In the past, if you wanted to send money electronically through a wire transfer you only had a few options available to you. You could go to your local bank to conduct the transfer, or you could use the services of a company such as Western Union. But nowadays more and more companies are set up to provide wire transfer services, especially online. Companies such as PayPal, for example, allow almost anyone to send money worldwide through their website ñ and all you need is an e-mail address and a credit card. In addition, most local banks that provide online banking services now allow their patrons to send wire transfers through the Internet.

So what exactly is a wire transfer? Essentially, a wire transfer is the transfer of money from one bank account to another. The transfer is always conducted by a third party, such as a bank or a wire transfer service provider. Because the transaction is carried out electronically, the money is never physically seen or touched by the person who sends or receives the money.

Even with the advent of communications technology and alternative online banking services, however, most people prefer to carry out a wire transfer through the traditional route. This remains true for many reasons, but the main reason is that it is easier to trust a bank that has a well-known name and a physical presence outside of the web than a new company that operates almost exclusively over the Internet. And if you already have a bank account, a wire transfer is very easy to accomplish.

Usually all you have to do is contact your bank by phone or through the Internet. You must then provide the bank with the following information: name of the person or company to which you want to send money, as well as the routing number, account number, phone number and address of the recipient's bank. The next step is to determine the amount of money you wish to transfer and when the transfer needs to be carried out. After the bank receives this information the wire transfer will go through. Some banks allow this to occur immediately if you've initiated the transaction online, while other institutions require that you phone or fax them before proceeding.

After you have sent the wire transfer, it is a good idea to confirm that the transfer has gone through. This is the only way you'll know whether or not the intended recipient received the funds. You should make sure you have sufficient funds in your account as well, otherwise the transfer won't go through. Also, find out what fees you will have to pay to make the transfer ñ this type of transaction is never free.

By Jakob Jelling

http://www.cashbazar.com

Jakob Jelling is the founder of http://www.cashbazar.com. Visit his website for the latest on personal finance, debt elimination, budgeting, credit cards and real estate.