best free checking account/perks..new updates

i know washington mutual just updated there free checking.....

i like this checking cause you will never pay an atm fee,but only the first 50 checks are free..washington mutual you have unlimited check re-orders,but you still pay small fee from foreign banks. so i guess which ever is more important to you is better.

TD Banknorth

http://www.tdbanknorth.com/default.aspx

No ATM Fees Debit Card: Pay no ATM fees.All ATM fees reimbursed, even other banks' Any bank.Anywhere.
Free eBillPay
Free ATM transactions worldwide
Unlimited check writing privileges
First order of 50 checks free or 50% off other styles
$25 minimum initial deposit to open an account
No minimum monthly balance
No monthly maintenance fee

The new TD Banknorth deal is excellent....no minimum balance requirement for the checking...even the savings account has no min balance requirement if you have a small amount (like $25) transferred automatically from Checking to Savings each month...

Yes, only the first 50 checks are free, but the Unlimited ATM Surcharge Rebates (worldwide) in the Checking account deal is excellent....you get free e-bill pay also....but at the present time, only their newest markets (Metro NY, NJ, PA, and Connecticut) can get the Unlimited rebates and free ebill pay deal...hopefully they will eventually expand it to all the states they cover in the Northeast....

Even though i have USAA and am very happy with them, i decided to try this set-up (i am in metro new york)...just opened the accounts and waiting for the atm/debit card and checks...Opened at their website, though i do have an actual branch not too far from me (in the Wall street area)....I really like their website and bill pay, and i know i will like the unlimited surcharge rebates...also, their Customer Service seems to be really excellent and very efficient (and available 7 days a week)....

Great thread, I think it will be good to highlight the accts in the QuickSummary or easy viewing as the thread grows...

Though it has mixed reviews (see the everbank thread]) Everbank's Freenet Checking is a free account that pays a decent level of interest. Paying interest is RARE in a free acccount!

You do need to deposit at least $1500 to open it, but you can withdraw that immediately and use it as a free account. Just dont signup for billpay if you plan to dip below $1500, they charge for billpay if you keep a low balance.

asdf83 said: Presidential Bank Checking PLUS
- Need 1k and direct deposit to avoid $5 monthly fee but...
- 4.5% interest. Rate has been competitive with ING/Emigrant etc for years
- Free bill pay
- Statement/Check image history goes back forever
- No ATM fee on charged on their side
- Free 50 checks
- ATM/Debit card (Debit card comes after a couple months)

Best Part INMHO: High rate means there is no need to keep account balance low all the time. Just pay your bills with out worrying if the funds are there or if a transfer from savings is needed.

With Presidential bank's high interest rates, you can afford to pay for those services and lots of change left over.

I'm lucky ajulius, the 90 Broad St (near wall st) branch is in my neighborhood, though it's quite a walk from my location, at the end of Chambers Street near West, where i live...At the present time, they only have 2 branches in Manhattan...but they will probably be expanding throughout the NYC Metro Area (i think they have an "eye" on more bank acquisitions...having recently bought Hudson United Bank which gives them a big coverage in NJ and Upstate NY)..

But, even though i have one in my area, i opened my accounts online, anyway...lol Their new Unlimited ATM Rebates Policy is fantastic...and the checking and savings accounts have no min balance requirements...I will probably mail in my deposits, anyway...and with the fee free debit/atm card, every bank's atm gives you access (to everything except deposits, of course)..

Their online banking and bill pay is Excellent (i just set it up) and i've spoke to the telephone Customer Service several times and i'd rate them excellent too...very pleasant, courteous and efficient...

They don't pay much interest, but i use them for basic banking...the big $ is in Amboy Direct....LOL

I really like FirstIB.com. I've had them for about 5 years now.

ATM rebates (I think you need to have $500 an average), checks, good customer service, no need for direct deposit, free envelopes.

The other branch in NYC is closer to me. Im in Queens.

I dont trust mail in deposits since they can easily be lost in the mail.

Due to soaring real estate prices in the area, TDBankNorth is likely not going to be able to get a branch here. Only entry to the market will come from 2 existing banks: New York Community Bank which is possible it COULD be taken over tho we dont know, or a takeover of Sterling Bank over here. Both are horrendous now for online banking.

I can get a local deposit account and ACH transfer over to another account anywhere else, but the problem is it takes 3 days to move it over and that is approx what the BoA hold time is for fund availability.

TDBankNorth needs megabucks to gain entry to more locations in NYC.

Wachovia wants MORE branches in NYC but cant afford them and Wachovia is a megabank. So even though TDBankNorth says they want more, they dont have the financial resources except for the smaller banks that they acquired UNLESS a merger could be worked out with a player like Sterling or New York Community but I think the odds are pretty slim.

I could use Commerce Online as a drop spot for ACH since its instant fund availability but I still need online billpay because Commerce's systems are horrendous and I dont even trust the ACH transactions with them.

WaMU is Kerry Klinger who I can't stand so I wont use WaMU. TDBankNorth does sound ideal IF they had such here.

I didnt want to start a new thread but was wondering if someone could enlighten me...(i tried searching but was overwhelmed by a lot of info which isnt a bad thing btw) but I now have a MM account with wachovia, and a checking account...I only have both to maintain the minimum 2500.00 balance.

I like wachovia b/c its convenient to withdraw money and use debit card but am just wondering what other options are out there. The majority of my $ is in an HSBC account and basically just deposit to it, I dont withdraw from it at all really. thanks in advance.

I am evaluating the best options for Savings/Checking accounts and the info on TDbankNorth's website is a bit thin on detail.

1)Are the TD Savings accounts exempt from ATM Fees for withdrawals at other banks' ATMs? I realize there is a limit of 6 transactions, which should generally be fine for my needs.

2)I am pretty sure I do not need a checking account tied to the Savings account for doing ACH transfers inbound and use of ATMs for withdrawals. Correct?

3)Can anyone else confirm the interest rate on the savings account? Which specific savings account program is paying 4%?

My intention is to use this account for Cash Access at any ATM while maintaining a pretty decent interest rate. Fidelity will be my checking, bill pay and money market provider and also my backup ATM solution (due to the ATM fees and limitations with Fidelity).

thank you!

PS: Regarding the 6 withdrawal limitation from the Savings Account, that applies to telephone banking, web-banking withdrawals from the account. If you transfer funds from Savings to Checking at an ATM machine, it is UNLIMITED (this is true of all savings and money market accounts) Also, withdrawals from Savings at an ATM, is also UNLIMITED.

Oh, and to answer an earlier post about do they have ACH transfers...no, not on their website, but you can do ACH pulls and pushes from other accounts (like HSBC, Emigrant, Amboy, etc)...

Also, there is no direct deposit requirement for checking and no fee for the bill pay service..
And you could probably just get the savings account with a regular atm card without the Checking, but the problem you would run into is that you need to either have a direct deposit or an intra transfer from one of their checking accounts, coming into it every month....so that could be problem for you...

Your best best is to get the checking also, get the atm/debit card and link to the savings...and set up that intra transfer of $25 each month (keep some $ in the checking for that purpose....) even if you decide not to use the checking..remember, it has no min balance required...you could even just keep moving that $25 back into checking each month at the atm...(after they automatically transfer it...lol)

no problem, glad to help out Well, you might want to call and have them cancel the application, unless they can make the appropriate changes for you without causing a lot of confusion....might be best though to start fresh and get everything properly set up at a branch. Also, opening at a branch will speed up the process in terms of getting your atm card, pin # and checks....call customer service tommorow and ask them what they would advise you to do...

I opened online, and it did drag it out a bit (they had to mail me the paperwork to sign before they would send out the "goodies")..you could even move the $25 back each month by setting up re-curring transfers on their online banking...but the checking and bill pay is so smooth you may want to use it instead of the fidelity set-up...i think you will like it alot!

Outside of Netbank are there any other good free checking accounts that offer free incoming domestic and international wire transfers?

mjuszczak said: I have TD Banknorth savings and checking, and I LOVE Them. They are awesome.

Glad to hear from another TD fan....yes, they are excellent....no doubt about it! I love banking with them....what an excellent banking package for your basic needs!