Great Time To Open A Checking Account

Right now it is a good time to open a new checking account. If you are looking to switch banks, do it now! However, when considering a new bank; you must first do your research. Many banks are offering great deals on checking accounts that are FREE and give you great benefits and rewards.

Now days, you should never pay maintenance fees for having a checking account, unless your CHEX System status prohibits you from qualifying for standard products (read post : Does You Name Appear on Chex System).

Look for free checking accounts that give you major benefits like free atm withdrawals, points for your debit card purchases, on line bill pay with free bank to bank transfers, free savings account, discounts on loans, better rates on cd's. The customers with the checking accounts get better deals. Also, check that your account is free of restrictions, like direct deposit and minimum balances and minimum amount of transactions per month.

Look for cash incentives too, banks offer cash bonuses for opening and activating your checking account. Do not open a checking solely for the purpose of getting a reward or a better rate, if you open a checking account under these circumstances than do not expect to be considered a valuable customer. Banks measure their client's value by the way their checking account is maintained. The checking account is the core of a banking relationship.

As always, feel free to post your comments about your bank, we can learn a lot from each other!

High Class Jobs, Low Class Thieves

Yesterday, I read an interesting yet troubling article on compensation that is given to retired CEO's from major financial institutions. Perks that are rewarded to these guys that no longer work for the company but make you think…. why? In many instances these retired CEO’s who are heavily compensated when leaving the company are given office space and a secretary or assistant and their former employers pay for all of it. Perks like a company car with a driver and use of the company jet, these perks are given as part of their contracts and usually for several years after they leave the actual job. The tens of millions of dollars that they make in a year are not enough for them to pay their own transportation and office space. These perks can cost the banks hundreds of thousands per year and yes in the grand scheme of things it’s a drop in the bucket. However, the institutions that are doing this are the ones crying for bailout funds! I don’t get it; can someone explain this to me?

There's no point in getting specific with names because they are not ones that you haven't heard before. It is just alarming how money is thrown to these fat cats that are not worthy. It's this same mentality that has brought this economy down. The feeling that they are untouchable and indestructible, so arrogant! The stories you hear in the news these days it just makes you wonder.........What happened to common sense?

It makes me sick to think about it and I’m sure that you are sick of hearing about it but we have a reason to voice our opinions because everyone has been affected by the greed that is displayed in Wall Street. Whether it’s losing a job, your business slowing down, your investments and 401k dwindling, increase in the cost of living, everyone has been affected.

My advice to you, find a bank that is sound, study your bank’s financial stability and its so-called leaders. Are they spending lavishly at your expense? Why should they deserve to have your business? Think about it.

Bankers, how much do you appreciate your customers?

Here is an old concept that may have been lost in this modern era of fast paced lifestyles and business relationships, the concept of thanking a customer. How often do we thank our clients for their business? How often do we call them as a courtesy to see how they are doing? I believe that now more than ever it is crucial that we practice such behaviors. The banking business is in deep trouble and we can't wait for the government to bail everyone out, we need to take self initiated steps to improve our banks. It all starts with you, the retail banker.

Obtaining new business is always in high demand, especially with so many banks competing for the same clients. There are so many ways to reach a prospective customer, however, maintaining those clients that you already have is just as important. Value your customers and let them know that their business is welcomed and that you are grateful for the opportunity to service them. The customers is what keeps us working and keeps banks in business. 

Customers should feel welcomed when they enter a place of business and should be acknowledged almost instantaneously, they should be addressed by their names, they should know your name, they should be thanked as they leave the branch. These are a few steps that will aide the retention of your clients. Try it and you will see the difference in your customers. 

Unavailable Funds vs. Non Sufficient Funds

Do you know the differences between these two?

Many times customers do not realize that checks can be paid on funds that have not been made available yet by the bank. When checks are paid against uncollected funds or unavailable funds, you will pay a fee. Ok so what if you have overdraft protection? Overdraft protection will not work in this case because you have the funds in your account, it's just that they are not available for withdrawal or payment yet but banks will take on the risk of paying these items. Many customers are not aware that overdraft protection can't help you avoid the fee paid against unavailable funds.

Non sufficient funds is simply not having enough money in your account to pay the items that were presented. Now, regardless wether those items are paid or returned; you will be charged a fee. If you have overdraft protection then you will avoid thse fees.

Ways to avoid unavailable funds fees:

• Instead of deposting the funds into your checking account, deposit them into your savings account and transfer the money you already have available in the savings account to the checking account.
• If the funds you are depositing come from any government agency or municipality, ask the manager if the funds can be available the next day, most banks if not all, have special deposit slips for these types of checks
• Ask for a funds availability schedule from your bank, each check depending on it's routing number will have different availability schedules. The routing number determines the location of the issuing bank.
• If you are depositing a large amount of money, like proceeds from the sale of a home; then you may want to ask for the funds to be wired to your account instead of receiving a check.
• Sign up for direct deposit from your employer, pension, social security, etc.

These tips will help you have your funds available sooner. 

What's the best way to save for my kids?

There are several ways to do this but in my opinion if you know that this money is specifically earmarked for college then you will want to consider a 529 plan or college savings plan. They call these plans 529 because they are named after the IRS tax code 529. These plans allow you to save for your child's college education without having to pay taxes on the interest earned. Better yet, if all the monies in the plan are used for college expenses like tuition, books,  room and board, etc., you will never pay taxes on the interest earned. That's the advantage, whenever you can (legally) avoid paying the taxes on interest earned on your money, the money grows at a faster rate because your real rate of return is higher. Just take a look at your savings or CD 1099 statements that you receive from your bank. The interest earned on your bank accounts is taxable and depending on your tax bracket then you might not be taking home much after paying those taxes. 

Here is what I suggest:                          

• Set up a minor savings account (UTMA) for your child so that you can teach them to make deposits and get them into the habit of saving. Some banks still offer the passbooks for these types of accounts so the child physically sees their balance grow after each deposit. These accounts are typically free and do not require minimum balances. Gifts from birthdays, holidays, christenings, etc., can be deposited into this bank account. 
  
• Open a 529 plan and make monthly contributions via direct debit from the savings account you have set up for your child. Additional contributions can be done at any time. Keep in mind that there are different types of investment options with the 529 plans, some riskier than others. Check the fund's performance when making a selection. You can also choose a fund that is automatically invested and shifted based on the child's age so the investments becomes more conservative the closer they get to college. 

Ok, so these are two very different ways to save for your child. With the first option, when your child turns the age of majority, he or she is entitled to the money and is now sole owner of the account. With the 529, you remain in control until the money is ready to be used, regardless of the child's age. If the funds are not used for college than you pay a fee and you also pay taxes. 

I have included a link that explains in detail the 529 savings plan, this one is offered by Alliance Bernstein Investments. Always consult your tax advisor to find out how much you can contribute to 529's.

Click here: College Bound Fund Program Description

Relationship Banking: Are you in the right one?

All banks have different levels of relationship banking. If you have several accounts and are still paying fees on your checking account, then you need to ask your banker if you're in the right type of checking account that meets your needs. Banks have checking account packages that are tiered, based on your deposit balances and in some instances, loan balances.

Banks will reward you for having a mortgage or home equity or even a personal loan and these loan balances may help you qualify for a higher tiered relationship and help you avoid any maintenance fees. The best thing to do is to pick up a brochure of the types of checking accounts that your bank offers and review your accounts and loans to see if you're in the right one. In addition, if you have a basic checking account that does not give you added benefits like free checks or a free bank checks and you have the qualifying balances to upgrade to a better checking account then by all means request for that upgrade. You could be losing out on free stuff or even losing out on higher interest rates by not having the type of checking account that fits your balances.

You as a customer always have life changing events like marriage, new job, birth of a child, retirement, etc. and these life changing events often have an effect on your finances and most likely have an impact on your banking relationship.

When you go into a bank to start an account, make sure you allow the banker to ask the qualifying questions so that you can be placed in the proper account. It is the job of the banker to ask the right questions about your finances without feeling like you're being pressured into something. I think it's Chase that says "the right relationship is everything", and it's so true. So don't settle for that free checking account if you have other accounts and/or loans and investments, you could be leaving money on the table in the form of lower interest rates or free stuff like checks or discounts on safe deposit boxes. Ask your banker for a review of your accounts and start building that relationship.

Will it ever end?

Today we hear about how Citigroup will start to dismantle parts of their businesses that they think are not profitable for the bank in order to salvage the already wounded giant. They sold off 51% of their brokerage house, Smith Barney to Morgan Stanley at a mere price of $2.7 billion and Morgan Stanley has the option to buy the rest off in 3 years at whatever price is deemed appropriate at that time. Whoever thought Citibank, a household name, a giant among dwarfs would be in so much trouble. The bank will now focus on wholesale banking tending to large corporations and retail banking that focuses on the everyday client. Personally, I think there are still many changes to come in the banking world and although as shocking as they may be, they won't surprise me at all.
Source: NY Times

I also think that many heads of banks were greedy in the sub-prime era as well as investors and failed to regulate the mortgage industry. When everyone was making money, nobody questioned anything, the American dream of owning a home was deceptively package just like the loans that were being sold.

Take advantage of the LOW rates!

Now is the time to take out a home equity line of credit or to refinance your mortgage. Rates are as low as I could remember. You can find fixed 30 year and 15 year mortgages below 5.00% and if you set up an automatic payment from your checking account, you might be able to lower that rate by .25%.
Home equity rates are also low....very low, if you already own a home and are thinking about making any types of improvements to your home or any major purchases or if you just want to have an emergency source of funds, then you need to apply for a home equity line of credit. The home equity line of credit has so many benefits and features that it is by far my favorite bank product to offer home owners an I will tell you why. Home Equity Line of Credit:

• no closing costs (up to certain amounts, check before you apply)
• use the funds for any major expenses
• option to pay low monthly interest payments only
  
• revolving line, if you pay it down you can use it again, like a credit card
• lock in feature, you may be able to lock in a portion of your line at a fixed rate (check before you apply)
• immediate access to your funds with checks or online
  
• only pay interest on what you use
• interest paid may be tax deductible (ask your tax adviser)

Interest rates on home equity lines of credit are based off the bank's prime rate which is the rate that is charged to bank's best customers. Whenever the prime rate changes, your rate will change accordingly by the percentage amount that the Prime rate changes by. So what you want to focus on when you are shopping around for rates is the spread or margin that you will be charged on the line of credit and for how long. You will either be quoted a rate of Prime (+) or Prime (-). Example: If a bank will offer you a line at Prime + 1.00%, that means that your rate will be Prime, currently as of 1/13/08 @ 3.25% plus 1.00% = 4.25%. Be sure to ask what the spread will will be for the LIFE of the line. Some banks will entice you with a teaser rate, e.g. Prime -1% for 6 months and then after the introductory period, the rate adjusts. In this rate environment, since prime rate is so low, don't expect to see many Prime (-) offers. Other factors that you want to consider about HELOCS:

• pre-payment penalties, find out if there are any
• does the line have a floor (lowest rate that you will pay)
• does it have a ceiling (highest rate you can pay)
• the better you credit score, the lower your rate and vice verse
  
• the lower your LTV (loan to value) the lower rate and vice verse
  
• inquire if the bank charges a yearly fee
  

The best time to take out a home equity line of credit is when you don't need it. It is not an overnight process and you don't pay anything if you don't use it. From my experience, I have never seen the prime rate so low and I don't see it going up dramatically for at least a couple of years. The Prime rate is published by the Wall Street Journal.

Banking 101: Going back to basics

Have you forgotten the fundamentals of banking? How to manage your checking account? If so, follow these simple behaviors and you will succeed in keeping track of your activity and balances on your account.

• Keep track of your spending: Log your checking account transactions into your check register immediately so that you do not forget that they are pending. Always log your purchases that you make with your debit card because sometimes depending on your bank's system; you won't see these withdrawn from your account right away. Signature based purchases can take a couple of business days to post. Many people make the mistake of checking their balance via the telephone or atm before making a withdrawal and disregard the pending transaction that has not hit the account. This will in fact cause an overdraft in your account if you do not leave enough money to cover for pending transactions.

• Review your activity: The best way to do this is with online banking because you get real time information on your account. Check it frequently, making sure that your purchase receipts matched the amounts posted to your account. If you discover an unauthorized transaction, make sure you report it immediately to your bank and do not wait because the bank only has certain amount of days to get your money back, generally 60 days for unauthorized ACH/debit card disputes. I recommend you do this 2-3 times a week.

• Balance your check book: You want to make sure that all your debits and credits match your checkbook with your statement. If everything that you logged in your checkbook matches your monthly statement, then you should be ok. If not, then again, you will want to go item by item to make sure that all amounts match. With so many ways to check your account, on line banking, atm, telephone banking, mobile banking, this should be a snap and you don't even have to wait for your statement. In fact, I recommend you GO GREEN and sign up for E-Statements. This way you save trees and just get an email notification to your inbox notifying you that your statement is ready to be viewed through your on line banking site.
  

• Pay Bills On Line: If you don't think this is the greatest invention then you're crazy!! (wait maybe I'm crazy..)I know many people still have their reserves about on line bill pay, however with the technology in force today and the encryption methods that secure websites have in place, it's safer than you think. I've been using on line bill pay since as far as I can remember and I can't imagine banking without it.
  

1. you save money on postage and checks
   
2. the bill is paid generally within 2 business days
3. you save time, you log on, and click a few times and you're done
4. you can even pay your rent, babysitter or send a check to a relative. If the party you are paying does not accept electronic payments then the bank will cut a check in your name and mail it out for free.
5. it's secure, the less checks you write, the less likely you are to identity theft

On line bill pay should be free, safe, easy to manage and convenient.

How can I check my credit report?

This process is easier than you think, obtaining credit reports from the 3 major credit reporting agencies can be done through one website and it's 100% free. Just visit annualcreditreport.com and you can obtain one report from Equifax, Transunion and Experian. Obtaining your report through this method will not provide you with your credit score, that you have to pay for. I recommend www.myfico.com if you want to purchase your scores or even purchase a yearly plan on monitoring your score on a monthly basis. They have different packages to choose from.

Getting back to the free credit reports, you are entitled by federal law to get one free credit report from each credit agency through this website every 12 months. You can order all three at one time or you can order them one at a time. I suggest you order one every four months, this way you can see what is happening with your credit accounts on a consistent basis.

There are several cool things that you can do when you using this free service. If you see that your information such as address, phone numbers, name is misspelled and employment are not correct, you can fix it. Also, if you see an account that you believe is not yours; you can dispute the validity of such account.

We all know how important credit is, the higher the score the better qualified you are to obtain the best rates. Having high credit scores can save you thousands of cha-ching over the life of the loan. If your credit score needs work, take the first step and get your free report and do something about it!

Beware of sites that market themselves as free, like freecreditreport.com, they may have catchy tunes in their commercials but when you sign up with them, you're actually signing up for a "free" 7 day trial membership that you must cancel otherwise they will charge you $14.95 a month.

For more information visit: www.annualcreditreport.com

Annualcreditreport.com will never ask you for your credit card information.

Do you have tips on improving your credit?

Does Your Name Appear on CHEX SYSTEMS?

Have you ever been denied opening a bank account because your name appears on CHEX SYSTEMS? There are several reasons why this would happen but none of them are good. If the bank had to close your account for whatever reason, then they report your information to this agency which works similar to a credit reporting agency. You DO NOT want your name to appear on CHEX Systems, this only happens when you have been a bad boy or bad girl and you didn't play nice with the other bank.

Let's suppose you had a checking account with Chase and you had a history of overdrawing your account causing it to constantly run at a negative balance. Chase decides that they no longer want you as a customer because your account is overdrawn and you have not made a deposit into the account and it has been several weeks that your account is at negative, you have neglected this account and you probably feel like it's not your fault and that Chase should had never paid the debit card purchases you made when you didn't have enough in your account.

So now your account is closed and your information is reported to Chex Systems which is accessible by all banks, your name, date of birth, social security number and address are sent with a reason of why your name has been reported and the amounts owed. This information will stay on CHEX Systems for 5-7 years and unless it's a mistake on the bank's behalf than you won't be able to remove your name from it.

Only the bank who reported you can delete you and if the bank that reported you is no longer in existence than it would be the bank who bought out your bank.

At this point you must be wondering if a bank will open a checking account for you now that you've been labeled a high risk prospect. Most banks will say NO, however there are some banks that will consider the severity of the report. Some banks will report you to CHEX Systems even if the amount you owed and paid was minimal. However, keep in mind that you may be offered a checking account that has limitations. E.g., you might be offered a checking account with a monthly maintenance fee or an account with limited transactions. They vary from bank to bank and since you are considered high risk, don't expect to get the best deal. There are banks out there that offer accounts without running your information through CHEX SYTEMS, however, you will have to pay non-traditional fees and be limited with the types of transactions you can do and access to your funds may be costly.

In the event that you have been reported to CHEX Systems, make sure you pay the amounts owed. Forget about not paying the money back because you "feel" it wasn't your fault. Ultimately you are responsible for your account and it's really not worth having your name on CHEX Systems for a few dollars.

Beware, every time a bank pulls up your information on CHEX Systems, an inquiry is recorded, now it won't hurt to have inquiries but a bank may wonder why you've had inquiries so frequently in a short period of time, they may think you are up to something...so do your research on a bank's products before you apply for a checking account. Be upfront with the banker and explain your situation.

Please post your questions, stay tuned for simple but effective tips on how to manage your checking account.

FDIC: How much am I covered under FDIC?

I am not going to get into great detail about FDIC but here is what you need to know:

• Every depositor is temporarily covered for $250k until Dec 31st, 2009. Sometime before this date FDIC will let us know if they will revert back to $1ook per depositor. My personal feeling is that they will maintain the $250k coverage longer, but that is just my opinion.

• If you desire more coverage above the $250k then you will need to add a depositor to your account, like a joint owner or beneficiary. You can also open accounts at other banks, remember each bank covers you for a separate $250k.

• On FDIC's website, there is a cool calculator called the Electronic Deposit Insurance Estimator or EDIE (https://www.fdic.gov/edie/calculator.html) and you can plug in the types of accounts that you have and the estimator will show you if you are covered on your deposits. Keep in mind that IRA deposits are separate and are covered for $250k aside from regular deposits.

• Pheew...ready for some more? If you still are not fully protected under FDIC's limits of $250k on your INTEREST bearing accounts, you can put all of your money in NON-INTEREST bearing account, like a checking account and have 100% FDIC coverage even if it exceeds the $250k. It is unlimited and it is also in place until Dec. 31st of 2009. Please note that all banks do not participate in this program. As of Dec 5th, banks were given the option to continue insuring their depositors for all of their balances. For a list of the banks that opted out of this Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program visit the FDIC website and search Temporary Liquidity Guarantee Program. So if you're bank is not listed on the opt out list than you can take advantage of FDIC's unlimited insurance on non interest bearing accounts.
  

Bankers: What challenges do you face in your branch?

Being a banker is not an easy task in this day of massive banking competition. On top of having to face steep goals ahead us, we sometimes have to deal with branch staff that may not be up to par with what we are trying to accomplish. As a branch manager, I can tell you that your success depends a lot on how much your team is motivated. If you are not motivated than don’t expect your staff to be, this is probably the hardest facet of our role as a BM. I often find myself asking, how can I get my staff on the same page and work together like a fine timepiece? It takes time to accomplish this, to have your team buy into the plan that you have in place, it is a work in progress that needs to be worked on daily. Be an example to your team and they will follow, this is the most effective way that I have experienced. Delegate…don’t take on all responsibilities by yourself, you are a hard worker but if you take on all the responsibility then you are actually doing a disservice to your employees because they will depend too much on you. You always want to help people improve themselves but banking is not for everyone, at some point you will have to decide if this person or people are right for the job. Managing someone out is never easy but it’s best for all parties at this point.

Look, these principles can be applied not only banking but other industries as well so I challenge you to take that initial step and start today!

"Attitude Reflects Leadership" from:Remember The Titans Movie

What are some of the issues that you come across? How do you handle them? What do you do daily to motivate your staff? How do you acknowledge success?

Do you bounce checks?

Ok, I admit it, I bounced a check one time because I forgot to transfer money from my savings account. I should be ashamed for not having this service done automatically. It's called overdraft protection and it is available in different formats depending on your bank. 

• You can have overdraft protection with a savings account, make sure you tell your bank you want the savings linked to the checking acount for overdraft. If you don't have enough in your checking, the difference will be automatically transfered to your checking. Be aware that there might be limits on how many times you can do this per month with a savings account.
• Another form of overdraft protection is a line of credit, some banks still offer this and it's often reffered as check protection, cushion credit..you get the point. It is simply a personal unsecured line of credit that is used solely for protection of your checking account.
• Some banks will also allow you to use your home equity line of credit or even a credit card if it is with the same bank. The differences are again automatically transfered to your checking and all you do is pay back the amount plus the corresponding interest.

Of course, your bank will not do this for free, so check your bank to see which is the most cost effective. Be advised that to have a line of credit, you will have to submit a credit application.

What is the difference between a signature based purchase and a pin based purchase?

There are two ways that purchases can be made using your debit card.

PIN Based: when you make a purchase entering your Personal Identification Number or PIN into the credit card terminal. The transaction is done on real time and the money is held from your account right then and there and you see the amount being withheld from your available balance immediately. Personally I like this type of transaction better than signature based because the amount is deducted ASAP, however if you are enrolled in a rewards program with your bank, chances are you wont get points for those pin based purchases.

Signature Based: These purchases occur when you use your debit card but instead of entering your pin, you sign the receipt for verification. Usually these purchases take a couple of days to hit your account because they are not processed immediately since they have to go through the same process as credit cards. This is where you can get in trouble if you don't keep a tight record of your spending. Since you don't see the purchase immediately withheld from your account, you can have other purchase or checks that will hit your account the same day thus overdrawing your account if you forget to log in one of these purchases. This is a very common mistake done by consumers and a costly one at that. Overdraft fees can cost up to $35 a pop, regardless of the amount of the transaction.
Signature based purchases do qualify for points so make sure you are signed up with your bank's rewards program. If you have a VISA, you can look at www.visaextras.com for more information. Banks offer these rewards to their customers because they get a higher kickback from the fees that merchants pay when they accept your card for payment. If you are a business owner and you and accept credit/debit cards than you should be aware that you are paying higher fees per transaction when you take a debit card and process it as a signature based transaction as opposed to a pin based.

So if you run a tight balance on your checking account and want to stay out off harms way, then use the PIN based form. If you want to accumulate points and trade in those points for some cool stuff, the sign away baby!

Looking to change banks this new year?

Many people and businesses switch banks this time of year. What is important to me if I switch banks, what am I looking for when I make the switch?
Here are a few questions to ask yourself when you are contemplating a move to a new bank.

• How do I feel when I walk into my branch? Do I feel like this bank appreciates my business?
  

• Is the bank convenient and close to where I work or live?
  

Don't think that larger banks are better only because they have tons of branches.

• Am I going to pay fees for my checking account?
  

If you are looking for a personal checking account, you should not be paying fees, regardless of the amounts you keep in your account. Many banks offer totally free checking accounts now so look for the ones that do not have requirements like direct deposit because let's face it, not everyone is fortunate to get direct deposit from their employer. There are different types of checking accounts and your banker should ask the proper questions to help you avoid maintenance fees.

If you are looking for a business checking account, make sure that the banker takes the time to ask you what types of services you use, like wire transfers, ACH payments and credits, on line banking, etc. This is especially important because the balances you maintain in your account can help you offset some of the fees that you would incur if and only if you are placed in the proper type of account. Again, your banker should pay special attention to the types of transactions you perform.

• What are the fees for ATM withdrawals?

If you are lucky you will find a bank that does not charge you for making ATM withdrawals at other ATM's that do not pertain to your bank. Banks will charge you for making an ATM withdrawal at another bank. So not only will you pay the corresponding bank's fee but your bank will charge a transaction fee as well. So you pay two fees for that one withdrawal. There are banks out there that reimburse ATM fees regardless of which bank or ATM you use and do not charge you a transaction fee. You could save a significant amount of money per month if you avoid other banks ATM or if you are fortunate to have a free ATM type of checking account.

• How is the customer service?

I like....no, let me rephrase that, I love great customer service. I like being acknowledged at a place where I am giving them my business and why shouldn't I? I am spending my money, I am contributing to the success of that store or restaurant or any other type of business and it is no different for a bank. It's because of you that the bank is in business. Are the branch employees welcoming and courteous? Do the tellers greet you and use your name during a transaction? Will a banker go out of his way to satisfy my request or need?

These are some of the things that I would consider before switching banks, of course everyone has different needs, if you have some of your own, please share.

Why Banking With A Smile?

Mission Statement

I want to create this blog for fellow retail (branch) bankers and banking customers. I would like to share ideas from both bankers and customers as to how we can create a better banking experience for the customers.

What makes a bank a good bank? There are many answers to this questions because each client has unique financial needs. Also, what's important to one customer might not be as important to next customer.

Lets share ideas, comments and questions about this industry. It is a unique time in our nation's history, many banks have failed this past year, it was an unprecedented year for the financial and banking world.