Federal Reserve & US Banking
The
Fed: Our Central Bank: What does the Fed do and how does it affect us?
Overview of US Banking System (~8 pages). Includes links to all 12 Federal
Reserve Banks.
Board of Governors of the Federal
Reserve System
Research and data, Consumer information, and Community Affairs have useful
information. http://www.federalreserve.gov/
Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago
http://www.chicagofed.org/
Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas
http://www.dallasfed.org/
Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis
http://www.minneapolisfed.org/
FDIC: Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
Information on FDIC's role of insuring deposits and promoting safe and sound
banking practices is in the About FDIC section.
Office of the Comptroller
of the Currency (OCC)
Home page for Department of Treasury's Bureau that "charters, regulates,
and supervises all national banks. It also supervises the federal branches
and agencies of foreign banks."
U.S. Treasury
Home Page.
Basic Financial Services
Helping
People in Your Community Understand Basic Financial Services
A Comprehensive Guide for Community Educators developed by the Financial Services
Education Coalition. Materials in English and Spanish. Designed for audiences
without accounts af financial institutions or who need basic information about
how to use accounts.
Bankrate.com
Surveys "approximately 4,800 financial institutions in all 50 states in
order to provide the most current objective, unbiased rates on banking products
such as mortgages, new and used auto loans, credit cards and more."
Checkbooklet
Summarizes "the advantages and the risks involved in writing and receiving
checks. It
provides some basic information about checking accounts, special types of checks,
and the check collection system. It also suggests ways to avoid or minimize
the problems that may occur in accepting checks for payments."From the
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta.
FDIC:
Money Smart
Ten training modules covering basic financial topics. Includes description
of deposit and credit services offered by banks, choosing and maintaining a
checking account, the mechanics of budgeting, the importance of saving, and
how to obtain and use credit effectively. From Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
(FDIC).
Purchase
Options for Consumers
"When you make a purchase. . .should you use cash, check, a credit card,
debit card, your computer or an automatic payment?" Options are described.
From Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
Selecting Banking
Institutions and Services
University of Maryland factsheet.
DFI Kids Page
Has information on history of money, savings options, investing, a glossary,
and interactive quizzes. A fun site from WI Dept. of Financial Institutions.
DFI Your Money Matters
Includes Invested, an educational service about personal financing options.
From WI Dept. of Financial Institutions.
Electronic Banking / Commerce
Education and
Marketing Materials: Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)
Direct Deposit and EFT promotional materials from Dept. of the Treasury, Financial
Management Service. Also links to research and studies on EFT.
Electronic
Check Conversion
When is your check not a check? Federal Reserve Board publication on consumer
rights and responsibilities. http://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/checkconv/default.htm
or http://www.federalreserve.gov/pubs/checkconv/checkconv.pdf
Electronic
Payments Information Center
Payment System Resource Center is an online knowledge management portal for
information on payment systems such as electronic banking, payment cards, e-cash,
e-commerce, consumer protection, privacy, security, technology, etc. Maintained
by the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
Electronic
Transfer Account Consumer Information
What is an ETA, its features, recipient eligibility, financial institution
participation, and more.
Electronic
Banking
Basics of electronic fund transfer. What you should know before using, and
what to do if there are errors or your cards are lost or stolen. From the Federal
Trade Commission.
Electronic
Money
Advantages of EFT, how consumers can use electronic money, why electronic banking
is growing, and safety of electronic banking.
Guide
to Online Payments
"America Online and the Federal Trade Commission have written this brochure
to tell you more about ways to pay for goods and services online and how to make
sure your transactions are safe."
Unbanked
The
Unbanked—Who Are They?
Federal Reserve Board Capital Connections Vol. 3 No. 2 Spring 2001 article
on the unbanked and their reasons for being unbanked.
Fostering
Mainstream Financial Access for the Unbanked
Information clearinghouse organized and maintained by the Federal Reserve Bank
of Chicago and the U.S. Treasury.