'Online access' helps consumers feel more in control of their finances, survey reveals.

• Position: Brief article

In these recessionary times, consumers want to monitor and manage their finances more carefully--and that means that they are looking for more robust online bank functionality, according to a new survey sponsored by Fiserv Inc., Brookfield, Wise.

Of the consumers surveyed, 74 percent indicated they are paying more attention to their finances than in previous years, up from 71 percent in October 2008. In addition, 6l percent stated that online access helps them feel more in control of their financial information.

Consumers who use online banking said this tool has become essential to helping them manage their finances--with 91 percent saying the service was "important" or "critical." Thirty two percent of online banking users said they were accessing their accounts online more often as a result of the recession, up from 28 percent in October 2008. The most common tasks were checking an account balance, viewing transaction history and transferring money between accounts at the same institution.

Consumers indicated that their bank could help them weather difficult economic circumstances by providing some of...