direct deposit

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.

With some of the biggest banks raising fees again, many Americans are seriously considering finding new places to keep their money. But with direct deposit and automatic bill pay, moving your checking account can be complex. We talked to a pro for this easy five-step process to handle your bank swap.

My philosophy once was: If it isn't in the bank I can't spend it. So I would let two or three paychecks accumulate on my dresser (probably to the dismay of my employer) to keep those funds from burning a hole in my checking account. Then I figured it was time to come up with better tricks...

Georgia's Department of Revenue is dealing with the fallout of a mistake that's proving costly for some taxpayers. Several reports out of Atlanta suggest that many people who filed early 2010 tax returns in Georgia saw their direct-deposit refunds vanish days after they showed up in their...

Last month, I wrote about a big move by the Treasury Department to make all payments from the U.S. government electronically. In the announcement, Office of Management and Budget Director Peter Orszag called the change a "win-win for the American public." Now, we're hearing from others with a...

Today the Treasury Department will announce that all payments from the U.S. government will be made electronically to consumers. So people receiving Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Veterans, Railroad Retirement and U.S. government benefit recipients will receive benefits either...

Every year about this time, I receive a lot of mail from seniors who are confused about whether they should file a tax return. The confusion stems from the fact that many seniors receive income from sources that might not be taxable, such as Social Security and tax-exempt bonds. Whether you're a...

A lot of Americans have plenty to say about their banks these days, and it's not always pretty -- we've heard you in the comments section. We wanted to call out some of banks' slimier tricks for separating you from your money as well as recognize some of the helpful tools or innovations (yes, there...

Soon after WalMart announced it will pay employees without direct-deposit banking via debit cards, Consumers Union, the organization that publishes Consumers Reports, came out with this in-depth review of "prepaid cards" and why they suck...I mean, why they're "second-tier banking account...

By now you've likely automated everything from your cable bill to student loan payments, so why not automate your savings? Setting up an automated savings plan is incredibly simple and automatically paying yourself every month is a great way to avoid living paycheck to paycheck or to save for a...