After continually hitting new highs for four years, the average minimum balance required to avoid fees dropped 14 percent to $2,086.93. However, this is still higher than anything seen up through Spring 2003.

Despite the notable decline, the account holder must still strand more than $2,000 in the account just to avoid a monthly service fee. As a reward, the account holder earns a scant 0.28 percent. If one data point summarizes the lack of appeal in interest-bearing accounts, the minimum-balance requirement is it. The average-balance requirement has increased 36 percent in the past five years, from $1,532.16 to $2,086.93.

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-- Posted: Dec. 8, 2004