Banking & Credit
Accounts, fees, deposit protection, credit reports, scores and identity-protection tools.
Bank account basics
Transaction and savings accounts are tools for storing money, receiving payments, paying bills and keeping records.
Checking/transaction accounts vs savings accounts
The names vary by country, but day-to-day payment accounts and savings accounts are designed for different jobs.
Understanding bank account fees
Account fees can come from monthly service charges, overdrafts, out-of-network withdrawals, wire transfers or special services.
Deposit insurance basics
Deposit insurance can protect eligible deposits if a covered institution fails, but coverage rules and limits are jurisdiction-specific.
Credit reports: what they contain
Credit reports record information used by lenders and other authorized users to evaluate credit history; systems vary by country.
Credit scores: what they can and cannot tell you
A credit score summarizes aspects of credit-report information, but multiple scoring models exist and lenders may use different versions.
Credit freezes and fraud alerts in the United States
A U.S. credit freeze can restrict access to a credit file, while a fraud alert tells businesses to take additional steps to verify identity.
Credit-repair scams and impossible promises
Be skeptical of companies or influencers promising to remove accurate, current negative information or create a new credit identity.