How to Bank

From setting up online banking to voiding checks, this beginner's guide will give you the basics of consumer banking.
A couple looks over their overdraft fees.
How To Ask Your Bank To Waive an Overdraft Fee
A woman uses an ATM.
How Do Cardless ATMs Work?
Custom illustration shows how much to pay (or earn) in interest with a set of hands holding a large coin with a dollar sign on it that is sprouting a plant. Facts include the interest rate, the amount of the loan, and how long it takes to repay
What Is Interest?
Financial advisor helping a senior couple
What Is Escrow?
What Is Compound Interest?
illustration has a heading "Bank Wire-Transfer Basics" followed by definition: "An electronic transfer of money; Goes from one bank or credit union to another using network such as SWIFT or Fedwire."
What Is a Wire Transfer?
illustration with text that reads: "Is Paypal Safe? Tips for Buying, Selling, and Sending Online. 1. Keep software up-to-date on your computer or mobile device. 2. Avoid public Wi-Fi for financial transactions. 3. Use a credit card as your funding method instead of a debit card or direct bank transactions. 4. Be wary of links in emails.
Is PayPal Safe?
Image of what you need to open a bank account, including a social security card, cash deposit, forms filled out and ID.
How to Open a Bank Account and What You Need for It
Businesswoman reaching for paperwork
What Does It Mean to Notarize a Document?
how ABA numbers work
What Is an ABA Number?
Couple looking at paperwork together
What Is a Beneficiary?
The differences between ACH and wire transfers.
ACH vs. Wire Transfers: What's the Difference?
Image shows three panels: a man paying for something at a counter; a woman paying for her bill at a cafe; a woman paying for a movie ticket. Text reads: "Paypal's prepaid, debit, and credit cards. The prepaid mastercard–PROS: no credit check, FDIC insured. CONS: can't pull funds from your paypal account; a $4.95 monthly fee. The debit mastercard– PROS: Use funds from your paypal account; cash back rewards. CONS: Primarily for business accounts. The extras mastercard– PROS: no annual fee; earn points. CONS: required credit checks."
PayPal Debit and Credit Cards
A bank teller processes a transaction for a bank customer.
How (and Where) To Conduct an International Wire Transfer
Woman checking her bank account balance online for a ACH payment
Learn How ACH Payments Work
A woman working at a computer using software to analyze qualitative data.
What Is Annual Percentage Yield?
Woman sits on floor at coffee table with a laptop
How To Open a Bank Account Online
Image shows a house and a stack of money locked inside of a see through safe. Text reads: How to keep assets and payments private: Hire a family office: They manage the finances of the ultra-wealthy Create a trust: It’s an entity that holds assets and makes payments
How to Make Financial Transactions as Anonymous as Possible
How to Convert Percentages to Decimals
Illustration of how and where to deposit cash
How to Deposit Cash Into a Bank Account
Understanding the Available Balance in Your Bank Account
Young woman walking through a banking district
What Is the FDIC?
Diverse group of friends making a toast
What Is a Tanda?
Illustration of various ways to check bank balance
How to Check Your Bank Account Balance Online
Mobile payments
Pay With Your Mobile Phone
Young couple using laptop
What Is Escheatment?
Realtor showing new house to young couple
Types of Escrow Accounts
Couple talking to bank employee about loan
Another Credit Union Perk: Co-op Shared Branching
Bank Teller in Retail Bank Counter Serving Customer with Transaction
Bank Wiring Instructions: How to Send or Receive Funds
How To Send and Receive Money With Facebook Messenger
Woman using digital tablet on sofa
How to Send Money Online
Cropped shot of a handsome mature businessman reading the paper while sitting in the backseat of a car during his morning commute
How Swiss Bank Accounts Work
Bank customers wait in line to see a representative
How to Switch Banks
Open bank vault
What Is Fractional-Reserve Banking?
Close up man paying using smart watch contactless payment
The Cheapest Ways to Send Money
Man paying bills online
What Is Online Bill Pay?
Female executive talking to business partners about choosing a bank.
Benefits of Local Banks vs. Big Banks
How to calculate monthly interest that you may pay or earn on $2,000
How to Calculate Monthly Interest
Map of world made of various currency
Remittances: How To Send Money Abroad
get to know your debit and credit cards
Get to Know Your Debit or Credit Card
Hundred dollar bills emerging from ATM
Learn About the Risks of Depositing Money at ATMs
Brick and Mortar Bank
Brick and Mortar Bank Branches
Woman connecting to neobank with smartphone
What Are Neobanks?
A person checks bank account online
What Is Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS)?
Open Bank Vault Door
Deposit Holds and Funds Availability Rules
Portraits of U.S. presidents on dollar bills
What Is Money?
The benefits of online banking—quicker, easier, and safer—outlined in an illustration
What Is Online Banking?
Young woman paying bills with a credit card
The Pros and Cons of Online Banking
The outside of a bank with a large sign on the front
The Impact of a Bank Run on Banking Institutions
Two kids count coins laid out on a kitchen counter
Where To Turn Your Coins Into Cash
Woman using calculator and laptop
How to Balance Your Checkbook With Templates and Spreadsheets
Woman sitting in front of laptop using a calculator to pay her bills online
How to Pay Your Bills Online
The pros and cons of moving to a cashless society
The Pros and Cons of a Cashless Society
couple-overdrawn.jpg
How to Recover from Being Overdrawn on Your Bank Account
Young woman withdrawing money from an ATM, other woman waiting in line behind her.
What Does It Mean to Nationalize Banks and Industries?
A couple looks at a computer.
What Are Cleared Funds?
A pile of ATM, debit and credit cards
Understanding ATM, Debit, and Credit Cards
The Best Banks for Millionaires
a woman holding a smart phone and a credit card
Sending Money With a Credit Card: Benefits, Risks, and How to Do It
banking customer depositing check with a bank teller
How Banks and Credit Unions Make Money
Businessman in a city using ATM
How To Reverse ACH Payments
Money and data in a digital world
What Open Banking Is and How It Will Affect You
Woman attempting to take money out of the Atm but the screen reads error. The text above the woman asks, "Why isn't my money available yet?"
Why Isn't My Money Available at My Bank?