These are the best checking deals found in the Bankrate.com
semiannual checking account pricing study. For each account,
we made the following assumptions: a $1,500 monthly balance is maintained;
12 transactions are completed per month; 1 check is bounced per
year; simple interest is credited to the account if it is interest
bearing; checks are returned; customers don't use direct deposit.
Institution
Account
Yield
Min to Avoid Fees
Monthly Fee
Per Item Chrg
NSF
Notes
Annual Income
Telebank
Washington
Interest Checking
3.15%
1,000
5.00
0.00
15.00
Monthly service fee: If opened by Internet, $100 to open and
no fee for 6 months.
$32.25
United Svgs &
Loan
Seattle
Personal Checking
2.79%
500
5.00
0.00
17.00
$24.85
United Svgs &
Loan
Seattle
Super Checking Acct
2.79%
1,500
5.00
0.00
17.00
$24.85
Flagstar Bank
Detroit
Classic Checking
2.80%
500
6.00
0.00
20.00
Tiered NSF: $25 if paid. For returned check, the cost per
150 checks is $16.00 vs $14.25 for duplicates.
$22.00
Arundel Fed
Baltimore
NOW Checking
2.78%
250
5.00
0.00
20.00
$21.70
Bay Financial Savings
Bank
Tampa
NOW Checking
2.78%
500
6.00
0.00
20.00
$21.70
Washington FS&L
Seattle
Performance Checking w/Interest
2.63%
1,000
8.00
0.20
18.00
No interest below $1,000
$21.45
Washington FS&L
Phoenix
Performance Checking w/Interest
2.63%
1,000
8.00
0.20
18.00
No interest below $1,000
$21.45
Washington FS&L
Portland, Ore.
Performance Checking w/Interest
2.63%
1,000
8.00
0.20
18.00
No interest below $1,000
$21.45
Luther Burbank Svgs San Francisco
Regular Interest Checking
2.05%
500
5.00
0.00
10.00
$20.75
Luther Burbank Svgs San Francisco
Unlimited Money Market Checking
2.05%
1,000
10.00
0.00
10.00
$20.75
Matrix Capital Bank
Phoenix
Matrix Plus Checking
2.53%
500
8.50
0.00
19.00
$18.95
United Midwest Bank Columbus
Interest NOW Checking
2.53%
200
4.00
0.00
20.00
$17.95
Essex Svgs Bank Norfolk
Interest Checking
2.79%
500
6.00
0.00
25.00
$16.85
First Federal Bank Kansas City
First Interest Checking
2.02%
1,000
8.00
0.00
15.00
$15.30
Alden St Bank Buffalo
Money Fund
2.02%
1,000
5.00
0.00
15.00
$15.30
Collinsville B&LA St. Louis
First Class
2.00%
500
5.00
0.00
15.00
$15.00
Collinsville B&LA St. Louis
NOW Checking
2.00%
500
5.00
0.00
15.00
Tiered interest: "SuperNOW" at $2,500 balance and pays higher
interest rate
$15.00
FirstBank
of Colorado Denver
Money Market Checking
2.00%
500
7.00
0.00
15.00
Tiered NSF: $24 if paid
$15.00
Wauwatosa Svg Bank Milwaukee
Regular Int. Checking
1.75%
500
7.00
0.00
12.00
$14.25
From the Bankrate.com semiannual checking
account price study
