Ari
Staff
After five years reporting on stock markets, financial services companies and personal finance, I joined FiLife as a Product Manager in July 2007.
I spend my days scanning for new and exciting offers to post in FiDeals. With a wallet full of credit cards and a keen eye on expense management, I am loathe to pay money on top of money unless I feel I'm getting the best deal.
As FiLife's Banking Guru, I am here to answer your questions on what type of accounts are best for you and how to maximize your return on these everday products.
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- Real Name
- Ari Weinberg
- Birthday
- --Private--
- Join Date
- May 12, 2008
- Homepage
- --Private--
- Relationship Status
- Married
- Location
- New York, NY
- Got Kids?
- 1
- What's your day job?
- I work here.
- What would you do with a free $100,000?
- Double it!
Latest Questions Answered
do i have to pay taxes on withdrawls from my money market gold my husband s...
Ari's most recent response
Staff
Taxes are only paid on interest income from money market accounts. For exam...
1 total response | View Discussion »
Latest Reviews
Average rating:
2.5
On Jul 10, 2008 Ari reviewed The Citibank Account from Citibank
I'm really not a fan of checking accounts that have fees. Citi is currently promoting this deal everywhere to bring in new customers, but it's only for its higher tier accounts. So, they are revving up your rewards for a year and giving you $100 cash upfront. For someone who maintains a $6000 checking balance, you'd have to do a lot more to get them to switch.
See all The Citibank Account reviews »
Average rating:
2.0
On Jun 13, 2008 Ari reviewed E*Trade Checking from E*Trade
When I got out of college - didn't know where I would live and wanted to try some investing, I opened both an Etrade brokerage and bank account. For a while, the bank account was great. $6.00 a month in ATM fee reimbursements. Etrade had just bought an ATM network - so they even had ATM's near work.
Then, when the boom went bust, Etrade started to "trim" money-losing customers by raising fees …and minimums and cutting back on interest.
I didn't mind sending in deposits when the rates where above market, but when they settled in to market averages, I was better off at a local bank.
They are bringing rates back up and improving on policies, but it would take a lot to bring me back.
Read More | See all E*Trade Checking reviews »
Average rating:
4.3
On Jun 5, 2008 Ari reviewed Investment Brokerage from Charles Schwab
A much better interface than my Vanguard brokerage. Doesn't track mutual funds as well, however. Stock coverage and option tools are rich. In order to enter cost-basis that Schwab doesn't have, you have to call customer service. Fairly rich research tools though interface is clunky.
See all Investment Brokerage reviews »
Latest Questions Asked
Staff
I'm looking in to buying a short-term CD. Should I go straight to my bank o...
(1) total answer
Guru
Hi Ari, If it were me, I'd start by looking in a few key places like http:...
View Discussion »
Staff
I have a traditional non-deductible IRA that I have funded for a few years ...
(3) total answers
Staff
Ari, I don't know much about this topic, but I recently came across this ar...
Guru
From a tax perspective, remember that the grace period applies to income re...
