Howto get the most from your bank __ * . KEEPING UP WrrH ACCOUNT BALANCES By Jacque Johnson Everyone feels more comfortable knowing the balances of their checking, savings and credit line accounts. Tb~ prevent bouncing a check or exceeding your credit line, it helps to keep your records as-care luuy as me DanK aoes. If you forget to record a transac tion, however and your monthly statement will be coming soon, you will probably be able to figure out your mistake very quickly when the statement arrives. Compare each transdCtiort the bank has listed with what you have recorded, and also check to see if you forgot to record any withdrawals made from an auto i 1 . «1 m « Jacque Johnson umieu tener macmne, automatic aetata from your account, or any service charges subtracted from your account. If you still can’t find the problem, go see your banker as soon as possible. A banker can help find the mistake quickly — whether it was yours or the bank’s — if he or she only has to look back through the transactions you made in the previous two weeks rather than several months. You may have to pay a modest fee, though, because some banks are now charging for helping customers figure out their account balances. This fee helps to pay for the banker’s time and file computer printout that shows the customer’s transactions. Also, the fee is intended to encourage customers to keep very careful records so that they do not heed the special help. Of courser there would be no fee for correcting a bank error Many banks have automated teller machines (ATMs) that give account balance information for your checking, savings, line of credit and bank credit card accounts. Using an ATM to find your account balance is just as easy as asking your banker and probably takes less time. An important thing to remember when you find out your account balance from the ATM or your banker is that you need to deduct any outstanding checks which may not have cleared. For example, if the ATM tells you that vour balance is $500, but you wrote a check for $50 this morning, your balance is really $450, because that check has not had time to be processed and subtracted from your account. If you have a reserve credit line that transfers money to your account when your checking balance is low, a few additional steps will help you keep up with your account balance. Some banks add money to your account in $100 installments, and when the first $100 kicks in, will send you a note that your credit line is now in use. At that time, simply add $100 to your checkbook register noting at the same time that you are now using borrowed money. Another way of keeping up with a reserve Credit line balance is to use special checks your bank may have given you for that purpose. Keep an account balance using these special checks just as you would your regular checks, so that you-have a running tab on how much credit you have used. Manv people are now opening Individual Retire ment Accounts at their banks. If you have one, keep a record of every contribution you make to it Most banks send each IRA customer a statement usually quarterly, listing contributionsr ___ Jacque Johnson, a banker for seven years, is a Personal Banker at Wachovia Bank and Trust Company’s Sugar Creek office In Charlotte. For Convenient Home Delivery Call 3764)496 ■ • V - "" ' 1 * ~ ...... S' ■ ’ v Bennett College Announces Summer Performing Arts Company in response to dwindling dollar support to higher education and ' increased competition for stu dents, Bennett College recently eslabiighedaperformingarUcatn pany to enhance its summer public relations program,. .. Co»pooctJ Of young women who have distinguished themselves in ~ dance, drama and music, the group was - formed to provide church leadership with an alterna tive to traditional worship ser vices. Through the performing arts, the company presents “To Proclaim Liberty to the Captives ” a living sermon. —HWe r are, accepting requests from area churt***-**’’Veriorm,