Make certain you're not paying too much for your checking account.
Government regulations that limit overdraft fees and credit card fees are putting the squeeze on banks' revenue.
June Walbert, a Certified Financial Planner practitioner with USAA, says many banks will look for other ways to generate revenue, so make sure your bank continues to serve you without unnecessary charges.
Carefully read any notices your bank sends about changes to their fees.
Don't pay fees or monthly service charges for personal checking, savings and money market accounts. Expect checks and online bill-paying services to be free, too.
Don't give your bank permission to let you overdraft your account with debit cards and ATMs and then charge you high fees. Watch out for overdraft protection that charges you a fee to pull your own money from your own savings account to cover a debit transaction.
Don't stick with a bank that charges transaction fees for using ATMs outside of their network. Out-of-network ATMs charge their own transaction fees. Add your bank's fees on top of theirs and you're paying double fees to withdraw your own money.
Especially for military customers, free mobile and internet access are a must. Your bank should make it easy to access accounts, transfer funds, deposit checks, and complete banking transactions, 24/7.
-- Courtesy of USAA
