How to read your account statement

A statement summarizes a period of activity. At the top you will find the beginning balance, deposits and credits, withdrawals and debits, fees and the ending balance. Those five numbers should reconcile.

Below the summary is a list of transactions with dates, descriptions, amounts and running balances. Scan it for anything you do not recognize, and compare a few entries with your receipts.

If something looks wrong, file a dispute from online banking as soon as you see it. Statements are available as PDF files for every account, and you can download them whenever you need them.