TIAA Bank Review 2019
At Bankrate, Mary Wisniewski writes on a variety of fintech and banking subjects. Previously, she covered fintech for American Banker and edited op-eds for the publication's BankThink section. She was also a blogger and editor at Bank Innovation and served as a fashion editor for National Jeweler, where she reported on fashion shows and jewelry news. Mary grew up in the Michigan suburbs and now lives in Los Angeles with a maltipoo, a record player and an espresso machine.
4.5/5
TIAA Bank is an online bank that offers a wide range of financial products.
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About TIAA Bank
In June 2017, TIAA bought EverBank, one of the first internet banks. In June 2018, TIAA announced the launch of TIAA Bank — which brought EverBank and TIAA Direct together under a new name and brand.
TIAA Bank, which is a division of TIAA, is based in Jacksonville, Florida, and it services customers in all 50 states. It offers checking, savings and money market accounts as well as certificates of deposit.
TIAA Bank is good for people who want a full-service online bank with competitive deposit yields, as well as for residents of Florida who prefer branch access. People looking for the highest available rates on online deposit products should look elsewhere.
Pros
- TIAA Bank offers competitive yields on CDs.
- Provides access to thousands of surcharge-free ATMs.
- Offers a variety of services and products.
Cons
- TIAA Bank pays competitive APYs on deposits, but they are not the best nationally available APYs.
- Limited branch network.
- There are higher APYs elsewhere.
TIAA Bank Services
4.3/5
The Yield Pledge Money Market offers a one-year intro rate that is inside Bankrate’s top tier of APYs for first-time TIAA money market clients. There is a $5,000 minimum to open this account. Based on current APYs, after the one-year intro the Yield Pledge Money Market drops 25 basis points on balances between $100,000 and $10 million — outside of the one-year intro period.
Pros
- TIAA Bank offers a competitive APY on its Yield Pledge Money Market during the 1-year introductory period. The APY is a top-tier Bankrate APY. The ongoing APY is only 25 basis points lower — so it doesn’t change as drastically as some introductory APYs.
- The 1-year introductory APY is on any average balance between $.01 and $250,000 for one year.
- TIAA Bank’s Yield Pledge means TIAA Bank pledges to keep the Yield Pledge Money Market Account in the Top 5 percent of competitive accounts based on Bankrate’s national average survey data from the last week of each month.
- You also can deposit your checks with the bank’s mobile app.
- If you request it, TIAA Bank will send you a debit card — set to ATM only — if you have a Yield Pledge Money Market.
- TIAA Bank reimburses you monthly for all ATM fees charged by other banks if you keep $5,000 in the account. If you have under $5,000, you still get up to $15 worth of ATM fees reimbursed per month.
- A starter pack of complimentary checks are included with this account.
- Current ATM daily withdrawal limit is $600 — though that could be limited due to the ATM’s bank/owner.
Cons
- The ongoing APY is not a top-tier APY.
- Average balances above $250,000 won’t benefit from the one-year introductory APY.
- There are higher ongoing APY options than the 1-year intro APY offered by TIAA.
- There may be banks with higher ATM daily withdrawal limits.
MMAs available from other banks
4.1/5
The TIAA Bank Basic Savings account earns a little more than six times the national average APY. If you request it, TIAA Bank will send you a debit card — set to ATM only — if you have a Basic Savings account. This will help you to access your money.
Pros
- All Basic Savings balances earn six times the national average APY.
- Debit card set to ATM only is available for Basic Savings customers.
- As long as you have at least $25 in the Basic Savings account, you’ll earn the account’s highest APY and won’t incur a fee.
- TIAA Bank doesn’t charge ATM fees and will reimburse customers who use non-TIAA Bank ATMs as long as your average daily balance is at least $5,000.
- Even if you keep under $5,000, TIAA Bank reimburses $15 in ATM fees monthly.
- Current ATM daily withdrawal limit is $600 — though that could be limited due to the ATM’s bank/owner.
Cons
- There are much higher APY savings account available at other online banks.
- There are lower minimum balance requirements out there with a higher APY.
- If your balance on the Basic Savings goes below $25, there’s a $5 fee.
- There may be banks with higher ATM daily withdrawal limits.
Savings accounts available from other banks
5.0/5
TIAA Bank offers CDs with terms ranging from three months to five years. Several different types of CDs are available, including a basic CD and a bump-up CD. Opening an IRA CD is also an option. Early withdrawal penalties vary depending on the type of CD you’re planning to open and the length of the CD’s term. For a basic 12-month CD, the penalty is 91 days of simple interest.
Pros
- All standard CD terms are available.
- Interest is compounded daily.
- Customers can have interest transferred to another account before maturity.
- Yields are competitive.
Cons
- Early withdrawal penalties are harsher for long-term CDs.
- Higher minimum deposit is required for special CDs.
CDs available from other banks
4.0/5
Yield Pledge Checking from TIAA Bank offers fairly competitive rates, but requires a $5,000 initial deposit. There’s no monthly service fee, and no charge to use ATMs owned by TIAA Bank or other financial institutions. TIAA charges $30 for overdraft items — up to two times per day. Another option is Basic Checking. The noninterest-bearing account can be opened with a $25 deposit. The $5 monthly fee is easy to waive by maintaining an average daily balance of $25.
Pros
- Tiered interest rates with introductory offer.
- No fee to use ATMs in or outside of the TIAA network.
- No monthly fee.
Cons
- The minimum deposit required to open the account is high.
- $10 for cashier’s checks.
TIAA Bank Checking
Checking accounts available from other banks
4.5/5
TIAA Bank serves customers in all 50 states. It has a mobile app for both iOS and Android phones. You can visit one of its financial centers across Florida for in-person banking. TIAA Bank also provides access to thousands of surcharge-free ATMs. The bank will also automatically reimburse you up to $15 per month for any fees that ATMs in the U.S. charge you for using. The TIAA Bank mobile app, however, doesn’t win that much praise from its reviewers in the app stores. The iOS bank app has a 1.6 average score, while the Android app has a 2.3 average score. TIAA does not yet have Zelle, but it does let you pay friends and family with People Pay. Also, client support via the client solutions team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week via phone.
