Kiplinger’s Personal Finance — September 2017

09/2017 KIPLINGER’S PERSONAL FINANCE 13

WHAT’S THE DEAL?

EASIER WAYS TO

SEND CASH FAST

More banks and credit unions are offering

peer-to-peer payments.

ZAPPING MONEY TO YOUR

coworker or cousin with a

click of a button is nothing

new. But over the next year,

more than 30 credit unions

and banks will be rolling

out a new service, Zelle,

which provides an even

faster way to transfer cash.

If you have a checking

account at one of the par-

ticipating banks—which

include Bank of America,

Chase, Citibank, TD Bank,

and Wells Fargo—you can

use the bank’s mobile app

to send and receive money

to and from customers of

other in-network banks

in minutes, rather than

waiting a day or more for

the funds to clear. So far,

no major institutions are

charging fees. Zelle is also

working on a stand-alone

app that will allow almost

anyone with a MasterCard

or Visa debit card to send

money instantly.

Other apps are on the

instant-transfer bandwagon,

too. Google Wallet typically

APPS FOR

TAC K L I N G A

TO-DO LIST

THE BUZZ

Too busy to spend time on im-

portant but mundane tasks?

Your smartphone may be able

to help.

The NOTARIZE app connects

you with licensed notary

agents who can confirm your

identity, witness your signa-

ture via live video and apply

an electronic seal. Then they’ll

send the notarized document

to your computer, where you

can print it out.

This convenience comes

at a cost: $25, versus $10 or

less to get something nota-

rized in person. In addition,

some documents, including

wills, are excluded.

CLIPCALL provides a way for

homeowners to get quotes

from contractors without pick-

ing up the phone. Record a

short video describing the

home improvement project,

and the app matches you with

local professionals. You’ll

receive quotes from partici-

pating contractors, and pay-

ment is held in escrow until

the project is completed.

ClipCall vets contractors

to make sure they’re licensed,

bonded and insured, but

you should do your own

homework, too. Ask for

ref erences, and check for

complaints about the con-

tractor with the Better Busi-

ness Bureau and your state

attorney general’s office.

RIVAN STINSON

PERKS FOR

SOUGHT-AFTER

WORKERS

EXCERPT FROM

The Kiplinger Letter

In a big push to attract and retain the most talented workers, employers

are bolstering benefit packages, with perks ranging from enhanced

health care coverage and personal finance advice to teleworking arrange-

ments and relaxed dress codes. Topping the list: wellness and other

health-related benefits. Health savings accounts, which allow em-

ployees to save money on a tax-free basis, are on the upswing. (www

.kiplingerbiz.com/ahead/benefits)

35%

OF AMERICANS

USE P2P APPS

sends money to your bank

account in minutes if a debit

card is your default payment

method, with no fee. PayPal

and Venmo are introducing

instant transfers to your

bank account with a debit

card for a 25 cent fee.

Speed may not be your

primary concern. For large

payments, consider using

PayPal (up to $10,000 per

transaction if you verify

your identity) or Google

Wallet (up to $9,999). If

your recipient is wary of

logging in to a payment

app, try Square Cash: He

or she must provide only a

debit card number to accept

payment through a PC

browser. Social media afi-

cionados should check out

Venmo, which shows inter-

actions among your friends

on Venmo’s feed (secure

details, including payment

amounts, are not visible).

Apple devotees will be able

to make peer-to-peer pay-

ments through iMessage

later this year. LISA GERSTNER

63%

OF AMERICANS

ARE WILLING TO

TRY P2P APPS

56%

OF AMERICANS WHO

USE A P2P APP LINK IT

TO A CREDIT CARD

65%

OF AMERICANS

THINK USING A P2P

APP IS SECURE

SOURCE: NERD WALLET