Financial institutions in the United States are witnessing a fundamental change in the way many of their customers earn their living. Americans these days are less likely to remain at a job with a large employer for the length or even the majority of their careers. In fact, ever increasing numbers of employees are leaving their employers to either set up or join small entrepreneurial ventures, while many others are being pushed into self-employment or small businesses by the never-ending mergers and restructurings that characterize large corporations at the moment. As a result, more Americans are self-employed or work for small proprietary businesses than at an other period in U.S. history. Small-business services represent a vitally important vehicle for attracting and keeping these customers, and many financial institutions are using the Internet to provide such traditional business services as cash management to these new customers. Such Internet-based cash management services could also open the door for such other value-added business services as bill payment, ACH direct deposit, and payroll, in addition to insurance, investment, and brokerage services.