Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas Web Site: www.dallasfed.org
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Credit Return to the top of the page.

Credit Card Information [off-site] (FR Board)
What to look for when choosing a credit card.
Credit Guide [off-site] (FRB Chicago)
Helps you get a good start in establishing credit, avoid hazards and know where to go and what to do if you have credit problems.

The Economy

Economic Indicators for Consumers [off-site] (FRB Richmond)
Explains the key measures of economic well-being and what to watch for in the news media.
What's a Dollar Worth? [off-site] (FRB Minneapolis)
CPI inflation calculator lets you find out how much a product or service purchased in one year would be worth in another.

Home Mortgages Return to the top of the page.

Consumer Handbook on Adjustable-Rate Mortgages [off-site PDF] (FR Board)
Helps consumers understand this important and complex mortgage option available to homebuyers.
Understanding the Process and Your Right to Fair Lending [off-site] (FR Board)
Explains where to look, what to look for and what takes place when you apply for a mortgage.
Looking for the Best Mortgage: Shop, Compare, Negotiate [off-site] (FR Board)
Shop for the mortgage package that best meets your financial needs.
Mortgage Calculator [off-site] (FRB Chicago)
This calculator will compute the monthly principal and interest payment on a fixed-rate mortgage.
When Your Home Is on the Line [off-site] (FR Board)
What you should know about home equity lines of credit.
Mortgage Servicing: Making Sure Your Payments Count [off-site] (FTC)
Know what a mortgage servicer does and what your rights are.
Putting Your Home on the Line Is Risky Business [off-site] (FR Board)
What to consider before taking out a home-equity loan to solve money problems.
What You Should Know about Home Equity Lines of Credit [off-site] (FR Board)
Explains home equity lines of credit, where to look for one and the costs of maintaining it.

Identity Theft

Identity Theft [off-site] (FRB Boston)
Keys to understanding what identity theft is, how it happens, how to protect yourself, and what steps to take if your identity is stolen.

ID Theft: When Bad Things Happen to Your Good Name [off-site] (FTC)
What to do and who to contact if you think your identity has been stolen.
Internet Pirates Are Trying to Steal Your Information [off-site] (OCC)
How to identify and protect yourself from the latest Internet scam—phishing, a high-tech scam that uses spam or pop-up messages to deceive you into disclosing your credit card numbers, bank account information, Social Security number, passwords, or other sensitive information.

Interest Rates Return to the top of the page.

Find the current Discount Rate, Prime Rate, Fed Funds Rate and rates for Certificates of Deposit.
Compound Interest Calculator [off-site] (FRB Chicago)
Allows you to figure yearly or daily interest.
Interest Rates: An Introduction [off-site] (FRB New York)
Learn the basics of interest rates: what they are, how they're determined and what they do.
The ABCs of Figuring Interest [off-site] (FRB Chicago)
Walks you through the basics of calculating the most common types of interest.

Money and Banking Return to the top of the page.

MyMoney.gov (off-site)
Federal Government's website dedicated to helping Americans understand more about their money— how to save it, invest it, and manage it to meet their personal goals.

Protecting Yourself Against Overdraft and Bounced-Check Fees (FR Board)
What you can do to avoid bouncing checks and suffering the often high-cost assciated with it.
When Is Your Check Not a Check: Electronic Check Conversion [off-site] (FR Board)
Explains how electronic check conversion works and what your rights are as a consumer.
Currency Information [off-site] (Bureau of Engraving and Printing)
Information on the newly designed currency notes as well as designs of past U.S. notes.
Coin Information [off-site] (U.S. Mint)
Find out about newly minted coins, the new state quarters and commemorative coin sets.
Dollars and Cents [off-site](FRB Atlanta) Facts about U.S. currency and coin: how they are made, design and features, circulation and how to spot counterfeits.
ETA—Electronic Transfer Account [off-site] (U.S. Treasury)
Find a provider that offers this low-cost account to which your federal benefit, wage, salary or retirement payment can be deposited electronically.
ETA informational brochure available in English [PDF] and Spanish [PDF]
How to File a Consumer Complaint About a Bank [off-site] (FR Board)
What to do if you think a bank has been unfair or deceptive in its dealings with you or has violated a law or regulation.
Complaints and Inquiries Hotline: 214-922-5508

Savings Bonds and Treasury Securities Return to the top of the page.

U.S. Savings Bonds Online [off-site] (U.S. Treasury)
The official source for Savings Bond information.
Savings Bond Redemption Calculator [off-site] (U.S.Treasury)
Compute the redemption values of your Savings Bonds.
Treasury Direct [off-site] (U. S. Treasury)
Operated by the Bureau of Public Debt, TreasuryDirect allows you to buy Treasury securities—T-bills, notes, and bonds—directly from the government.

Vehicle Leasing  

Keys to Vehicle Leasing: A Consumer Guide [off-site] (FR Board)
Return to the top of the page.