Kim Parker contributed to this chapter. The COVID-19 pandemic sent shockwaves through the U.S. labor market. Businesses shuttered, millions of Americans lost their jobs, and for many others their home became their workplace. We tracked these changes starting from the early months of the coronavirus outbreak. Our trends outline the journey workers have been through. And new data helps show where things stand now and the lasting impact the pandemic has had on the American workplace. Labor market impact The coronavirus outbreak had an immediate impact on employment in the U.S. In February 2020, before widespread lockdowns and stay-at-home orders took hold, the national unemployment rate stood at 3.8%. By April 2020 it reached 14.4%. The spike was intense but relatively short-lived. By the fourth quarter of 2021, the unemployment rate was back around 4%. Some groups were hit harder than others by the early job losses: Women Immigrants Young workers (ages 16 to 24) Workers who hadn’t completed high school Lower-income workers In addition, millions of workers withdrew from the labor force altogether. More women than men dropped out of the labor force during the first year of the pandemic. How workers experienced the pandemic from start to finish Our surveys traced the arc of experiences for American workers from the outset of the pandemic to what work life looks like now. In the sections below, we walk through the key takeaways from our last five years of polling on this topic. Jump to read about: The pandemic’s initial impact on workers | What things look like today | Looking back: The challenges working parents faced | What happened when workplaces began to reopen The pandemic’s initial impact on workers Not all workers had the option of working from home As the pandemic took hold, many workers were able to shift their duties from their office or workplace to home. But it’s important to keep in mind that a majority of workers (roughly 60%) do not have jobs that can be done from home. Many of these workers lost their jobs in the early months of the pandemic, as businesses and retail establishments temporarily shut down. Others had to continue to show up for work, even as they were at risk of contracting the coronavirus. Some demographic groups were more likely than others to not have jobs that can be done from home, a 2020 survey found: Men were more likely than women (64% vs. 58% said their job cannot be done from home). Workers without a four-year college degree were much more likely than those with a bachelor’s degree or more education (77% vs. 37%). Lower-income workers were more likely than middle- and upper-income workers (76% vs. 63% and 44%, respectively). In the fall of 2020, we asked workers with jobs that could not be done from home how concerned they were about being exposed to the coronavirus from people they interacted with at work; 53% said they were very or somewhat concerned about this. About four-in-ten (39%) said they were very satisfied with the measures their employer had put in place to protect them from being exposed. The swift transition to working from home Looking back, only 14% of workers whose jobs currently can, for the most part, be done from home – “teleworkable” jobs – say they worked from home all the time before the coronavirus outbreak. By October 2020, 55% of those with teleworkable jobs were doing so, according to a survey at that time. That share has since come down. As of October 2024, about a third (32%) say they are working from home all the time. Notably, the share working from home most or some of the time increased since the start of the pandemic as offices gradually began to reopen. Now, 43% of workers say they have this type of hybrid schedule, up from about a third in 2022. How did workers respond to the shift to telework? Our October 2020 survey found that most employed adults who were working from home said the transition had been relatively easy. Large majorities said it had been easy for them to have the technology they need, to meet deadlines and to have an adequate workspace. However, about three-in-ten or more said it had been difficult to be able to get their work done without interruptions and to feel motivated to work. Younger workers were especially likely to point to difficulty feeling motivated and being able to work without interruptions. What things look like today As we approach the five-year mark of the start of the pandemic, a growing share of hybrid workers are facing mandates from their employers to return to the office. Among those with teleworkable jobs who say they’re not currently working from home all the time, 75% say their employer now requires them to work from their office, workplace or job site a certain number of days per week or month. That share is up significantly from 63% in 2023. Advantages and disadvantages of working from home In our polling throughout the past five years – including in our most recent survey – workers have identified a couple of clear upsides to working from home. Work-life balance: Among workers with a teleworkable job who say they work from home at least sometimes, 73% now say their current arrangement has helped them when it comes to balancing work and their personal life. Only 9% say it’s hurt, and 17% say it has neither helped nor hurt. Productivity: 60% say their current work arrangement has helped their ability to get work done and meet deadlines. Only 7% say it’s hurt their ability to do this, and 33% say it’s neither helped nor hurt. And there are couple of downsides. Feeling disconnected from co-workers: 49% of those who are working from home at least sometimes say their current work arrangement has made it harder for them to feel connected with their co-workers; 11% say it’s helped them feel connected. A sizable share (39%)

Apple’s macOS and iOS include a built-in password management system called Keychain Access, which is supplemented by iCloud and allows for syncing the Keychain between multiple devices. This is a great and simple security solution for many users, but some users require more features in their password manager than iCloud and Keychain can provide, especially those in the enterprise space who need the ability to share passwords and other confidential information between multiple users. Here is a look at the top products available to iOS and macOS customers to provide more features like password sharing, secure document storage, and more features that modern users demand from their security software. NordPass Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Micro (0-49 Employees), Small (50-249 Employees), Medium (250-999 Employees), Large (1,000-4,999 Employees), Enterprise (5,000+ Employees) Micro, Small, Medium, Large, Enterprise Features Activity Log, Business Admin Panel for user management, Company-wide settings, and more Dashlane Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Micro (0-49 Employees), Small (50-249 Employees), Medium (250-999 Employees), Large (1,000-4,999 Employees), Enterprise (5,000+ Employees) Micro, Small, Medium, Large, Enterprise Features Automated Provisioning ManageEngine ADSelfService Plus Employees per Company Size Micro (0-49), Small (50-249), Medium (250-999), Large (1,000-4,999), Enterprise (5,000+) Any Company Size Any Company Size Features Access Management, Compliance Management, Credential Management, and more Best password managers for macOS and iOS: comparison table Product Star rating (out of 5) Supported platforms Supported web browsers Active password monitoring End-to-end encryption Pricing 1Password 4.3 macOS, iOS, Windows, Android, Linux, Chrome OS, command line Safari, Firefox, Chrome, Brave, Microsoft Edge Yes Yes From $2.99/month for Individual accounts and $7.99/month for Business accounts. Dashlane 4.6 macOS, iOS, Windows, Android Safari, Firefox, Chrome, Internet Explorer Yes Yes From $4.99/month for Personal plans, $8/month for Business and $20/month for Starter Bitwarden 4.6 macOS, iOS, Windows, Linux, Android Safari, Firefox, Chrome, Opera, Microsoft Edge, Brave, Tor, Vivaldi Yes Yes Starts from a Free plan, then $0.83/month for Personal plans and $4/month for Business plans Keeper 4.4 macOS, iOS, Windows, and Linux, Android Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Opera, IE Yes Yes From $2.92/month for Personal and Family plans and $2 per user/month for Organizations Enpass 4.0 macOS, iOS, Windows, Linux, Android Safari, Firefox, Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Opera, Vivaldi Yes Yes From $1.99/month for Personal and Family plans and $2.99/user per month for Business plans Best password managers for macOS and iOS We’ve found the best password managers to safely secure your macOS and iOS devices. 1Password: Best overall Image: 1Password For my best overall, I recommend 1Password. 1Password has long been a password manager companion on macOS, upgraded with features over the years to make it one of the ultimate password companions. 1Password has end-to-end encryption that allows for full protection when syncing. Data synced through 1Password is secured by one password that you need to remember to unlock all of your passwords. In addition to clients for macOS, there’s also a client for iOS and a client available online to access your passwords and data remotely on a guest machine. It can synchronize notes, credit cards, software licenses, important documents, server logins, and SSH keys that can be accessed via the command line. One of the standout features of 1Password is the ability to automatically check passwords securely against leaked password databases to alert you to any potentially compromised accounts. When I tested out 1Password’s browser extension, it allowed me to autofill passwords, 2FA codes, and other details, as well as create accounts and store them right from the web browser. 1Password also allows for content sharing inside any vault with other users of 1Password or via links a user can click to view the securely shared item. 1Password Watchtower. Image: 1Password Why I chose 1Password I picked 1Password as my best overall for its balance between security and user-friendliness. Amidst its sophisticated security features, the interface remains intuitive. In my view, adding a security breach alert feature through Watchtower and seamless integration with Mac and iOS devices makes it a great choice for those who demand the best of both worlds. Features On macOS: Secure password storage. Watchtower for web monitoring. Two-Factor Authentication (2FA). Browser extension for easy auto-fill. On iOS: Face ID and Touch ID support for quick and secure access to passwords. Password auto-fill that works on iOS apps and Safari. Secure Notes for storing sensitive information like credit cards. 1Password pros and cons Pros Cons 1Password app integrates with Apple’s password auto-filling. Offers no free plan. It supports TouchID on the Mac for authentication and unlocking. There is no phone or chat support for lower-level subscribers. Integrates with the command line to allow SSH key filling. Supports security breach alerts through Watchtower. Supports Single Sign-On for easy login across all platforms. Pricing 1Password offers multiple pricing plans covering individual, business, and enterprise use cases, with options for both annual and monthly subscriptions. Below is a breakdown of its annual plans. All plans, except the Enterprise tier, come with a 14-day free trial. Individual: Starts at $2.99/month. Families: From $4.99/month for 5 users. Teams Starter Pack: From $19.95/month for 10 users. Business: $7.99/month. Enterprise: Based on quotes. Dashlane: Best for security Image: Dashlane If top-tier security is your priority, I suggest looking into Dashlane. Dashlane is a password manager that encrypts content on a device before leaving it (like the others above), but also offers other features not found in comparable password manager apps. Notably, for enterprise users, Dashlane can be unlocked with MFA apps like Duo, making Dashlane more secure because users will not need to type in their vault password each time to unlock the app, allowing for a more secure vault password without the need to remember it. Dashlane supports a limited number of data types and can store passwords, secure notes, and payment information with ease. Dashlane doesn’t offer more tailored vault types, like software licenses or encrypted documents and files. The app and service supports

Do you remember your first phone? The thought of mine brings a tear to my eye. It was a beautiful blue Nokia 3310 — and it was borderline indestructible. Best of all, the handset had the greatest mobile feature of all time: Snake. It also offered calls and SMS, but I had little use for those extravagances. I had a pay-as-you-go contract, and money was tight back then. I also had a home phone — and Mum footed the bills. As for SMS, what was the point of that when you had the joys of MSN Messenger available for free? Mobile calls and texts were strictly reserved for emergencies — like getting attacked in the street. Unfortunately, when that moment came, the assailants also stole my beloved Nokia 3310. Those were the days. They were also the days when Europe led the world in mobile telecoms. Finland’s Nokia was the world’s largest handset manufacturer, with Sweden’s Ericsson holding down third place. US rival Motorola sandwiched the two Scandinavian competitors. The 💜 of EU tech The latest rumblings from the EU tech scene, a story from our wise ol’ founder Boris, and some questionable AI art. It’s free, every week, in your inbox. Sign up now! Yet none of them could maintain those positions for long. Europe lost its lead due to slow adoption of smartphones, weak software ecosystems, and fierce competition. American and Asian manufacturers now dominate the industry. But Europe’s old mobile guard isn’t finished yet. The continent’s phone makers are still finding new routes into the market. One of them stems from the resurgence of dumbphones. A reminder of simpler times, the basic bricks offer a digital detox and an escape from relentless data harvesting. A range of new versions have recently been launched. Older ones are also enjoying comebacks — including the legendary 3310. Hackaday recently spotlighted a technique that revitalises the classic handset: installing a USB-C socket. The mod is the brainchild of Andrea Salvadori, a developer based in Italy. Salvadori adds the USB-C port by integrating a small adapter into the phone. He’s selling the parts online for €25. My beloved 3310 would have cherished the upgrade, but the old device is sadly no longer with me. Thankfully, a host of modern dumbphones are now available. Europe’s dumbphone rally Many of the new dumbphones are made in Europe. One that’s caught our eye is the plastic-and-fantastic Barbie Phone. Built by Finland’s HMD Global in partnership with Mattel, the handset launched last year. HMD bills the handset as a tool to “take a vacation from your smartphone.” It features a few basic apps and one extremely intriguing game: Malibu Snake. Digital wellbeing tips and “Barbie Meditation” are also available on the flip phone. TNW contributor Siôn Geschwindt was dazzled by the device. Well, his four-year-old daughter was. “I love that pink one,” she said. “Wow stickers. I want it!”  Adults have also been impressed, but the lurid pink and Barbie branding aren’t for everyone. Fortunately, there are numerous other dumbphones on the market. An impressive number of them are built by European companies. Among them are the Nokia 2660 Flip, the Swiss-made Punkt MP02, and the 6820 from Swedish firm Doro. Europe may have lagged behind in the smartphone era, but the continent is now leading the dumbphone revival. source

Fly, Eagles, fly! I normally prefer competitive Super Bowl games, but this Eagles fan was perfectly happy with a massacre this year. And also — there were ads! Organizations are facing more pressure than ever to deliver profitable growth, and brand budgets are getting squeezed as marketers are being asked to do more with less and prove the returns of practically every penny spent. That makes coughing up $8 million per 30 seconds of media (plus creative production, talent fees, PR, etc.) an even higher-pressure situation for Super Bowl advertisers, who must achieve disproportionate growth from their efforts. So let’s look through the lens of the growth levers that my colleague Dipanjan Chatterjee and I laid out in the report Unlock Your Revenue Growth Potential to see which ads went beyond just making us laugh, cry, or scan a QR code to set up their brand for sustained profitable growth. If You’re Not Meaningfully Pulling These Growth Levers, Spend Your Budget Elsewhere Salience: This is (or should be) the primary goal of every Super Bowl advertiser — to put their brand in the consideration set in a buying context — but of course, some do it better than others. Bud Light created a fun ad that positioned it as the beer of choice for suburban barbecue occasions. By comparison, Michelob ULTRA broke out the pickleball paddles to cement ULTRA as perfect for a post-workout celebration. Lay’s surprised me when it went for a moving ad about its local potato sourcing, but I imagine that it created more affinity for when consumers will inevitably cross a display in the grocery store. Access: poppi aired a colorful 60-second ad that seems very in line with its brand aesthetic, positioning it as an evolution of soda. But the content of the story was telling: The ad showed poppi as an option on restaurant menus where you would typically find soda, hinting at an ambitious distribution channel strategy. Cirkul likely leveraged its ad buy to have very strong in-store presence in the country’s largest retail chain, which boosts its chances of a strong return on Super Bowl spend. Price: Highlighting value can be a smart strategy in a time of perceived economic headwinds, and I’m surprised that it wasn’t more at the forefront (maybe Temu spent its entire decade’s budget during last year’s game). DoorDash, for one, highlighted the savings from its DashPass product and how it can lead to spending on other “luxuries.” Product: The biggest tearjerker of the night in our household was the Google Pixel ad that highlighted how its Gemini AI platform could be relevant in very real-life situations. Bosch and Jeep, in very different ways, highlighted their product portfolios with hopes of expanding consumers’ perceptions of how their brands could fit into their lives. Experience: Making it easy and enjoyable for customers to use your product or service should be a cost of entry but can be wielded as a growth lever, as well. T-Mobile aimed to lure new customers by highlighting the investments that it made in frictionless, consistent cell service, addressing one of the key drivers of people switching carriers. Meta and Ray-Ban hoped to wow with a dramatized experience of using their AI-powered glasses. Growth should always be the goal, and that means strategically thinking through the consumer base from which you want to source that growth, along with the levers that you’ll need to pull to win and retain those consumers. Feel free to reach out to me and my colleagues at Forrester as objective thinking partners as you pursue super growth (and go, birds). source

A new macOS malware called FrigidStealer is spreading through fake browser update alerts, allowing attackers to steal sensitive data, according to research from Proofpoint. This sophisticated campaign, embedded in legitimate sites, tricks users into bypassing macOS security measures. Once installed, the malware extracts browser cookies, stored passwords, cryptocurrency-related files, and Apple Notes – potentially exposing both personal and enterprise data. Two newly identified threat actors operate parts of these web-inject campaigns: TA2726, which may act as a traffic distribution service for other threat actors. TA2727, a group that distributes FrigidStealer and malware for Windows and Android. They may use fake update alerts to enable malware and are identifiable by their use of legitimate websites to send scam update alerts. Both threat actors sell traffic and distribute malware. Fake updates trick Mac users into bypassing security The update scam includes deceptive instructions designed to help attackers evade macOS security measures. At the end of January 2025, Proofpoint found that TA2727 used scam update alerts to place information-stealing malware on macOS devices outside of the United States. The campaign embeds fake “Update” buttons on otherwise secure websites, making it appear as though a routine browser update is required. These fake updates can be delivered through Safari or Chrome. If a user clicks the infected update alert, a DMG file automatically downloads. The malware detects the victim’s browser and displays customized, official-looking instructions and icons that make the download appear legitimate. The instructions guide the user through a process that bypasses macOS Gatekeeper, which would normally warn the user about installing an untrusted application. Once executed, a Mach-O executable installs FrigidStealer. Right-clicking bypasses MacOS Gatekeeper. Image: Proofpoint If users enter their password during the process, the attacker gains access to “browser cookies, files with extensions relevant to password material or cryptocurrency from the victim’s Desktop and Documents folders, and any Apple Notes the user has created,” ProofPoint said. SEE: This checklist contains everything employers need to vet employees for security-sensitive tasks. Must-read security coverage How to defend against web inject campaigns like FrigidStealer Because attackers may distribute this malware through legitimate websites, security teams may struggle to detect and mitigate the threat. However, Proofpoint recommends the following best practices to strengthen defenses: Implement endpoint protection and network detection tools, such as Proofpoint’s Emerging Threats ruleset. Train users to identify how the attack works and report suspicious activity to their security teams. Integrate knowledge about these scams into existing security awareness training.  Restrict Windows users from downloading script files and opening them in anything other than a text file. This can be configured via Group Policy settings. macOS threats are escalating In January 2025, SentinelOne observed a rise in attacks targeting macOS devices in enterprises. Additionally, more threat actors are adopting cross-platform development frameworks to create malware that works across multiple operating systems. “These trends suggest a deliberate effort by attackers to scale their operations while exploiting gaps in macOS defenses that are often overlooked in enterprise environments,” wrote Phil Stokes, a threat researcher at SentinelOne. source

Every time you turn around, it looks like someone is taking a shot at customer success (CS). Whether at last year’s SaaStr or elsewhere, more voices have been calling for new approaches to CS — ones that transform CS from cost center to tool for growth. While it’s still early to plan a funeral, CS leaders who are feeling the pressure should examine their objectives and strategies more closely. Whether you are service-based or product-driven — or following a more traditional business model — certain “truths” about customers remain constant. Specifically, you can’t grow what you can’t retain, and it costs less to keep a customer than to acquire a new one. Enhancing retention should be a top priority on every B2B firm’s 2025 goal list. Prove Value So That Growth Becomes Inevitable Whether or not you have a distinct function called customer success, some part of your company must be responsible for ensuring that what customers signed up to get is going to give them value for their business so that they then will continue to pay you for that value and more. The problem today is less with the “what” and more about the “how.” Common questions we hear today are “How do we scale CS efficiently?” “How should we measure CS’s impact on the business?” and “How do we justify further investment?” As companies grow and mature, their approach to customer retention requires interactions that decision-makers and users alike find valuable. Answering these questions and ensuring that you can demonstrate that these interactions provide value requires a solid strategy, the resources and skills to execute it, and the ability to account for your results. Is My Strategy Setting My Customers Up To Succeed? Of course, the answer to questions about strategy will depend on where you are and how you are doing. At Forrester, we believe that a successful CS strategy has six main components: Purpose or charter. Is CS’s role to manage the account, resolve issues, and advocate internally? Or are you helping customers achieve their goals through a differentiated customer experience that drives retention, growth, and advocacy? Alignment. To what degree does CS work in a highly collaborative manner — and share metrics — with all customer-facing teams to help ensure that customers achieve their goals? Performance metrics. How does CS show that it improves customers’ business outcomes — through periodic reviews and success plans or by continuously reporting on and managing results through a digital experience personalized to each account? Technology and data. Do your data and technology practices increase CS productivity and enhance insights? Or are you also creating a distinctive digital experience that supports a seamless journey and enhances their realized value? Customer lifecycle management. Do you actively work to define your customers’ journeys and ensure that they reflect the key milestones they must achieve to adopt your offering successfully and shorten time to value? Is the ultimate stage of that journey an activated advocate who differentiates your brand? Budget and capacity. To what extent is CS run as a self-funded P&L? Does it use a tiered coverage model with pricing that ranges from free to customer-funded? Is the business case for budgets based on a multiyear cost-benefit analysis that includes provisions for risk and future expansion/flexibility? How Mature Is Your Approach To CS? To explore these strategic questions further, we invite you to take the Forrester Customer Success Strategy Assessment, available to everyone through this survey link. After the survey, you will receive an overall score and scores for each of the six components. For those planning to attend Forrester’s B2B Summit North America in Phoenix, Arizona, at the end of March, Shari Srebnick and I will be hosting a workshop where attendees can: Assess customer success strategy and identify capability or maturity gaps. Compare results with peers and collaborate on possible solutions or next actions. Outline an action plan to update the CS strategy after the conference. The workshop will be held on Monday, March 31, at 3:30 p.m. Pre-registration is required and space is limited, so don’t delay! Hope to see you there. source

“This was an abdication of responsibility on a grand scale, with costs once again falling on Birmingham residents,” BBC reported quoting Robert Alden, leader of the Birmingham Local Conservatives. Taxes are set to increase by 7.49% from April 2024, adding to the public backlash, the report added. The re-implementation challenge Birmingham’s current re-implementation effort presents an interesting test case for these principles. The success or failure of this second attempt will likely depend on whether the council can address not just the technical issues, but the deeper organizational and cultural patterns that contributed to the initial failure. While the road to full ERP functionality remains long, BCC is working to address the issues identified in the audit. source

By Emilie Ruscoe ( February 19, 2025, 10:09 PM EST) — Solar energy equipment maker Shoals Technologies Group Inc. and its underwriters have asked a Tennessee federal judge to toss a consolidated proposed investor class action taking aim at the company’s disclosures about certain product wiring issues, arguing Tuesday that it had timely shared information about the developing situation…. Law360 is on it, so you are, too. A Law360 subscription puts you at the center of fast-moving legal issues, trends and developments so you can act with speed and confidence. Over 200 articles are published daily across more than 60 topics, industries, practice areas and jurisdictions. A Law360 subscription includes features such as Daily newsletters Expert analysis Mobile app Advanced search Judge information Real-time alerts 450K+ searchable archived articles And more! Experience Law360 today with a free 7-day trial. source

When managing your money, you often hear about two accounts: checking and savings. Each serves a different purpose — checking accounts are great for everyday transactions with easy access to funds, while savings accounts are ideal for setting aside money for short-term goals and earning interest. Generally, it offers more interest than checking accounts. Understanding the difference between checking vs savings accounts makes choosing the right account for your financial needs easier. infographic What is a checking account? A checking account allows you to deposit, withdraw, pay bills, accept payments, transfer funds, or make purchases with no set limits. This is useful if you need an account for daily transactions. However, unlike savings accounts, most checking accounts don’t provide interest. Benefits of a checking account One of the primary benefits of a checking account is convenient access to funds since you can withdraw from ATMs, use a debit card for in-store and online purchases, and write checks for payments. Setting up automated bill payments can also help you avoid missed payments. In addition, checking accounts offer protection from accidental overdrafts and are covered by FDIC insurance. See our article on overdraft protection to learn how it works. Checking account features Debit card Check writing Bill pay Direct deposit Overdraft protection option ATM access Waivable monthly service fees (depending on balance) FDIC-insured for security Online and mobile banking What is a savings account? A savings account is a basic bank account where customers deposit their funds and earn interest over time. These accounts are low-risk, FDIC-insured (or NCUA-insured for credit unions), and typically offer higher yields than checking accounts. Plus, they’re a good way to stash money for emergency funds or an upcoming trip since debit cards are not typically provided. Benefits of a savings account Savings accounts offer security since these are covered by FDIC insurance or NCUA insurance for up to $250,000 per depositor, institution, and account ownership. You can earn interest from a savings account, which is rarely offered by checking accounts in traditional banks. In addition, you can control your spending since limits Up to six monthly withdrawals or transfers per Federal Reserve regulation but this depends on the provider. are imposed on withdrawals and transfers. Savings account features Interest on your balance Six withdrawals or transfers monthly Minimal or waivable monthly service fees FDIC insurance protection Online and mobile banking What’s the difference between checking and savings accounts? Checking and savings accounts differ in purpose, fees, interest rates, withdrawal limits, and accessibility. See the table below highlighting the difference between checking and savings accounts. Checking account Savings account Purpose Everyday spending, including bill payments Saving for short-term goals and earning interest Access to funds Unlimited and flexible Limited Interest earnings Low or none Higher Fees Monthly service, overdraft, and ATM fees Excess withdrawal fees and monthly service fees can apply Withdrawal limits None Typically six per month Monthly service fees Yes; waivable Applies to some Minimum balance requirement Low or none Low Overdraft fees Yes Not applicable Excess withdrawal fees Not applicable Yes ATM fees Yes; nonnetwork transactions can apply Mostly not applicable Debit card availability Yes No Check-writing Yes No Federally insured Yes Yes Access to funds of checking account vs savings account Checking account: You can make unlimited withdrawals and deposits through checks, a debit card, ATMs, and online banking. It’s super flexible and convenient for handling everyday transactions. Savings account: You’re usually limited to six withdrawals or transfers per month (thanks to Federal Reserve regulations), though some banks may be a little more lenient. This helps you save by limiting access to your money. Interest in checking account vs savings account Checking account: Most checking accounts don’t offer interest, but it’s usually pretty low ( around 0.01% to 0.5%) if they do. You might also need to maintain a higher balance to avoid monthly fees. Savings account: Interest rates on savings tend to be higher than on checking accounts. Depending on the provider, they can range from 0.1% to 0.5% for traditional savings accounts and up to 4.0% for higher-yield savings accounts. Before choosing a business bank, it is essential to review the interest rates offered by different providers for checking and savings accounts. Check out our list of the best online business bank accounts, where some providers offer great interest rates. Fees of checking account vs savings account Checking account: You can expect monthly service fees, usually ranging from $5 to $30. These may be waived if you meet certain criteria, like maintaining a minimum balance. You may also encounter fees on overdrafts or ATM withdrawals at out-of-network machines. Consider opening an account from our list of best free business checking accounts to save on fees. Savings account: Plenty of savings accounts, especially with online banks, don’t charge monthly service fees. However, if you exceed the six-transaction limit, you could face an excess withdrawal fee. More Banking Coverage Insurance of checking account vs savings account Both checking and savings accounts are FDIC-insured (or NCUA-insured for credit unions) up to $250,000 per depositor, institution, and account ownership. This keeps your money safe in case of a bank failure. Check out our guide on how FDIC insurance for business accounts works. If you have significant funds and need more FDIC protection, consider opening a sweep account. Pros and cons of checking accounts Pros Unlimited transactions Low or no minimum balance requirements Easy access to funds Safety net for accidental overdrafts Cons Low or no interest Potential fees on nonnetwork ATM withdrawals High fraud exposure With a checking account, you won’t need to worry about tracking your number of transactions since many offer unrestricted withdrawals and deposits. It also has low or no minimum balance requirements. Additionally, your funds are easily accessible, and you can enroll in overdraft protection in case you accidentally overdraw your account. However, the drawbacks are low or no returns, possible ATM fees for withdrawing out-of-network, and increased exposure to fraud. Pros and cons of savings accounts Pros Fee-free most of the time Lower account balance requirements Earns interest more than checking accounts Cons

By Sean Lev, John Hodges and Jason Neal ( February 14, 2025, 4:15 PM EST) — On his first day in office, President Donald Trump issued a series of executive orders that are likely to represent a significant shift in federal policy on appliance and industrial equipment energy efficiency.[1]… Law360 is on it, so you are, too. A Law360 subscription puts you at the center of fast-moving legal issues, trends and developments so you can act with speed and confidence. Over 200 articles are published daily across more than 60 topics, industries, practice areas and jurisdictions. A Law360 subscription includes features such as Daily newsletters Expert analysis Mobile app Advanced search Judge information Real-time alerts 450K+ searchable archived articles And more! Experience Law360 today with a free 7-day trial. source