Articles by Brian Penny

Brian, a former business analyst in the mortgage industry, writes on ethics, regulations, and technology in the banking industry. His contributions have been featured in The STreet, Huffington Post, Forbes, Fast Company, Intuit, and other major outlets.

How Secured Credit Cards Help to Build a Good Credit Score To improve your bad credit, you can use a secured credit card. It can help you build good credit, but you'll need to put down a security deposit as collateral. 11 Tips on How to Get Free First Class Airline Ticket Upgrades Photo of Brian Penny Brian Penny 11 Tips on How to Get Free First Class Airline Ticket Upgrades The majority of people fly coach, but a small percentage of the population enjoy... Barclays Online Savings Account 2024 Review Photo of Brian Penny Brian Penny Barclays Online Savings Account 2024 Review Learn if the Barclays Savings Accounts offers one of the best savings APY. Compare online savings accounts rates, fees and services to the other top national banks and online banks. What Affects Your Credit Score More — Loans or Credit Cards? Your credit score can affect so much in your life. Find out how credit cards and loans influence your credit score. Escrow Accounts: The Mortgage Industry's Hidden Money Because escrow accounts are not regulated, they’re often used for a wide variety of purposes by mortgage lenders and kept hidden from the public. Why You Should Get Direct Deposit Without a Bank Account Photo of Brian Penny Brian Penny Why You Should Get Direct Deposit Without a Bank Account The Big Short, a movie and book about the housing crisis, garnered a lot of buzz... 12 Ways to Handle Your Taxes for Life's Sticky Situations Photo of Brian Penny Brian Penny 12 Ways to Handle Your Taxes for Life's Sticky Situations Everything from going to school to your relationship status, and from child... Top 8 IRS Practices that Will Outrage You 5 Unknown Facts About Mortgage Lenders Underhanded and hidden methods used by home lenders: confession of a former mortgage tracker Liquidating Assets for Tax Season: 7 Tips from a Professional Liquidator Photo of Brian Penny Brian Penny Liquidating Assets for Tax Season: 7 Tips from a Professional Liquidator There are a lot of reasons to downsize - moving to a new (sometimes smaller)...