Anyone who tells you on line saving accounts are the same as local bank accounts is lying. There are tons of differences between the two of them, and you have to figure out what is best for you and your family. Today, we want to cover some of the major areas, so you can feel comfortable with the online banking solution that is chosen.
FDIC Insurance
One of the essentials attached to on line saving accounts is FDIC insurance. They are needed with your local banks as well, but some of the online options won’t be FDIC insured. These are companies you must stay away from, because if they go bankrupt or shut down, you could potentially lose everything.
Stick with companies that present the FDIC logo on their home page or tell you they are insured upfront. It’s the only way you will truly feel comfortable about opening a savings account with them.
Various Deposit Options
Your local banks usually require a $50 to $100 investment when you open a savings account. However, online options are a bit different. While some of them will be similar, there are others that will only require a dollar to get started. In fact, a few of them will let you open an account for nothing upfront.
This is great for the person that wants to start saving money, but can’t afford to let go of $50 to $100 right now. Unfortunately there are issues with this approach as well. It’s possible their policy requires a certain savings threshold. If you do not meet this at the end of each month you could be charged a fee.
While no one likes fees, they are still a part of the bank’s policy. Some banks don’t worry about where you account balance is at the end of each month. If you need a bank like this then do a little more research to find one.
Look for Bonuses
You can scan the internet for bonuses attached to add a little extra to your initial investment. Since there are more banks competing online for your money, a lot of them will offer additional enticements. It might be something like earning an extra $100 for opening the account or an American Express gift card.
Whatever the case may be, you should definitely take advantage of them. The only thing we ask is you read the terms and conditions. Some banks will say anything to get your business. It might look good upfront, but there is always the possibility it will look worse 6 months to a year from now.
These three areas are very important when you open any on line saving accounts. However, there are several other considerations you need to take into account. This is why researching each bank will be important.