The Sun's Financial Diary

2008 shaped to be a very bad year, if not the worst ever, for financial institutions, big or small alike. Big companies such as Citigroup, American International Group, and Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac needed billions of dollars from Uncle Sam to stay afloat, as losses from band loans, which triggered the current global financial [...]

For many investors, 2008 will be a year to forget: With all three major indexes down close to 40% this year, investors are left nowhere to hide. However, if you suffered big losses from your investments in 2008, there are tax moves that you can take to ease the pain. Early this month, I read [...]

Wow, that’s a big cut, isn’t it? I just received an email from FNBO Direct with their latest rate at 2.80% APY, down from 3.25%, even below HSBC Direct, but slightly better than ING Direct (2.70%). But with ING Direct, you can refer people to make a little more extra ($10 per referral, check out [...]

When MyCoporation ran the one-week free Inc and LLC registration promotion early this month, I took the opportunity and filed my own LLC registration with them. The reason for me to decide to form an LLC for my busness is, of course, for benefits on taxes and protection. Who are MyCorporation You may not be [...]

For those who have followed this site long enough, you know I am a credit card person. Though I have a Bank of America Check Card in my pocket all the time, I only use it to withdraw cash. But I am not paying my purchases with cash, nor with a debit card. I use [...]

Venture Bank keeps impressing me with their products. Last month, I highlighted their Wise-Choice Savings Account (currently 3.60% APY) along with a couple of other banks. When I was creating my Savings Deals page last week, I noticed on their website that they have a checking account coming soon. Today I visited their site again [...]

Today is the day when federal agencies, including the Federal Reserve, the Office of Thrift Supervision and the National Credit Union Administration, vote on credit card reforms that ban some credit card companies’ aggressive practices. Among the agencies, the  Office of Thrift Supervision was the first to approve the final rules that prohibit savings associations [...]

It seems that every time the Fed cut interest rate, ING Direct was the first one among banks I have/had a relationship with to respond, usually within a day or two. This time is no exception. ING Direct informed me tonight the new, lowered tiered rates for their Electric Orange Checking Account while holding the [...]