About fifteen years ago, I moved back home from college and opened up an account at a local bank. It was a pain in the neck. I hated standing in line, I hated their hours, and I didn’t like all of their fees. At the time, I was one of the early adopters on the Internet, and I signed up for an account at an FDIC approved online bank. At first, I treated it just like a local bank account, writing checks to pay my bills. When I received a check, I used a postage paid deposit envelope to mail it in. When I needed cash, I just used an ATM. What I really loved was the great rates and lack of fees.

Later, the bank was purchased by a large multinational bank, and they added all of their traditional fees. I jumped ship and landed at another Internet only bank, where I have been ever since. They offer great rates, little or no fees, and excellent telephone customer service 24 hours a day. They even offer me a fee rebate on my debit card.

Even though you can now bank online with any company, the rationale for Internet only banks is still clear. Not having branches all over town saves money and allows them to offer low rates and fees. Not having to handle any cash must be a huge money saver as well.

If you’re like me, every penny counts. That’s why I wanted to let you know that from now until April 30th 2011, you can save 5% on your tax preparation bill if you use your PerkStreet debit card. You heard it right. From now until April 30th, you can actually pay 5% less everybody else you know, just by paying for your services with your PerkStreet card.

The following tax preparation services are eligible for the discount:

• H&R Block
• Jackson Hewitt
• Liberty Tax Service

And, for the do-it-yourselfers out there, you can also save using TurboTax.com.

So, for those of you who already have a PerkStreet checking account and debit card, begin reaping your savings today by using your card at any of the merchants listed above. For those of you who are wondering just who PerkStreet is and how you can get in on such a great deal, I did a little research for you. Check out what I found below.



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In today’s economic environment there are few things to get excited about. But, if you are looking to refinance your mortgage, there has never been a better time to do so, at least in terms of interest rates. Thanks to the sluggish economic recovery, interest rates are lower than they have ever been, making now the time to refinance your home. So, if you are ready to drop your mortgage interest rate a few points, fire up your computer and let’s get started.

The first and probably most important step in attempting to refinance your mortgage is to truly understand your current financial situation. Along with your ability to prove a stable income and having the cash to pay closing costs and a down payment where necessary, you will need good credit. If you have a credit score of less than 640 you will have problems finding a lender willing to work with you to get your home refinanced. That’s not to say that it’s impossible, yet it will be difficult. Get a copy of your credit report from all three credit bureaus, review them and dispute any and all inaccuracies. If your credit score is still struggling thanks to some late or missed payments, postpone your refinancing until you improve your score. You can improve your score by making all of your payments on time every month as well as paying off accounts and reducing your liabilities.

The second step in getting your mortgage refinanced is to understand how much you qualify to borrow. In many areas of the country, many people owe more on their original mortgage than their houses are currently worth. If this is the case for you, you will need to be prepared to pay the difference between the value of your home and the upper loan limits for the lender you choose in cash. The easiest and most efficient way to figure this out is to utilize the mortgage calculators that are available online. These calculators will help you get an idea of what your home is worth, what an average lender is willing to lend on your home and whether or not you will have the cash to help bridge the gap.

We live very busy lives today and so for those of us who take advantage of it, online banking can be one of the great time-savers in our daily routine. Nearly every bank now offers online banking, some with more functionality than others. If you’re not taking advantage of it, you’re definitely losing both time and money.

The two greatest boons you’ll see from the best online banking are time savings and, in many cases, higher interest rates. Let’s look at these two money savers.

You will obviously save a lot of time when you use online banking since it means you don’t have to make the trip to your local bank branch or schedule your day in order to work in that trip. You may also save money since you can do balance transfers, deposit monitoring, and other things without an ATM using just your Internet connection.

You’ll also save time waiting on the phone for a representative to talk to just to make a balance inquiry or a transfer request. In fact, since most online banking also includes mobile banking, you can do a lot of your banking on the go from your mobile phone as well.

Over the past decade, the Internet has revolutionized the way we conduct business. More and more people are using the Internet to pay bills, to shop, and now to apply for mortgages. In today’s world, consumers in the market to buy a new home can find homes, take virtual tours, apply for and close mortgage loans without ever leaving the comfort of their own homes. But, while all of this convenience is great, applying for a mortgage loan online can be a bit tricky. Here are a few tips that will help you navigate through the online mortgage application process.

The first and probably most important step in applying for an online mortgage is to understand your current financial situation. When it comes to getting a mortgage, the most important aspect of your finances is your credit report. Your credit report contains a detailed history of all the accounts you’ve maintained in the past and chronicles your payment history. It is important to know that many credit reports contain inaccuracies and correcting them is vital to the success of your mortgage application endeavor. You are entitled to one free credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union). To get this report, simply request one online at each of the agencies’ websites.

When it comes to Discover Bank, most people think about credit cards. But, what many people don’t know is that Discover Bank offers a wide variety of banking products and services, many of which beat the offerings of most local and national banks, hands down. For instance, did you know that Discover Bank online savings accounts currently earn over four times the average in interest?

Now that I have your attention, here are a few other things you may not know about Discover.

Discover Bank entered the scene in 2000, thanks to a collaboration between Greenwood Trust Company and Discover Financial Services, formerly known as Sears Financial Services. The marriage was a natural fit since Greenwood Trust Company was already issuing Discover credit cards.

It’s a known fact, the American tax laws are lengthy and complicated. Sitting down and attempting to file your taxes armed with only an IRS form and a booklet and a few receipts is not only sure to drive you insane, but can end up costing you plenty if you’ve made a mistake. But, paying for professional tax preparation is expensive and can be somewhat daunting.

So, where can an average do-it-yourselfer turn in order to get professionally prepared tax returns at a fraction of the cost of a CPA? You hit the Internet and find do-it-yourself tax preparation software.

Turbo Tax is one of the most well known names in do-it-yourself tax preparation. Regardless of whether you are a 1040EZ or a self employed individual or a large corporation, there is a Turbo Tax version that is ready to take on your taxes. I have used this software personally for several years, both to prepare my personal tax return as well as the return for my small business and I will have to say that in my limited experience with tax preparation software, this one gets a gold star for ease of use and flexibility. I particularly enjoy the fact that I can access the many versions of Turbo Tax on their website and only pay when I am finished with my return. I still get access to the same perks as filers who use a tax professional such as efiling, direct deposit of my refund, and audit protection (if I so choose this service).

Thanks to a marathon session of Congress, the Bush-era tax cuts have been extended. Well, at least for a few more years. So, if you are wondering where you may fall in terms of a tax bracket for next year’s taxes, take a look at the table below:

• 10% Bracket: $0-$8,500
• 15% Bracket: $8,501-$34,500
• 25% Bracket: $34,501-83,600
• 28% Bracket: $83,601-$174,400
• 33% Bracket: $174,401-$379,150
• 35% Bracket: Over $379,150



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The following post was written by Buck Fleming from Bucksays.com.

Banking with a branch near to your location is convenient but not always the wise choice for a new business. All banks can store your deposit with a degree of safety and none are currently paying enough interest on almost any kind of deposit to get excited about.

1. Before opening your account carefully determine what the frequency of activity is likely to be. Will your business have frequent deposits as in a retail operation or will your activity be less frequent. Most banks charge for each check deposited and every withdrawal in a business account. These charges can mount up and need to be considered when choosing your bank.

2. Meet the manager of the branch and introduce yourself as a potential new customer that is starting a small business, Ask about what services and support is offered to a small start up business. Use this conversation to make a judgment as to the likely attention you will receive when problems arise

3. Ask about lending policy and determination criteria concerning short term loans, overdraft policy and aid in meeting cash flow requirements from time to time.
Ask the manager if he or she has lending capability and if not, is there a loan officer based in the branch. Determine what is the lending level available, in the branch, without committee determination.

4. Take time to observe the operations taking place during your visit. Does this look like an operation with staff that seems to be courteous and efficient?

Getting a mortgage can be difficult.  Getting the best mortgage loan for your situation can be impossible without the help of a good mortgage broker.  Mortgage brokers act as a middle man in the mortgage business, accepting applications from borrowers and running them by numerous lenders in order to find the best deal. 

Having a mortgage broker allows you to comparison shop lenders without the hassle of having to complete multiple applications, visit numerous lenders’ offices, or even having to have your credit report pulled more than once.  Good mortgage brokers can also help you arrange for closing with a reputable title company, suggest great places to find affordable home owner’s insurance and much more.

So, how do you find the best mortgage broker?  Here are some simple tips to help you wade through the masses and find the right broker for your situation.

Know anybody who has just closed a home loan?  Ask them if they would recommend their broker, if they used one.  There is no better measure of good service than a happy (or not) customer. 

Finding mortgage brokers is easy.  In many cases, all you have to do is open your phone book or turn on your computer.  But, how do these companies measure up?  One of the first places to look is the Better Business Bureau.  After you narrow down your list of potential brokers, run a search on the national Better Business Bureau website to see if complaints have been lodged against them and how they responded.  Another avenue to check are online complaint boards like ripoffreport.com or pissedconsumer.com.  Many unsatisfied customers turn to the World Wide Web to find answers when a broker has left them high and dry.