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Learning, Sharing, and Teaching => Ask a Mustachian => Topic started by: mr.mongoose on April 19, 2020, 09:20:53 AM

Title: Online banking
Post by: mr.mongoose on April 19, 2020, 09:20:53 AM
Hello fellow Mustachians!

I have opened a new consulting company and need a bank account completely separate from our other business ventures. I've been considering online banks, but understand very little about them. Any opinions, thoughts, or advice regarding these institutions would be massively appreciated.

Thanks!

Mr. Mongoose
Title: Re: Online banking
Post by: Shane on April 19, 2020, 10:21:43 AM
For online personal savings and checking we've been using Capital One for, probably, the last 20 years. For us, online banking is way better than a brick and mortar bank. Checks can be easily deposited using a phone app, and Capital One will mail a check for us, for free, to any business or person we ask it to. Can't imagine going back to the days when we had to drive to a bank to physically deposit checks. We no longer even have a checkbook, because we so seldom write checks. When there's no other choice but to send somebody a check, we just ask Capital One (online or through their phone app) to mail it for us. All of our utilities, taxes, subscriptions, CCs, etc., are all set up to autopay from either our Capital One checking or savings accounts.

Recently, I got the idea it would be nice for our 11 year old daughter to have the experience my wife and I had as kids, growing up, of having a savings account at a neighborhood bank, where she could go, wait in line, and physically deposit cash that she gets from her allowance and as gifts from family members and friends. The experience was surreal. It literally took almost an hour of my daughter's and my time, sitting in the office of a neighborhood bank employee to open a stupid savings account. After all that, I asked the bank lady, "So, my daughter will be able to stop by here on her own, on her way home from school, to deposit cash, right?"... And the lady looked at me and said, "Oh, no. You'll have to be with your daughter if she wants to deposit money, since she's still a minor." wtf? I literally laughed out loud. I said, "So, basically, this has all been a big waste of our time then? If I have to physically accompany my daughter to the bank, just so she can deposit $20 that Grandma sent her for her birthday, what's the point of her having her own account?" It just seemed like a really bad joke, since I could've opened an online bank account in, literally, less than 5 minutes, without having to leave my house. I have a hard time understanding how brick and mortar banks even stay in business.

Having said all that, Capital One may not be your best choice for a business account, at least not right now. Just checked their website (https://www.capitalone.com/small-business-bank/), and it says they are currently not accepting new applications for business savings and checking accounts. This may only be temporary? Maybe because of the current coronavirus crisis? Not sure. There are other online banks, though. Either, wait a while till Capital One restarts accepting new business clients, or else look for another online bank. Probably somebody else here on the forum will have a good suggestion of another bank.
Title: Re: Online banking
Post by: Michael in ABQ on April 19, 2020, 11:52:07 AM
I've got a side business that I'm using an old credit union account for. But I am interested in moving it to a dedicated business account. However, I'm reluctant to give any of the large national banks my business because frankly most of them are terrible.

At some point in the future I may want to apply for financing to grow the business so I'm also interested in a bank that offers SBA loans. Also, a nice online banking interface that allows sub-accounts.