Allpoint ATMs in the U.S. for free. Plus, Ally Bank reimburses up to $10 per statement cycle for fees incurred at other ATMS. It also offers exceptional customer service with 24/7 live customer care.

Charles Schwab

High Yield Investor Checking Account
Charles Schwab is another bank that started offering more digital products for its customers, including checking and savings, lending, and investing.

The High Yield Investor Checking account is a popular choice for many customers as Schwab offers this account with no ATM fees worldwide and unlimited ATM reimbursement for fees incurred each billing cycle. It also offers no account minimums or monthly services fees, and easy banking 24/7 with Schwab Mobile. The Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking account is linked to your existing Schwab One brokerage account so you can manage both accounts with one login.

The interest rate on the Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking account is 0.15% APY no matter your balance, but you do have to open a Schwab One brokerage account in order to use a Schwab Bank High Yield Investor Checking account. There are no fees or minimum balance for the Schwab One brokerage account, and you can transfer funds between the two accounts for free.

Schwab also offers a High Yield Investor Savings account with no minimum balance or monthly service charge. The interest rate is 0.35% APY on all balances. It also qualifies for the unlimited ATM fee rebates.

USAA

USAA membersUSAA offers checking accounts, savings accounts, credit cards, and many different loan products for cars, homes, and more.

USAA offers free checking with a minimum opening balance of $25. After you open a free checking account, there is no minimum balance, no monthly service fee, overdraft protection, fee bill pay, and free ATMs nationwide. USAA reimburses up to $15 in ATM fees per month.

Like most digital banks, USAA offers interest on its checking accounts, although it is lower than many competitors at only 0.01% APY. Its savings accounts offer rates of 0.05% APY to 0.15% APY depending on the balance of your account.

There is a catch: you need military affiliation to be able to open an account. This can include a connection through a family member, such as a parent or spouse.

Capital One 360

360 Checking Capital One 360 offers “no fees, no kidding” checking and savings accounts with no fees and no minimums. While it doesn’t offer ATM fee reimbursement, Capital One does offer a unique feature compared to many other digital banks: the ability to deposit cash into your checking or savings account with select Capital One ATMs in a 360 Café or Capital One Bank location.

The interest rates on a 360 Checking account range from 0.20% APY to 1.00% APY, depending on your balance.

  • $0 – $49,999.99: 0.20% APY
  • $50,000 – $99,999.99: 0.75% APY
  • $100,000 or more: 1.00% APY

The interest rate on a 360 Savings account is 1.00% APY.

If you’re a Capital One credit card customer, you can also conveniently access both your credit card information and Capital One 360 banking information with a single sign-on.

Another unique feature of Capital One 360 is the ability to create multiple savings account with any nickname you choose. You can also use their “My Saving Goals” section to make automatic savings deposits and set goals for your various savings accounts.

Which Digital Bank Is Right for You?

As digital banks become more popular, it can be difficult to determine which one might be the best fit for you. Of course, it depends on several factors, such as the features and services you most value, how you plan to use your account, and more. No matter which digital bank you choose, the important thing is that you are making the right decision for you and your money.

Advertiser Disclosure: The products that appear on this site may be from companies from which MagnifyMoney receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). MagnifyMoney does not include all financial institutions or all products offered available in the marketplace.

Kayla Sloan
Kayla Sloan |

Kayla Sloan is a writer at MagnifyMoney. You can email Kayla here

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FamZoo Review: a Virtual Family Bank to Teach Kids About Money

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Editorial Note: The editorial content on this page is not provided or commissioned by any financial institution. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and may not have been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities prior to publication.

Hannah RoundsHannah Rounds

FamZoo Review

When it comes to banking, most kids learn the hard way just how expensive their mistakes can be — with every sting of an overdraft fee or bounced check. Parents who would rather teach their kids how to manage their money without the risk of fees might consider FamZoo, a virtual family banking program. For a modest subscription fee, FamZoo provides the tools parents need to teach their kids about money management and banking.

Is FamZoo worth the cost?

In this review we cover:

  • What is FamZoo?
  • FamZoo Fees
  • FamZoo Benefits
  • Who Should Consider FamZoo?
  • FamZoo Drawbacks

What is FamZoo?

FamZoo is a “Virtual Family Bank” that allows parents to teach their kids about banking

FamZoo

without requiring kids to pay fees (as a parent, you will pay a monthly subscription fee).

FamZoo has two versions. The first version is a virtual IOU account that formalizes and tracks money flowing between parents and kids, but is not a bank at all. The second version gives prepaid debit cards to parents and kids that can be used anywhere that debit cards are accepted (including ATMs). Both versions cost the same amount for parents.

In addition to basic banking, FamZoo offers family oriented features. For example, family member can request reimbursements from other family members, and parents can offer loans to their kids and teach them to pay back loans in installments. With parent approval, money moves between family accounts instantaneously. FamZoo allows parents to fund allowances, and it helps kids divide their money between saving, spending, loan repayment and giving. As a parent, you can set a parent paid interest rate to encourage savings.

If you opt for prepaid debit cards, the cards will not allow your kids to overdraft, and parents and kids have access to a website to check balances, to review transaction history and more. Kids can also withdraw money fee free from in network ATMs.

FamZoo Fees

Subscription fee: Parents pay $5.99 per month (or $60 for 2 years with pre-payment) for up to four prepaid debit cards including a parent loading card. If you want more than four cards (for example to separate giving, saving and spending accounts, or if you have more kids), you pay a one-time $2 fee per card. If you lose a card, you can receive a replacement card for free.

Aside from the monthly subscription fee and the one-time extra card fee, FamZoo does not assess any fees, even if you manage to overdraft (which is possible if your transaction “settles” for an amount greater than was initially assessed).

Load fees: Depending on which financial products you use, as a parent, you may pay a fee to load your card. If you have access to Wells Fargo Sure Pay, Dwolla or PayPal, you can transfer money to your FamZoo account for free, or you can fund the account for free via direct deposit from your paycheck. Other loading options cost between $.95 and $7.00 per transaction. The institution where you initiate the transaction charges these fees, but FamZoo doesn’t add any extra fees.

ATM fees: FamZoo is part of the MoneyPass ATM network and withdraw cash at no fee. However, FamZoo warns that the other institutions usually charge a fee for out-of-network ATM use, and these fees aren’t reimbursed.

FamZoo Benefits

Parents have control: FamZoo is a stripped down bank that gives parents banking control, but it also has a few mainstream financial benefits. For example, MasterCard Zero Liability Protection backs FamZoo cards which means that they have fraud protection. Like other debit cards, they offer transparency, the ability to freeze an account if the card is lost or stolen, and the ability to track spending. And, each account has its own routing and account number so kids can get their paychecks deposited like it’s a regular bank account.

Helps teach saving and budgeting: The primary benefit of FamZoo is the way helps parents raise financially savvy kids. The software allows you to teach your kids to track expenses, set budgets, and split money into various accounts (a modern version of the envelope system). As a parent, you can add complexity (adding interest, loans, etc.) as your kids mature.

FamZoo Drawbacks

False sense of real-world banking fees: FamZoo puts guardrails in place, so kids don’t get hurt when they fail to manage their money well (they can empty out their bank account, but they won’t pay overdraft charges and they cannot go into debt except to their parents), but parents who use the software also need to teach their kids about banking fees outside of FamZoo. This will be especially important as teens set up their first checking accounts.

Who should use FamZoo?

FamZoo suits parents with kids who don’t yet have jobs or their own bank accounts who want to teach their kids financial principles. FamZoo makes teaching basic finances easy, and if your kids make mistakes, they don’t have to pay outsized fees.

Parents of early elementary through early high school will appreciate the valuable teaching opportunities that FamZoo provides, and parents with older teens and college students can advantage of transferring money with ease.

Advertiser Disclosure: The products that appear on this site may be from companies from which MagnifyMoney receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). MagnifyMoney does not include all financial institutions or all products offered available in the marketplace.

Hannah Rounds
Hannah Rounds |

Hannah Rounds is a writer at MagnifyMoney. You can email Hannah here

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Best of, College Students and Recent Grads, Eliminating Fees

Best Bank Accounts for College Students

Thursday, August 20, 2015

Editorial Note: The editorial content on this page is not provided or commissioned by any financial institution. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and may not have been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities prior to publication. This site may be compensated through a credit card partnership.

Will LipovskyWill Lipovsky

Best Bank Accounts for College Students

For most students, the college experience is like dipping one’s toes into the “real world”. Yes, a student may be living away from home but their parents are probably still helping financially. Before anyone blushes, it’s okay. According to a University of Michigan study, more than 60% of adults between the ages of 19 to 22 still receive financial support from their parents. They receive, on average, $7,500 per year. This includes costs like college tuition, rent, and transportation. This makes it important that parents find an economical, fee-free way to send money to their children.

But remember, college is typically a transition period in which child should begin having more control over their financial lives, which means finding the best checking and savings accounts. Our round up of bank accounts for college students below offer options for parents to send children money without fees, stellar overdraft protection and even foreign ATM reimbursements.

For Parents Sending Money to Students

Bluebird by American Express

You may have seen these blue cards at Walmart checkouts. They’re quite popular. The Bluebird card serves as a prepaid debit card of sorts. It’s free to set it up online. It costs $5 for an in-store Set Up Kit to begin using right away.

It doesn’t cost anything to send or receive money. Parents can load the card in a number of ways. The fastest way is to send money to the card via an electronic bank transfer (yes, there is an app). Simply connect a checking or savings account to the card and begin transferring funds. It’s just like transferring funds from one bank account to another. Funds can also be added at a Walmart checkout register via cash or debit. Finally, parents can also load the card even by sending in a paper check.

A cardholder can request money for free. They can simply send a request for ‘new shoes’ and a parent can simply transfer ‘x’ amount of dollars to cover the cost. It’s pretty simple.

Another unique aspect of this card is you can add Walmart Buck$. These are funds that can only be used at Walmart. The funds cannot be redeemed as cash, cannot be withdrawn at ATMs and cannot be transferred to a bank account. This may stop the hold holder from using the money irresponsibly.

Fees and Fine Print

      • No activation fee
      • No monthly fee
      • No annual fee
      • No overdraft fee

    No ATM fees when in-network. Out of network ATM transactions are $2.50 each plus any surcharges from the bank that owns the ATM. $2.50 is a pretty high fee.

    bluebird

    APPLY NOW Secured

    on Bluebird ’s secure website

    Member FDIC

The information related to Bluebird by American Express has been collected by MagnifyMoney and has not been reviewed or provided by the issuer of this offer prior to publication.

Best Bank for Overdraft Protection 

Ally Bank

This is our pick because Ally Bank offers a unique overdraft protection plan. Simply link an Ally savings account to an Ally Checking account and it’s protected from overdrafts. However, if the savings account balance isn’t sufficient, an overdraft fee of $25 will be charged. The overdraft fee $25 and is charged a maximum of once per day. But that is still low compared with most banks, with the Big 4 Banks all charging over $30 per incident and often four or five incidents per day.

Ally also provides $10 worth of ATM fee reimbursements per monthly statement cycle, which enables you to take out money at out of network ATMs and still get refunded. But what about other fees?

Fees and Fine Print

  • No monthly maintenance fees
  • Free standard checks
  • Free cashier’s checks
  • No fee for having a zero balance
  • No incoming wire fees (domestic or international)
  • Free Allpoint® ATM usage (43,000+ in the US) plus $10 worth of ATM fee reimbursements each month.
Ally Bank

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Best Bank Account for Free ATM Reimbursements

Charles Schwab High Yield Investor Checking Account

Thinking about studying abroad? The Charles Schwab High Yield Investor Checking account reimburses all ATM fees, even internationally. This account is ideal for traveling students. Even for those not studying abroad, this may be a good option for any travel overseas.

Charles Schwab High Yield Investor Checking Fees

  • No ATM fees
  • No monthly service fee
  • No overdraft protection fee. Although owners must also have a Charles Schwab brokerage account or savings account to link for overdraft protection. Should funds in the overdraft account be insufficient, a $25 fee will be charged for up to 4 incidents daily. This overdraft protection is pretty abysmal when compared with Ally.
Charles Schwab Bank

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Brick-and-Mortar Options

If the parent is more comfortable with having physical locations, there are still brick-and-mortar banks, which offer good benefits and low fees. Before committing to a big bank, check the local credit unions. They often offer a better value. Compare the credit unions with the other banks listed in this post. Ask about overdraft protection, overdraft fees, minimum account balance, and monthly maintenance fees. The good thing about a local credit union is the customer service. Don’t be too shy to ask about fees.

The downside to local brick-and-mortar options is the parent may be in one location and the child in another, making it difficult for one party to withdraw or deposit money. However, most credit unions today have good online banking systems. They may not have mobile deposits or an intuitive app but they have what counts. If ease of use is still a concern, look for a big bank with many locations. Fees will likely be higher and interest lower, but convenience is very important for a college student. After all, they need to spend their time studying.

Don’t Be Afraid to Break Your Routine

Technology has really changed the way banking works today and it’s provided an option for fewer fees and easier transactions. Just because you’ve always banked at a certain establishment, doesn’t mean you should stay there – especially if you’re trying to make it cost-efficient and simple to send money to your college-aged children.

Advertiser Disclosure: The products that appear on this site may be from companies from which MagnifyMoney receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). MagnifyMoney does not include all financial institutions or all products offered available in the marketplace.

Will Lipovsky
Will Lipovsky |

Will Lipovsky is a writer at MagnifyMoney. You can email Will at will@magnifymoney.com

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Consumer Watchdog, Eliminating Fees, News

Banks Generate $30bn Of Abusive Overdraft Fees

Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Editorial Note: The editorial content on this page is not provided or commissioned by any financial institution. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and may not have been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities prior to publication.

Nick ClementsNick Clements

MagnifyNews-02-01

Banks generated $7.65 billion of overdraft revenue during the first three months of 2015, according to the Wall Street Journal. On an annualized basis, banks are poised to generate $30.6 billion in overdraft revenue this year. Despite the passage of Regulation E, multiple lawsuits and the threat of regulation from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (“CFPB”), fees have only reduced by 4% compared to 2014. Overdraft fees have historically accounted for an outsized percentage of checking account revenue at the largest banks in the country, and it looks like these fees will remain a meaningful contributor to revenue in the near future.

Are Overdraft Fees Predatory?

The average overdraft fee is about $30 per incident. In addition, many banks charge extended overdraft fees. At some banks, it can cost $70 to borrow $6 for six days as a result of the extended overdraft fee. Even worse, nearly 50% of banks in the country will re-order transactions to increase the number and amount of overdraft fees charged. Rather than debiting money from your checking account in the order that the debits occurred, banks often debit your account in the order that they wished the transactions would have occurred.

Because overdrafts are so expensive, the vast majority of people avoid them. In Europe, an overdraft line of credit is a cash management product that makes sense for everyone. Keeping too much cash is expensive, because it could be better invested or placed into a long-term certificate of deposit. People of all economic backgrounds take advantage of generous overdraft lines of credit, which charge very low interest rates. Borrowing $6 for six days would only cost a few pennies in most large European banks.

However, American banks have made going overdraft a sin and high overdraft fees the punishment. As a result, people with money have completely avoided overdrafts. Only a small percentage of the population uses the overdraft product. 8% of bank customers generate 75% of overdraft fees. Overdrafts have become a short-term borrowing mechanism for people who have no other option. And overdrafts offered by banks are often more expensive than payday lenders. The typical payday lender charges $15 to borrow $100 for 2 weeks. As I mentioned in the Bank of America example, large banks are charging much more than that.

A banking practice is considered predatory when it meets a few definitions:

  • It targets people with low income or limited financial means
  • It charges a price that is dramatically higher than the cost of providing the service
  • It has opaque and complicated pricing that makes it difficult to understand the true cost of the product
  • It charges the fee when someone is in a vulnerable position and has few alternatives

Overdraft fees meet all of those requirements. The price of an overdraft is dramatically higher than the cost of providing the service. Banks charge an average of $30 to decline a transaction, which costs the bank close to nothing. When banks approve a transaction, credit risk is taken. However, the banks are charging effective interest rates above 400% in the form of fees. The banks are addicted to the revenue, which is why the revenue remains despite the backlash.

As overdrafts become more expensive, fewer people will use the service. Banks will extract more revenue from people who have fewer funds and a lower net worth. In my opinion, overdrafts are predatory and action is required.

Isn’t The Situation Improving?

Most headlines have reported the reduction in overdraft fees. And a 4% reduction is material. This reduction has come from banks eliminating high-to-low transaction ordering and putting limits on the number of overdraft fees that can be charged per day. At many banks, it used to be unlimited.

However, banks have not reduced the headline rate. Bank of America has been bragging about its commitment to the customer. But lets look at what they have really done:

  • The overdraft fee remains $35 per incident, and 4 incidents can happen each day
  • The extended overdraft fee remains in effect, charging $35 after 5 days
  • The bank eliminated the option to opt in to debit card and ATM overdraft fees. However, very few people are opting in to this service

In short, the changes have been cosmetic. And without rules from the CFPB or competitive pressure, I doubt the policy will change. The poorest Americans will continue to find Bank of America more expensive than most payday lenders.

What Alternatives Exist

I personally do not like doing business with institutions that create intricate webs of “gotcha” fees. That is why I switched to Ally Bank, which has virtually eliminated overdraft fees from its product offering. Most internet banks have done the same thing, and you can compare accounts here.

Unfortunately, if you need a branch, most branch-based banks remain expensive. And most credit unions are not far behind, charging $25 when the big banks are charging $30. Community banks, credit unions and large banks are all getting fat from these fees. Despite the regulatory pressure, lawsuits and negative press, our nation’s poorest will give banks another $30 billion of overdraft fees this year.

Advertiser Disclosure: The products that appear on this site may be from companies from which MagnifyMoney receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). MagnifyMoney does not include all financial institutions or all products offered available in the marketplace.

Nick Clements
Nick Clements |

Nick Clements is a writer at MagnifyMoney. You can email Nick at nick@magnifymoney.com

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Eliminating Fees, Strategies to Save

8 Savings Solutions for Dynamic Pricing

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Editorial Note: The editorial content on this page is not provided or commissioned by any financial institution. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author’s alone, and may not have been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities prior to publication.

Erin LowryErin Lowry

Pretty Young Multiethnic Woman Holding Phone and Credit Card Using Laptop.

This article comes to us from consumer savings expert Andrea Woroch.

One of the most powerful tools retailers use to trick you into spending money is dynamic pricing. This refers to the practice of fluctuating prices on products throughout the month, week or even day. Both online retailers and brick-and-mortar stores use analytical tools to manipulate prices based on demand, time of day, weather and even zip code with the ultimate goal of maximizing profits. For example, a study tracking Amazon found the online giant changed the price on a GE microwave nine times in just one day.

By adjusting prices based on consumer and market behavior, retailers can capture more customers while getting the most money from each sale. That means the price you viewed on a product in the morning could change by the time you get home from work at night. These analytical tools may also identify an IP address for repeat searches and subsequently send a price soaring.

With such advanced technology working against you, dynamic pricing may seem unbeatable. However, the following tactics can put you back in control of your spending and help you snag the best price on a purchase.

Clear Your Cookies

Cookies (in Internet-speak) are what help you avoid entering your login information every time you check your bank statement, but they’re also responsible for tracking your buying patterns across the web. This creates a digital profile of your purchasing behavior and sites adjust pricing and search results accordingly. Erase your cookies before your next online shopping task to receive unbiased results.

Shop Covertly

A study about price discrimination from Northeastern University in Boston revealed registered users to sites like Orbitz were sometimes presented with better deals than non-registered users. Clearing your cookies as advised above could impact member pricing, so in these cases it’s best to browse covertly. If you’re a repeat customer with a login, use Chrome’s Incognito mode or Firefox’s Private tab to search for prices and compare them to traditional browsing to determine any price differences.

Compare and Track Prices

The biggest weapon against dynamic pricing is price tracking. Knowing the history of a product’s price can show you how high or low it’s been, and during what times. CamelCamelCamel offers price history and tracking for Amazon products, while TrackIf.com helps you track products from other retail websites. You can also use price comparison search engines like PriceGrabber to find out who has the best price at the moment. Finally, browser add-ons like Invisible Hand alert you when a product you’re looking at is better priced elsewhere.

Set Sale Alerts

When you’re short on time, setting sale alerts is helpful to learn when a product’s price drops due to a promotion or available coupon. Pinterest actually has a setting to alert you when something you’ve saved (or “pinned”) from a retail website drops in price. You can also use SnapUp, an app that organizes your mobile screenshots of products into a database and lets you organize by category (“clothing” or “John’s birthday”), and sends you an email when product prices drop. PoachIt offers similar price-tracking features but highlights specific coupon codes that help you offset the cost of your purchase.

Apply a Coupon

Obvious, yes, but oh-so-important! If a checkout page has a field for a promo code, take a moment to look for one before you proceed. Sea

Advertiser Disclosure: The products that appear on this site may be from companies from which MagnifyMoney receives compensation. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). MagnifyMoney does not include all financial institutions or all products offered available in the marketplace.

Erin Lowry
Erin Lowry |

Erin Lowry is a writer at MagnifyMoney. You can email Erin at erin@magnifymoney.com

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