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What's my current account balance?
I can help you check your account balance. Please provide your account number and I'll look that up for you right away.
Can you tell me my recent transactions?
I'd be happy to review your recent transactions. Let me pull up your account activity for the past 30 days.
Why was I charged a fee on my account?
I can help explain any fees on your account. Let me review your account details to identify the specific charge and provide an explanation.
How do I set up direct deposit?
Setting up direct deposit is easy! You'll need to provide your employer with your routing number and account number. I can help you find those details.
My card was declined, why?
Card declines can happen for several reasons including insufficient funds, security holds, or expired cards. Let me check your account to determine the cause.
I lost my debit card, what should I do?
I'm sorry to hear about your lost card. For your security, I'll immediately place a hold on the card and order you a replacement. Your new card will arrive in 3-5 business days.
My card is not working at ATMs
That's frustrating! ATM issues can be related to card damage, magnetic strip problems, or network issues. Let me troubleshoot this with you and if needed, order a replacement card.
Can you increase my credit limit?
I can help you request a credit limit increase. This typically requires a review of your account history and current financial situation. Would you like me to start that process?
I don't recognize this charge on my statement
I understand your concern about unrecognized charges. Let me review the transaction details with you and if it's fraudulent, we can dispute it immediately.
I was double charged for a purchase
Double charges are definitely frustrating. Let me look at the transaction details and initiate a dispute to get this resolved for you quickly.
A merchant charged me incorrectly
I can help you dispute an incorrect merchant charge. Let me gather some details about the transaction and we'll work on getting this corrected.
How do I open a savings account?
Opening a savings account is straightforward! I can walk you through the process and help you choose the best savings option for your needs. What are your savings goals?
Can I close my checking account?
Yes, you can close your checking account. I'll need to verify your identity and ensure there are no pending transactions. Is there anything specific prompting this closure?
How do I add someone to my account?
Adding an authorized user to your account requires both parties to be present with valid identification. I can schedule an appointment or provide you with the required forms.
What documents do I need to open an account?
To open an account, you'll typically need a government-issued photo ID, Social Security number, and proof of address. Some accounts may have additional requirements.
I forgot my online banking password
No problem! I can help you reset your online banking password. For security, I'll need to verify your identity first. Do you have your account number available?
How do I set up mobile deposits?
Mobile deposit is a convenient feature! I'll walk you through downloading our app and setting up the mobile deposit function. You'll be able to deposit checks by taking photos.
My online banking is locked
Account lockouts usually happen after multiple incorrect login attempts for security. I can unlock your account after verifying your identity and help you reset your login credentials.
Can you help me navigate the mobile app?
Absolutely! I'd be happy to guide you through our mobile app features. What specific function are you trying to access?
What are your current mortgage rates?
Our mortgage rates vary based on loan type, term, and your credit profile. Current rates start around X%. I can connect you with a loan specialist for a personalized quote.
How do I apply for a personal loan?
Applying for a personal loan is simple! You can apply online, by phone, or in person. I'll need some financial information to get you pre-qualified. What's the loan for?
When is my loan payment due?
Let me check your loan account details to confirm your payment due date and amount. I can also help you set up automatic payments if you're interested.
Can I make an extra payment on my loan?
Yes, you can absolutely make extra payments! Additional payments typically go toward principal, which can save you interest over time. Would you like me to process a payment now?
Do you offer investment accounts?
Yes, we offer various investment options including IRAs, brokerage accounts, and managed portfolios. I can connect you with our investment specialists to discuss your goals.
What's the minimum to open an investment account?
Minimum investment requirements vary by account type. Some accounts have no minimum while others may require $1,000 or more. What type of investing are you considering?
How do I transfer my 401k?
401k rollovers are common when changing jobs. I can help you start the process and ensure it's done correctly to avoid penalties. Do you have your previous employer's plan information?
What are your business hours?
Our customer service is available Monday through Friday 8 AM to 8 PM, and Saturday 9 AM to 5 PM. Online banking and our mobile app are available 24/7.
Where is the nearest branch?
I can help you locate the nearest branch. What's your current location or zip code? I can also provide branch hours and services available.
Do you have notary services?
Yes, most of our branches offer notary services for customers. I recommend calling ahead to ensure a notary is available when you visit.
How do I update my address?
Updating your address is important for account security. I can help you update it now over the phone, or you can do it through online banking or by visiting a branch.
Can you mail me a new checkbook?
Of course! I can order a new checkbook for you right now. It typically takes 7-10 business days to arrive. Would you like standard checks or a specific design?
I think someone has my account information
That's a serious concern and I'm glad you called immediately. Let me secure your account right now and walk you through the steps to protect your finances.
How do I report fraudulent activity?
Thank you for reporting this quickly. I'll immediately flag the suspicious activity and start the fraud investigation process. Your account security is our top priority.
Is it safe to use my card online?
Online card usage can be safe when you follow best practices. Use secure websites, avoid public Wi-Fi for banking, and monitor your accounts regularly. We also offer fraud monitoring services.
What fees do you charge?
Our fee schedule varies by account type and services. I can review your specific account fees and help you understand how to minimize them. Would you like me to go through your account?
Can you waive this overdraft fee?
I understand overdraft fees can be frustrating. Let me review your account history and see what options are available. Many times we can work with customers on fee adjustments.
Why was I charged a monthly maintenance fee?
Monthly maintenance fees are typically charged when account requirements aren't met, such as minimum balance or direct deposit requirements. Let me check your specific account terms.
For a car, what scams can be plotted with 0% financing vs rebate?
The car deal makes money 3 ways. If you pay in one lump payment. If the payment is greater than what they paid for the car, plus their expenses, they make a profit. They loan you the money. You make payments over months or years, if the total amount you pay is greater than what they paid for the car, plus their expense...
Why does it matter if a Central Bank has a negative rather than 0% interest rate?
That is kind of the point, one of the hopes is that it incentivizes banks to stop storing money and start injecting it into the economy themselves. Compared to the European Central Bank investing directly into the economy the way the US central bank has been doing. (The Federal Reserve buying mortgage backed securities...
Where should I be investing my money?
Pay off your debt. As you witnessed, no "investment" % is guaranteed. But your debt payments are... so if you have cash, the best way to "invest" it is to pay off your debt. Since your car is depreciating while your house may be appreciating (don't know but it's possible) you should pay off your car loan first. You...
Specifically when do options expire?
Equity options, at least those traded in the American exchanges, actually expire the Saturday after the 3rd Friday of the month. However, the choice to trade or exercise the options must be specified by the 3rd Friday. This is outlined by the CBOE, who oversees the exchange of equity options. Their FAQ regarding opti...
Negative Balance from Automatic Options Exercise. What to do?
Automatic exercisions can be extremely risky, and the closer to the money the options are, the riskier their exercisions are. It is unlikely that the entire account has negative equity since a responsible broker would forcibly close all positions and pursue the holder for the balance of the debt to reduce solvency risk...
Approximation of equity value for company in default
Generally "default" means that the company cannot pay off their debts, and since debt holders get paid before equity holders, their equity would be effectively worthless. That said, companies can emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy (reorganization) and retain equity value, but it is rare. Most times, stocks are de-listed...
Is it true that 90% of investors lose their money?
The game is not zero sum. When a friend and I chop down a tree, and build a house from it, the house has value, far greater than the value of a standing tree. Our labor has turned into something of value. In theory, a company starts from an idea, and offers either a good or service to create value. There are scams tha...
Can a company charge you for services never requested or received?
In general, you can only be charged for services if there is some kind of contract. The contract doesn't have to be written, but you have to have agreed to it somehow. However, it is possible that you entered into a contract due to some clause in the home purchase contract or the contract with the home owners' associat...
Working out if I should be registered as self-employed in the UK
Being self employed just means you fill out some more forms in your annual self assessment for your "profit" from being self employed. Profit = all the money you receive, minus any tax deductible cost that you spent for making that money (and all the cost must be documented, which means you have a folder with all the ...
About eToro investments
For eToro, just like any other brokerage firm, you can lose your entire capital. I suggest that you invest in one or more exchange-traded funds that track major indexes. If not, just put your money in fixed deposit accounts; gain a bit of interest and establish an emergency fund first before investing money that you f...
Pay off car loan entirely or leave $1 until the end of the loan period?
Not sure if it is the same in the States as it is here in the UK (or possibly even depends on the lender) but if you have any amount outstanding on the loan then you wouldn't own the vehicle, the loan company would. This often offers extra protection if something goes wrong with the vehicle - a loan company talking to ...
Including the region where you live in your investment portfolio?
Diversification is a risk-mitigation strategy. When you invest in equities, you generally get a higher rate of return than a fixed income investment. But you have risks... a single company's market value can decline for all sorts of reasons, including factors outside of the control of management. Diversification lets y...
Are there any rules against penalizing consumers for requesting accurate credit reporting?
The Fair Credit Reporting Act specifies in some detail on pages 50-54 (as labeled in the footer, 55-59 as pages in pdf) the process that occurs when a consumer initiates a dispute. The safe outcome for the reporting agency is to remove the information in dispute from reports within 30 days if the reporting party does...
What are the reasons to get more than one credit card?
Another good reason: if you have to replace a card due to damage, loss, or identity theft it's nice to have a backup you can use until the new card for your primary account arrives. I know folks who use a secondary card for online purchases specifically so they can kill it if necessary without impacting their other use...
Why is economic growth so important?
One of the best answers to this question that I've ever read is in a paper published by Robert Lucas in the Journal of Economic Perspectives. That journal is meant to a be a place for experts to write about their area of expertise (in economics) for a general but still technically-minded audience. They recently opened ...
Investment strategy for retired couple
You need to have them consult with a financial adviser that has a focus on issues for seniors. This is because they are beyond the saving for retirement phase and are now in the making-their-money-last phase. They also have issues related to health insurance, IRA RMDs, long term care insurance. The adviser will need to...
What is the US Fair Tax?
You asked about the challenges. The transition itself is the biggest one. For people to get used to the tax at the register vs at their paycheck. For a great number of people to find new work. I don't know the numbers, but anyone involved with personal income taxes would be out of work. Sales tax is already part of the...
Does bull/bear market actually make a difference?
If you know what you are doing, bear markets offer fantastic trading opportunities. I'm a futures and futures options trader, and am equally comfortable trading long or short, although I have a slight preference for the short side, in that moves are typically much quicker to the down side.
Does Tennessee have anything like a principal residence exemption?
There's no homestead property tax exemption in TN. According to the TN comptroller site: Exemptions Exemptions are available for religious, charitable, scientific, and nonprofit educational uses, governmental property, and cemeteries. Most nongovernmental exemptions require a one-time application and approval by ...
How can it be possible that only ~10% of options expire worthless, and only ~10% are exercised?
Consider the futures market. Traders buy and sell gold futures, but very few contracts, relatively speaking, result in delivery. The contracts are sold, and "Open interest" dwindles to near zero most months as the final date approaches. The seller buys back his short position, the buyer sells off his longs. When I own...
Will capital gains affect my tax bracket?
I'm not sure where you are, but in the United States capital gains are taxed at a lower rate than other types of income. On the 1040, captial gains income is separated from earned income, and income tax is calculated just on earned income. Then capital gains tax is calculated on capital gains income, and then added to ...
Can I sell a stock immediately?
You can*, if the market is open, in a normal trading phase (no auction phase), works, and there is an existing bid or offer on the product you want to trade, at the time the market learns of your order. Keep in mind there are 2 prices: bid and offer. If the current bid and current offer were the same, it would immediat...
What can a CPA do that an EA cannot, and vice versa?
Enrolled Agents typically specialize only in tax matters. Their status allows them to represent clients before the IRS (which a CPA can also do) See the IRS site regarding Enrolled Agents Their focus is much narrower than a CPA and you would only hire them for advice or representation with tax related matters. (e.g. ...
Is my stock gone forever from a reverse split / bought by another company?
GT BIOPHARMA, INC. ANNOUNCES REVERSE STOCK SPILT AS PART OF OXIS-GEORGETOWN PLANNED MERGER LOS ANGELES, CA / ACCESSWIRE / August 21, 2017 / GT Biopharma Inc. (formerly known as Oxis International, Inc.) announced today a 1-for-300 reverse stock split. Shareholders of GT Biopharma Inc. (OTCQB: OXIS and Euronext Pa...
Why does quantitative easing negatively affect stocks?
Can you isolate the market impact to just the Fed's quantitative easing? Can you rule out the future economic predictions of low growth and that there are reasons why the Fed has kept rates low and is trying its best to stimulate the economy? Just something to consider here. The key is to understand what is the great...
How to calculate how much a large stock position is really worth?
Something like cost = a × avg_spreadb + c × volatilityd × (order_size/avg_volume)e. Different brokers have different formulas, and different trading patterns will have different coefficients.
$700 guaranteed to not be touched for 15 years+, should I put it anywhere other than a savings account?
Well, I understand this forum is about money but I think you would be far better off if you invest the money in your daughters education or something similar that can bring much more significant future gains. I am a big fan of compound interest and investing in stocks but $700 sitting until she's 21 wont grow into a si...
What are the implications of a corporate stock repurchase or share buyback program?
A board authorizes the repurchase of shares because they feel the stock in undervalued. The hope is that the stocks will rise either directly by their repurchase, or in the near term due to the realization that the company is in better shape then the market thought. Eventually those shares will be resold back into the ...
How much time should be spent on Penny Stocks Trading a day?
How long is a piece of string? This will depend on many variables. How many trades will you make in a day? What income would you be expecting to make? What expectancy do you need to achieve? Which markets you will choose to trade? Your first step should be to develop a Trading Plan, then develop your trading rules an...
Is short selling a good hedging strategy during overzealous market conditions?
Short selling can be a good strategy to hedge, but you have almost unlimited downside. If a stock price skyrockets, you may be forced to cover your short by the brokerage before you want to or put up more capital. A smarter strategy to hedge, that limits your potential downside is to buy puts if you think the market i...
How to decide on split between large/mid/small cap on 401(k) and how often rebalance
It's a trade-off. The answer depends on your risk tolerance. Seeking higher rewards demands higher risk. If you want advice, I would recommend hiring an expert to design a plan which meets your needs. As a sample point, NOT necessarily right for anyone else...I'm considered an aggressive investor, and my own spread is ...
Buying from an aggressive salesperson
I often spend weeks or months (and sometimes even years) deciding whether to buy something. Certainly the dealer should recognize you by now if you take a third opportunity to look at the same instrument. You could politely remind him that you've twice declined his excellent prices. From there you can assert that you w...
What are some signs that the stock market might crash?
There are some economic signs as there are in all economic and business cycles, such as interest rates rising. However, a more effective way is to actually look at price action itself. The definition of an uptrend is higher highs followed by higher lows. The definition of a downtrend is lower lows followed by lower hig...
Recent college grad. Down payment on a house or car?
Buy a car. Unless you definitely know you are living in the area for a good long time, avoid buying a house and get a car instead.
401k with paltry match or SPY ETF?
I think you understood much of what I say, in general. Unfortunately, I didn't follow Patches math. What I gleen from your summary is a 1% match to the 10% invested, but a .8% expense. The ETF VOO has a .05% annual fee, a bit better than SPY. A quick few calculations show that the 10% bonus does offset a long run of ...
What can I replace Microsoft Money with, now that MS has abandoned it?
hledger is a free software, cross-platform double-entry accounting tool I've been working on for a while. It has command-line and web-based interfaces to your local data, and some other interesting features. There's also ledger (http://wiki.github.com/jwiegley/ledger/) which is command-line only. These are.. different,...
Why don't banks print their own paper money / bank notes?
Any person at any time may produce their own currency, one can even do so on the back of a paper napkin, ripped beer coaster or whatever. This is NOT a banking privilege, it is within the lawful ability of anyone capable of engaging in commerce. It is called a 'negotiable instrument' ... it gives the holder rights to ...
Pros & cons in Hungary of investing retirement savings exclusively in silver? What better alternatives, given my concerns?
This sound like a very bad idea. If you invest exclusively in silver, your investment is not diversified in any way. This is what I would call risky. Have a look at index funds and ETFs and build a diversified portfolio. It does not take much time, and you don't need to let it do by someone else. They are risky too, bu...
Is there any circumstance in which it is necessary to mark extra payments on a loan as going to “principal and not interest”?
It could be a couple of things besides extra principal: I seem to remember hearing that some (shady?) lenders would just pocket extra payments if you didn't specify where they were headed, but I've also been told that this just isn't true.
Automatic investments for cheap
For your purposes, I would recommend using direct investment in a no-load mutual fund. I mostly use Vanguard and would recommend them. They just about invented index funds, usually have the lowest (internal) expenses for index and many other funds, if you take electronic instead of paper statements there is no mainte...
Do other countries have the equivalent of Australia's Negative Gearing?
In India, where I live, you can: In addition, housing loans are given priority status as well - bank capital requirements on housing loans is lower than for, say, a corporate loan or a loan against other kinds of collateral. That makes housing loans cheaper as well - you get a home loan at around 10% in India versus 15...
Is it possible to influence a company's actions by buying stock?
Another form of 'shareholder' activism. You might be able to buy a single share, which it seems would cost around $35, attend the AGM, and ask questions and/or shout or sing and delay proceedings. There would certainly be security guards or police ready to remove protesters at an AGM.
Why might it be advisable to keep student debt vs. paying it off quickly?
Like all other loan-vs-savings questions, it depends on the terms of the loan. If you have a choice, the usual answer is to pay off the loan with the worst terms (which usually means the highest interest rate) first, and only start with savings when you've paid off all the high-interest loans entirely. If your student ...
Should I sell my stocks when the stock hits a 52-week high in order to “Buy Low, Sell High”?
Though it seems unintuitive, you should rationally ignore the past performance of this stock (including the fact that it's at its 52-week high) and focus exclusively on factors that you believe should affect it moving forward. If you think it's going to go up even further, more than the return on your other options f...
Why would this kind of penny stock increase so much in value?
Disregarding the particular example and focusing on the actual questions: YES, definitely, the whole concept of "pump and dump scheme" refers to the many cases when this was intentionally done; Everything has a limit, but the limit can be quite high, especially if starting from a low value (a penny stock) and if the st...
Price graphs: why not percent change?
The actual price is represented on charts and not the change in price as a percentage, because it is the actual price which is used in all other parts of analysis (both technical and fundamental), and it is the actual figure the security is bought and sold at. A change in price has to be relative to a previous price at...
How much money should I put on a house?
Before doing anything else: you want a lawyer involved right from the beginning, to make sure that something reasonable happens with the house if one of you dies or leaves. Seriously, you'll both be safer and happier if it's all explicit. How much you should put on the house is not the right question. Houses don't sell...
Historical share price at exact day and time
An alternative to paying thousands of dollars for historical prices by the minute: Subscribe to real time data for as low as USD$1.5/month from your broker, then browse the chart.
High credit utilization, some high interest - but credit score not overly bad. How to attack debt in this situation?
You need to pay off the entire balance of 7450 as soon as possible. This should be your primary financial goal at this point above anything else. A basic structure that you can follow is this: Is the £1500 balance with the 39.9% interest rate the obvious starting point here? Yes, that is fine. But all the cards and ove...
Why do credit cards require a minimum annual household income?
Here's one reason that's being overlooked in answers so far. (@ChrisInEdmonton, this is for your comment on @Chad's answer.) How do credit card companies make money? Sure, there's interest charges, but those are offset significantly by the cost of borrowing money, and by people defaulting on their debt / entering bankr...
selling apple stock limit order
Your order may or may not be executed. The price of stock can open anywhere. Often yesterday's close is a good indication of today's open, but with a big event overnight, the open may be somewhere quite different. You'll have to wait and see like the rest of us. Also, even if it doesn't execute at the open, the pri...
How do I get rid of worthless penny stocks if there is no volume (so market/limit orders don't work) and my broker won't buy them from me?
Merrill charges $500 flat fee to (I assume purchase) my untraded or worthless security. In my case, it's an OTC stock whose management used for a microcap scam, which resulted in a class action lawsuit, etc. but the company is still listed on OTC and I'm stuck with 1000s of shares. (No idea about the court decision)
Why is day trading considered riskier than long-term trading?
In day trading, you're trying to predict the immediate fluctuations of an essentially random system. In long-term investing, you're trying to assess the strength of a company over a period of time. You also have frequent opportunities to assess your position and either add to it or get out.
Why would you elect to apply a refund to next year's tax bill?
The refund may offset your liability for the next year, especially if you are a Schedule "C" filer. By having your refund applied to the coming year's taxes you are building a 'protection' against a potentially high liability if you were planning to sell a building that was a commercial building and would have Capital...
Can individuals day-trade stocks using High-Frequency Trading (HFT)?
I just finished a high frequency trading project. Individuals can do it, but you need a lot of capital. You can get a managed server in Times Square for $1500/month, giving you access to 90% of the US exchanges that matter, their data farms are within 3 milliseconds of distance (latency). You can also get more servers ...
Does the profit of a company directly affect its stock or indirectly by causing people to buy or sell?
people implicity agree to sell stocks when a company does bad But, remember, when you sell the stock of a company that, in your estimation, 'did bad', someone else had to buy; otherwise, there is no sale. The someone else who bought your shares evidently disagrees with your assessment. Did you sell because the company ...
Does a stock holder profit from a reverse-stock split?
If I held stock in these companies yesterday, would I have profited by these gains? No. For DZSI, your 5 shares at $1.10 would now be 1 share at $5.50, so you would have the same total amount. For SGY, they closed at $6.95, and opened at $32.80, so your five shares at $6.95 would now be one share at $32.80, so you wo...
How would bonds fare if interest rates rose?
1. Interest rates What you should know is that the longer the "term" of a bond fund, the more it will be affected by interest rates. So a short-term bond fund will not be subject to large gains or losses due to rate changes, an intermediate-term bond fund will be subject to moderate gains or losses, and a long-term bon...
What implications does having the highest household debt to disposable income ratio have on Australia?
It is basically the same situation what US was when the crash happened. People took on debt without the means to pay, even with awful credit records. But the problem isn't the debt people take on themselves, but with the limited disposable income they have how efficiently can their debts be serviced. And how do banks w...
why do I need an emergency fund if I already have investments?
Given that the 6 answers all advocate similar information, let me offer you the alternate scenario - You earn $60K and have an employer offering a 50% match on all deposits. All deposits. (Note, I recently read a Q&A here describing such an offer. If I see it again, I'll link). Let the thought of the above settle in. ...
Is it a good practice to keep salary account and savings account separate?
I pretty much only use my checking. What's the downside? Checking accounts don't pay as much interest as savings account. Oh, but wait, interest rates have been zero for nearly 10 years. So there is very little benefit to keeping money in my savings account. In fact, I had two savings accounts, and Well Fargo closed on...
Why does it seem unnecessary to fully save for irregular periodic expenses?
It totally depends on when your expenses hit and whether you might have a larger stock than necessary. If you run your projections against the monthly save and the intervals of when you'll need the money, you might be able to extract some stock from the account. I recommend making this a bit simpler. I operate this wi...
Why do some stocks have a higher margin requirement?
It is a question of how volatile the stock is perceived to be, its beta correlation to the S&P500 or other index. Margin requirements are derived from the Federal Reserve, Self Regulatory Organizations, the exchange itself, the broker you use, and which margining system you are using. So that makes this a loaded questi...