Should you bank online?(Online Banking - Test)(Buyers Guide)

Despite all that U.S. banks have been offering online--quick electronic money transfer, bill payment, and automated record keeping--only 22 percent of American households had given up checking for clicking. Until last fall's anthrax scare, that is. Whether people are anxious about cross-contaminated mail or about delays that could result in late mortgage and credit-card payments, more customers are turning to online banks. According to the Gartner Group, a Stamford, Conn., e-commerce research firm, some banks reported a 20 percent increase in enrollment between September and November of 2001.

Customers who take their accounts online discover that they can operate ...