creditunions

Americans are growing even more distrustful of their financial institutions. The latest figures from the quarterly Chicago Booth/Kellogg School Financial Trust Index showed that only 23% of those surveyed said they trust the country's financial systems, down from 25% in June.

Many of us have our bank accounts running almost on autopilot: Paychecks go in and bills get paid automatically, and any details we need to deal with are handled easily online. But these conveniences come at a price -- they make it too much trouble to leave a bank, even when its fees get outrageous.

Big Wall Street banks haven't been winning many fans lately with their new fees and constant search for loopholes in the Obama administration's consumer protection laws. Bank of America's new fees on debit cards could be the last straw for some. The alternative many Americans are turning to -- credit unions.

Overdraft fees are like a movie monster that just won't die. No amount of public outrage or regulation can slay the beast. But the banks aren't the only ones casting overdrafts in financial sequels: Truth is, consumers keep breathing life into the overdraft dragon.

You might assume that free checking is one of those banking benefits on the way out, but that's not the case: More than a third of checking accounts charge no monthly service fee. But that doesn't mean that banks don't expect to profit from your checking business. Here are the fees that make "free" a highly inappropriate designation -- and how you can avoid them.

A recent survey by Capital One Bank revealed that "nearly half of all high school seniors polled say they are unsure or uncertain about their ability to manage their banking and personal finances." This is quite alarming considering the fact that they will likely be handling college and...

The money is not rolling in, but at least there are signs that capital is defrosting, at small banks and credit unions, anyway. If you're in need of a loan, here is a loan primer to help you get started: Personal loan Personal loans are those typically under $5,000 and are meant for, as the name...

High schools with bank branches, ATMs and tellers to help students withdraw money? Can we trust teenagers with these just down the hall from chem lab? I gave it some thought last week when I went to pick up my cousin Cate, who I blogged about recently regarding her pondering the merits of public...

An online media maven is urging Americans to switch banks, and she wants her crusade to go viral. On the Huffington Post website, founder Arianna Huffington introduces what she calls the "move your money" campaign. The idea is to get Americans -- all Americans -- to close their accounts at big...

I never did know when to leave well enough alone. This past summer I had largely stopped getting credit card offers in the mail, having "opted out" earlier in the year. But Bank of America offers continued to get through. I'd held a platinum Visa card with BofA for more than 15 years, so I...