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The article presents the author's views on the economy and stocks as a good investment in the United States. He asserts that low-cost index funds help get cheap diversification, such as the SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average exchange-traded fund or Diamonds. He emphasizes having faith and letting the bank withdraw the same amount each month from the checking account or paycheck and buy more shares of the Dow or the S&R Stock prices.

The article focuses on how to avoid fees imposed by banks on services that were once free. The author discusses how government regulations on banks in 2010 limited fees they could charge, so banks shifted the fees to other transactions, including replacing lost debit cards, using online banking, and maintaining certain balances. He suggests that consumers study the fine print on everything that comes from the bank, beware of high-fee services, and switching banks if all else fails.

The article offers ten tips on managing personal finances for U.S. law students. It suggests paying debts and student loans due to the financial crisis and economic uncertainty. It recommends reducing checking account balance because of low or no interest of banks and make deposits into money market accounts. It advises paying bills on time to maintain good credit records.

This section offers news briefs relating to finance and business. The author discusses the economic future of crude-oil and suggests if the U.S. should face problems with Iran, the price of petroleum may rise. The article also offers information about the positive future for U.S. job markets as well as interest paid on checking accounts.

Offers advice for investments and savings for retirement. Impact of interest rates on savings accounts in the U.S.; Efforts of banks to offer interest rates on certificates of deposit higher than those of the national average; Potential benefits of online banks; High interest rate yields offered by money-market funds, which operate like interest-bearing checking accounts; Tips for balancing savings in investments and cash.

One way for consumers to keep more of their money in their bank accounts is to give up what little they get from their interest-paying checking accounts by switching to a no-frills account. Here's why; the typical bank account that pays interest requires a minimum monthly balance of $2,593, according to Bankrate.com, which tracks banking trends. If an account slips below that threshold, it is subject to an average monthly service charge of $10.59. An analysis by the U.S. Public Interest Research Group determined that a customer who can't meet the minimum balance could end up paying as much as $266 a year in banking fees.

Discusses why it is in banks' best interests to offer free checking accounts. Popularity of free checking accounts in the United States as of November, 2002; How banks make money by charging overdraft fees; Comparison of overdraft loan rates to those of so-called payday loans.

The article offers information on the Venture Visa rewards credit card from Capital One and several charts for savings and checking accounts, and mutual funds in in the U.S., including the Northern MMF, an account from Merrick Bank, and the checking account at Consumers Credit Union.

The article talks about the use of paper checks in the U.S. It discusses the passage of the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act, also called Check 21, which was implemented in October 2004, that allows banks to substitute images of checks for the checks themselves, making for faster and cheaper processing. According to some financial analysts, checks are still useful in the U.S. unlike in Great Britain where paper check clearing will be phased out by October 21, 2018.

The article presents questions and answers related to bank, brokers and mortgage middlemen in the U.S., including the safety of bank accounts, insurance for individual savings and Joint checking accounts and the maximum coverage of a retirement savings accounts in a bank.

Focuses on the growing profits earned by banks by imposing service charges on consumer checking accounts in the U.S. Concerns of consumer advocates on the banks' practices; Impact of the prevalence of debit cards and Internet banking on competition in the banking industry; Disadvantages of the courtesy overdraft protection services of banks; Need for an additional disclosure to prevent banks from unfairly levying fees on consumer accounts.

Examines how the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act in the U.S. will influence the corporate treasury. Collection of corporate receivables; Concerns of the payable side of the corporation on company's checks; Issues to consider before jumping with Check 21 implementation plans.

Discusses the status of issues pertaining to banking relations in the U.S. as of December 2003. Overhaul of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) insured deposits program; Payment of interest on commercial checking accounts; Bank tying.

The article offers information on the benefits of premium checking accounts of banks on consumers in the U.S. The topics discussed include the rewards and yields paid by checking accounts, the type of banks which showcase the said kind of accounts, and charts showing top yielding primary deposit accounts in the country.

Reports on check-clearing procedures and fees levied on personal accounts by United States banks. Class-action lawsuit against Wells Fargo Bank alleging systematic creation of the largest possible number of overdrafts in customers' accounts; Advice on avoiding bounced checks and high fees; Charts showing the best deals in low-interest and no-fee credit cards.

The article reflects on the investigation of a scandal concerning the checking accounts of U.S. Congressmen in 1992. This essay states that there are 296 member and 59 former members who are involved in the scandal. The scandal may affect the political chances of Democratic legislators in the country if allegations regarding the controversy are proven. However, House Speaker Tom Foley failed to immediately address problem. Hence, this negligence has threatened that status of his political career and political party.

The article offers tips on avoiding overdraft charges. According to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corp., majority of banks enroll clients in an overdraft program. It is suggested to link a checking account to a savings account or credit line, as some banks such as Bank of America and Citibank can transfer funds for a fee of 10 U.S. dollars.

The article focuses on the story behind the song "Days Like These" by Janis Ian. It states that Ian was at her lowest point when she wrote the song. Ian relates an experience in the late 1980s when the U.S. Internal Revenue Service (IRS) would not allow her to have even a checking account. She was asked by John Mellencamp to record the song for a film that he was making in 1992.

The article presents information on the interest rate of checking accounts in the U.S. Banks offer interest-bearing checking accounts, but they generally require high minimum balances and pay pitifully low rates. EverBank, an online bank, offers an interest-bearing checking account that is currently paying an introductory rate of 5.51% for the first three months--a yield that tops online banks and also beats what most brick-and-mortar banks offer.

Discusses how the U.S. Congress has an opportunity to fix a problem it created with the a new "Check 21" law which makes it easier for banks, thrifts and credit unions to process checks by sending electronic images of checks instead of the actual checks. Expectation that it will save banks billions of dollars once it is fully implemented; Problem that banks are still allowed to impose the same old delay, called a check hold, before permitting consumers to spend or withdraw money they have already deposited; How the Consumer Checking Account Fairness Act would ease the check-hold squeeze.

Warns consumers that banks will begin withholding canceled checks from monthly statements, decrease float time, and will make other processing changes. Details of the Check Clearing for the 21st Century Act, or Check 21; Goals of implementing more electronic check clearing so as to reduce the costs of paper traffic; How to manage the transition if you collect canceled paper checks.

Focuses on the United States Federal Reserve Board's 1998 Survey of Consumer Finances which shows effect of dissatisfaction with bank services in obtaining checking accounts. Incomes of households without checking accounts; Factor that chased potential check writers away; Impact of the rising bank costs.

Deals with the interest rates offered by banks in the United States. Advantage of the one-year certificates of deposit; Banks that exist only in the Internet; Possibilities for better deals on checking accounts. INSET: Check-Bouncing Fees.

Reports on the advantage of having a no-interest checking account. Average costs of interest-bearing checking accounts in 1993; Average monthly balance required to break even on an interest-bearing checking account in 1990 and 1993.

Discusses several aspects of the use of credit card convenience checks. Using a convenience check to get a loan if your bank account runs low; Comments on transaction fees, grace periods and more; Credit card information for those who carry a balance and those who don't.

Offers brief remarks about banks and banking, and the use of checks, in particular. Overall check activity in the United States increasing at a rate of about 2 to 3 percent annually; The clearing of checks; The number of Americans who have no relationship with any financial institution; How much it costs to process payments through the banking system in the United States as compared to European Common Market countries.

The article comments on the unbalanced-checking account story involving Democratic congressmen in the U.S. The incident is about a congressman who had sent in a check in excess of his balance. The check got paid and a notice would be sent if the overdraft exceeded the monthly paycheck of the legislator. A similar case is that of Congressman Stephen Solarz. He is listed as the fifth legislator who wrote the most checks that exceeded his money in the House Bank. Solarz raises two interesting points about his case. First is that it is not right to condemn congressmen for violating a standard which had not ever been proclaimed. Second is that legislators who deposited their money in the House Bank were only forfeiting interest they might have earned.

Reports on the warning issued by the US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) against fraudulent telemarketers who obtain consumer checking account numbers and then issue demand drafts to debit their accounts without their authorization. Estimated cost to consumers of the scam; Comment by Jodie Bernstein, director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection of the FTC; Features of the Telemarketing Sales Rule of the FTC.

Focuses on the role of a checkbook owned by U.S. Lieutenant Colonel Paul R. Wing in his survival during his confinement as prisoner of Japanese forces in Camp Cabanatuan in Philippines during a war in 1945. Number of prisoners of war who die everyday due to starvation; Ability of a Japanese guard named Big Speedo to in cash the checks released by the lieutenant; Redemption of his checks from his bank in the U.S. after liberation.