Personal Finance Advice and Commentary

Small banks have some big perks, says the CEO who created Kasasa.

It’s clear the banking industry is in a time of transition. A profoundly changed regulatory and economic environment has made it difficult for many banks, especially larger ones, to make money doing business they way they did before the financial crisis. Many national banks have tried to get their checking account offerings back to profitability

While some of America’s biggest banks closed their debit rewards programs earlier this year, using your check card can still pay off. Last month, Ally Bank unveiled a free rewards program that offers cash back on some debit card purchases. The program doesn’t function exactly the way debit rewards programs worked at other banks, though.

Retailers scored a major victory in their quest to limit the debit card swipe fees they pay banks to process debit card transactions. Yesterday the Senate voted down a bill that would have pushed back the July 21 effective date of the new swipe fee limit six months to a year for “further study.” From

To reduce losses from a proposed federal cap on interchange fees, JPMorgan Chase is ending its debit card rewards program for most customers on July 19, according to an article by Bloomberg. Chase customers will continue to earn debit rewards through July 19 and any rewards points accrued through that date will not expire, according

Two new congressional bills propose delays to upcoming caps on debit interchange fees that are scheduled to take effect in July. On March 15, a group of nine U.S. senators led by Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., introduced the Debit Interchange Fee Study Act. This bill would delay implementation of a proposed cap on debit interchanges

There’s no doubt about it: Some Bankrate readers really love their debit cards. Indeed, as I’ve said, there’s a lot to like: Debit cards are easy to use, they look cool, and some of them offer points toward goods and services, airline miles or cash back on debit-card transactions. The most common fee for a

There’s a lot to like about bank debit cards: They’re convenient. They don’t involve a balance or interest expense. They look cool, and they come with rewards for frequent use. Points, airline miles, cash back or even “Disney Dream Reward Dollars” can be yours if you sign up for the right plan and remember to