Reconciliations are typically done on a monthly basis to ensure that all deposits, withdrawals, and bank fees are accounted for. Discrepancies between a bank statement and book balance are commonplace, but businesses must account for each one and adjust the general ledger accordingly. Performing a regular bank reconciliation enables a business to locate any missing funds, prevent fraud, and verify the cash flow on its balance sheet. What Is Bank Reconciliation?...

But how does the CFPB complaint process work, and can complaining lead to a solution? Let’s cover the basics. How Does a CFPB Complaint Work? The CFPB accepts complaints about financial products like credit cards, loans, credit reports, debts, and bank accounts. The CFPB complaint process can act as a bridge between you and the business you have a complaint with. If you’ve been unable to resolve the issue or get in touch with the right person at a company, the CFPB process could help....

What Are the Options To File a Health Insurance Claim? The first way to file a health insurance claim (and the most convenient) is when your medical services provider can submit the claim directly to the insurance company on your behalf. They can do this electronically through the network. Your other option is to complete the claim form yourself and send the paperwork to the insurance company yourself. This can be necessary if your health service provider is not in the network for your health plan or can’t file it on your behalf....

In the event that selling the car is not a realistic option, you may have to consider alternatives including refinancing, trading it in for a vehicle with lower payments, asking someone else to take over the payments, or even going so far as voluntary repossession. Selling the Vehicle You might be able to sell your car even if you still owe money on it and pay off the loan with the sales proceeds....

Learn more about turning your credit card points and miles into satisfying gifts. How To Get Credit Card Points Stockpiling credit card points is one of the finer arts of frequent travelers and value-conscious shoppers. There are many ways to get credit card points, including: Welcome bonuses: Many cards offer a big lump sum of points if you spend a certain amount of money, usually within the first three months....

Things to Consider in Your Home Office Design While you may not have many home office options when you first start, it’s important to consider a permanent home office that maximizes productivity. But even the ideal home office space can lose its oomph. Periodic redesign of your home office can re-energize and inspire you. Below are things to consider when setting up or redesigning your home office. Office Space Your kitchen table is a good place to get started when you first work from home, but eventually you’ll want an office that supports your work....

Of course, hiring managers and recruiters are busy. One study found that recruiters spend an average of just 7.4 seconds reviewing a resume before moving it to the “yes” or “no” pile. Adding bullets to your cover letter can help you make the most of those seconds, highlighting your relevant experience and matching it to the job listing’s requirements. Readers may skim through your opening paragraph, but their eyes will automatically pause when they see a bulleted list of qualifications....

Volunteer work can be an excellent way to showcase key skills such as event planning, fundraising, or problem-solving and can be integrated with your other paid work experiences or listed separately. How to Include Volunteering on Your Resume Including volunteer work on your resume is an especially important tactic for any of these reasons: You’re a student without much (or any) formal work experience.You are a recent college graduate with limited professional experience....

Check With Your Career Center Begin by tapping the resources that are available to you as a student or recent graduate from your college. Visit the career office and meet with a career advisor to discuss your options. You can also pursue career counseling if you’re unsure of your goals. Advisors can help you develop resumes and cover letters, prepare for interviews, and formulate a job search plan suited to your interests....

There are many aspects of money management that need to be tracked in a business, but one of the most important, besides income, are expenses. Many businesses spend way more than they think, often on things they don’t need. A business tracking spending spreadsheet can help you stay on top of what you’re spending, so you can make wise financial decisions in your business. What is a Business Track Spending Spreadsheet?...

The Truth in Lending Act (TILA) was enacted in 1968, and the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) was enacted in 1974. Both had been the cornerstone of mortgages for decades and both were modified by TRID, which has become known as the “Know Before You Owe” mortgage disclosure rule. Closing on Time With TRID The federal government did away with the HUD-1 statement under TRID, replacing it with the Closing Disclosure (CD)....

Even if you have negative feelings about your job and your boss, you want to leave with your employer feeling good about you and your resignation from the company. The idea is to keep the door open for future opportunities by building, not destroying, relationships with colleagues and customers, as well as your direct-report. Before You Resign, Ask Three Questions Before you resign from your job, do a self-check comprised of three questions....

The inaccurate debt collection may have resulted from someone opening an account in your name and failing to pay the bill, and sometimes paid debts are accidentally sent to collections. In some cases, unscrupulous debt collectors create fake debts hoping that consumers will be frightened into paying without ever questioning whether the debt is even real. If you have any doubts about whether a debt belongs to you, it’s important to follow the right steps....

There comes a time when authorized users must be, or maybe choose to be, removed from the account, especially if their credit card use is hurting your credit score or vice versa. You might even opt to remove an authorized user to avoid paying an additional fee for having another person on your account. Process to Remove an Authorized User Removing an authorized user from a credit card is pretty easy....

Most accidents involve exchanging information with other drivers, but do you also have to notify your local Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)? Depending on the nature of the accident, you may have to file a crash report there. Learn more about when and how to report an accident to the DMV. What To Do After a Crash Whether it’s a minor fender bender or a more serious crash, being in a car accident can leave you shaken....

Skip these steps, and you run the risk of alienating your former colleagues. That could come back to bite you later if you try to return to your old job or land a new position at a company in your industry. You never know when you might need a recommendation or a reference. Leaving the right way means that you’ll have people in your corner should you need them later in your career....

Wait Before Responding The first thing you should do is…nothing. Give yourself some time to calm down before you make a move. You may feel sad or angry in the immediate aftermath of the review, and it can be dangerous to respond to your boss while you’re in this state of mind. You may say something you’ll regret later on. Read and Analyze the Review Taking at least 24 hours to go over your boss’s evaluation will give you time to carefully and honestly consider everything in it....

Petty cash is useful for businesses to keep on hand whether they are just one-person proprietorships, such as a financial advisor, or all the way up to a small business with multiple divisions. What Is Petty Cash? Petty cash is a small amount of cash kept on hand to cover small, and often unexpected, expenses that pop up during a business day. You might use money from the petty cash fund to pay for minor expenses such as postage, Uber fares, or reimburse someone $10 for bringing in a box of donuts....

The traditional method of calling a commodity broker to place orders and waiting for a call back to give you a filled order price is less efficient than online trading. Therefore, if you want to trade commodities online, there are some important factors to keep in mind. Choosing a Commodity Broker Commodities trading nowadays is either accomplished through the use of ETFs or through the buying and selling of futures contracts....

According to a study published in 2009 by Jeffrey Dew at Utah State University, couples that fought about money at least once a week were 30% more likely to get divorced. This is why you need to learn to talk to your partner calmly about your shared financial future. If you and your partner have struggled with this in the past, try using some of these tips to smooth over the conversation....