Do you have a favorite pen or pencil that you use when you do schoolwork? What about a favorite tool you use to listen to music—maybe headphones or earbuds? There are plenty of tools to help with money management, as well, while saving you time and resources. One money management tool is a financial institution.

A financial institution is a company that deals with monetary transactions such as deposits and loans. These include banks and credit unions, loan companies, and investment firms.

What services do financial institutions offer? Take a look at the following table. Listed below are some examples of services that financial institutions may offer and what each service includes. When you have carefully reviewed the information, answer the question at the bottom of the page.

Service Offered	What the Service Does
Banking Services	Financial institutions offer ways to save and keep track of your money through checking accounts and savings accounts. They also offer loans if you need to borrow money.
Financial Advice	Financial institutions have representatives that offer advice and assistance with a wide range of financial topics. These firms want to help consumers save money and make the best choices with their money.
Brokerage Services	Some financial institutions assist individuals in buying and selling investments such as stocks, bonds, and other types of funds.