Everyone knows that Mom is always right. But on Mother’s Day, we could all use a little reminder.
We talked to some of our favorite financial experts about the best money advice they ever received from their moms – and how you can apply that wisdom to your own life.
Why You Should Wait Before Buying Something
When CFP Nate Nieri of Modern Money Management was little he saved up enough money to buy a video game. He asked his mom for a ride to the store to buy it, but she would only take him if he waited two weeks to make sure he really wanted it. As his mom predicted, he changed his mind before the time had passed.
“It was a very valuable lesson on impulse purchasing and patience, and something that has really stuck with me,” he said.
How to apply it: A general rule of thumb is to wait at least 24 hours before buying something or a week if the item is particularly expensive. Add it to your wish list or a special folder on your browser and walk away. Chances are, you’ll forget about the item – and if you don’t, it might actually be worth buying.
Plan Your Meals Early
Mindy Jensen, host of the “BiggerPockets Money Podcast,” said her mom told her, “Always know what you’re having for dinner by 8 a.m.”
Jensen got this advice when she was a stay-at-home mom and would forget to plan dinner until late in the day. Usually, this meant getting take-out or going to a restaurant.
How to apply it: The advice rings true, whether you’re cooking for a family or just yourself. If you can plan dinner first thing in the morning, you won’t be tempted to get DoorDash at 6 p.m. Starting in the morning gives you enough time to defrost something, throw a chicken breast in the slow cooker or run to the grocery store for ingredients.
Set Specific Savings Goals
Ricardo Pina of The Modest Wallet said his mom always told him to save for a particular item, instead of stashing money away just because it’s the responsible thing to do.
“Whether we were saving money to buy a new video game or a brand new bike, she used to say that when you have a savings goal, saving becomes so much more enjoyable,” he said.
How to apply it: Set up a savings goal in Mint. Every time you transfer money into your account named “Italy trip,” for instance, you’ll remember why you’re saving in the first place.
If you’re saving for retirement, get a clear picture of what kind of retirement you want. Whether it’s living in a Tahoe cabin or a Florida beachfront condo, a more specific image will make it easier to save.
Start Saving Early
Marcus Garrett, author of “Debt Free or Die Trying,” said his mother encouraged him to start saving early by taking him to open a savings account at age 16. When he got his first job at a movie theater, she agreed to match whatever he saved toward his first car.
“By age 16, I already saw and understood the value of an ‘employee match,’” he said.
How to apply it: If you have access to an employer-sponsored retirement plan, you may receive a company match. This means the company will contribute money to your retirement account, usually up to a certain amount. Always contribute enough to earn the full company match, because it’s essentially free money.
If you’re a parent, you can also utilize this strategy with your own kids by matching every dollar they save. It will encourage them to save more, because every dollar they put away will be doubled.
Don’t Rely on Future Earnings
Jacob Wade of I Heart Budgets said his mother-in-law gave him some crucial advice when he and his wife first got married: always live on last month’s income.
“That changed everything for us and helped us avoid day-to-day financial stress,” he said.
It took him and his wife six months to save up a full month’s income, but it’s been worth it. Even 13 years later, they still live on last month’s earnings.
How to apply it: Having a month’s worth of income in the bank means you won’t have to wait for payday to afford your bills. If you’re self-employed, this is especially important because clients can pay late. If you have enough money in your checking account, you won’t have to dip into your savings to make rent.
A cash management account is a type of financial account that combines many of the features of checking, savings, and investment accounts into one product.
You get the safety and interest-earning capability of a savings account, the flexibility of a checking account, and the ability to buy and sell securities with an investment account.
Cash management accounts are typically offered by nonbank financial companies, such as brokerage companies. Although each cash management account will differ in its specific terms and features, they share a number of characteristics.
How Do Cash Management Accounts Work?
Cash management accounts combine many of the features of different financial accounts, so it can be hard to understand exactly how they operate.
Store & Protect Large Amounts of Cash
Cash management accounts are designed for people who have a lot of cash to deposit. Like a savings account, they help you keep your money in one place and keep it safe.
The way that cash management accounts do this is through Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insurance. The FDIC offers up to $250,000 per depositor, per account type, at covered banks. That means if your bank fails and is unable to return your money, the FDIC will reimburse you for up to $250,000 in lost money.
Cash management accounts often have much higher insurance limits. For example, SoFi Money cash management account offers coverage for up to $1.50 million. That’s because SoFi automatically splits your deposits between six different banks, handling all of the management of these accounts on your behalf. You only ever have to work with SoFi when you want to access your money or make a deposit.
Use Your Money When You Need It
Cash management accounts also give you the flexibility of a checking account. Most offer checkbooks or debit cards you can use to make payments or withdrawals from your cash management account.
Depending on the account provider you choose, you may be able to completely replace a checking account with a cash management account. If you get a debit card, checkbook, and the option to make bill payments using your account funds, you’re covered for all of your checking account needs.
Earn Interest
Cash management accounts are able to pay interest like savings accounts do. Most offer interest rates on par with the best savings accounts in the market.
Cash management accounts pay these high rates because they are mostly offered by online financial companies. By avoiding the need to operate physical locations, online companies save a lot of money on overhead costs. That lets them pass more interest on to their customers.
Low Fees
Another benefit of cash management accounts being offered by online financial companies is they have lower fees than traditional bank accounts do. Many have no monthly maintenance fees at all, leaving you free to worry about using your money instead of fees.
Invest Your Funds
Many cash management accounts are offered by investment companies or brokerages. Although they’re usually separate from your brokerage account, it’s easy to link the two accounts. In some cases, there is no separation.
You can submit purchase orders for investments and have the funds deducted from your cash management account. Similarly, proceeds from any sales you make get deposited directly to the account.
This makes your cash management account the hub of your financial life and keeps managing your money easy. You’ll have just one account to monitor with all of your income and expenses flowing through it.
How Does a Cash Management Account Differ From a Checking or Savings Account?
Cash management accounts are neither checking nor savings accounts. They work like a mix of the two, offering the interest of a savings account with the flexibility of a checking account. For day-to-day use, you won’t notice much difference between a cash management account and a traditional bank account.
The big difference is behind the scenes. The company that offers your cash management account opens checking or savings accounts on your behalf at its partner banks. It then handles the management of these accounts for you, moving money in and out of those accounts as needed.
Essential Features of a Cash Management Account
If you’re thinking about opening a cash management account, these are the factors you should compare when looking at your options.
Ease of Access
Cash management accounts are meant to give you the flexibility of a checking account. That means it should be easy to access your money when you need it.
Look for accounts that make it easy to use your money. That includes providing a checkbook, debit card, and online bill payment.
For accounts that offer a debit card, don’t forget to look at the restrictions. Some cash management accounts limit the amount you can withdraw in a day.
You’ll also want to make sure the debit card works on the ATM network you prefer. Some cash management accounts reimburse ATM fees, leaving you free to use any ATM you come across.
Fees
With any financial account, you should keep an eye on the fees you’ll have to pay. There’s no reason to pay a fee when you don’t have to.
Before opening a cash management account, check to see if it has any monthly maintenance fees or minimum balances. Also take a moment to look for other fees might wind up paying, such out-of-network ATM fees.
Interest Rates
Cash management accounts are able to pay interest rates on par with the best savings accounts on the market, but that doesn’t mean they all pay the same rate. Compare the interest rates each account offers. Some will vary with your account balance, while others will be the same regardless of how much you deposit.
If it doesn’t cost you anything and you won’t lose any features that you need, opt for the account with the higher interest rate.
FDIC Insurance Limits
Cash management accounts let you protect your money by splitting your balance among multiple banks. This gives you more than the standard $250,000 insurance offered by the FDIC.
If you have a large balance to deposit to your cash management account, check to see how much of it will be insured by the accounts you’re considering. Some cash management accounts offer more protection than others.
If you’re worried about keeping large sums of cash, look for an account that offers enough insurance to protect your full balance.
Pros of Cash Management Accounts
There are a few reasons you should consider opening a cash management account.
They Make Money Management Simple. With a cash management account, you don’t need a checking or savings account. Many cash management accounts also link to your brokerage account. That makes it easy to keep all of your money in one place for easy management.
They Provide Protection. Cash management accounts keep your money safe with FDIC insurance, which is something investment accounts and money market funds cannot do.
They Have Higher Interest Rates Than Checking Accounts. You’ll earn more interest than you would from a checking account while maintaining the same level of flexibility with your funds.
Cons of Cash Management Accounts
Cash management accounts aren’t without their flaws, and you should be aware of them before opening one.
They Don’t Offer the Best Returns. Many investments, such as stocks, bonds, and mutual funds. offer great returns. There are also certificates of deposit (CDs) and some savings accounts that offer better rates than cash management accounts.
Face-to-Face Customer Service Might Not Be Available. Most cash management accounts are offered by online financial companies. If you need help, you have to call customer support or participate in an online chat. This can be difficult for people who prefer getting help in person or for complicated situations.
You Might Not Get All of the Features You Need. Cash management accounts are meant to combine the features of checking and savings accounts, but some cannot fully replace those dedicated accounts. For example, you might not have the option to make online bill payments from a cash management account, even though that’s a standard feature of checking accounts.
Who Needs a Cash Management Account?
Cash management accounts are a good choice for a few different groups of people.
The first group is people who have a large amount of cash they want to keep liquid but protected. If you have a few hundred thousand dollars you need to have easy access to, you don’t want to tie it up in investments. You also don’t want it sitting in a checking account, slowly losing value to inflation.
And if you exceed the $250,000 FDIC insurance limit, you’ll have to split it between multiple banks if you want all of your money to be insured.
Cash management accounts let you earn a reasonable rate of interest on your cash while maintaining its FDIC protection. You also don’t have to worry about splitting your money between multiple banks.
Cash management accounts are also great for people who want simplicity. All your money is in one place. You don’t have to maintain a separate checking and savings account. If you get your cash management account from the same company you use for your brokerage account, you can keep all of your finances in one place.
Anyone who likes online banking can make good use of a cash management account. If you’re already accustomed to doing your banking through a computer or phone rather than in-person, you’re ready to start using a cash management account.
Where Can I Get a Cash Management Account?
You can get a cash management account from a number of companies.
The first place you should look is your brokerage company. Why not keep all of your money in one place? Many financial firms offer cash management accounts, and your brokerage may even offer perks for customers who maintain a large balance, so using your brokerage for your cash management needs can help you reach balance thresholds.
If your brokerage doesn’t offer a cash management account, you have plenty of alternatives. Many robo-advisors and online investing platforms offer cash management accounts.
For example, Robinhood offers a cash management account you can link to your brokerage account. SoFi Money and Betterment offer both cash management and checking account options.
Alternatives to a Cash Management Account
If you don’t think a cash management account is right for you, you have other options.
If you’re considering a cash management account because you want to combine the features of a checking and savings account, a money market account can help you do that.
Most banks offer money market accounts, which provide the interest rates of a savings account with the check-writing capabilities of a checking account.
The downside is your ability to make withdrawals from the account is limited to six transactions per month. Money market accounts also have higher fees and minimums than cash management accounts.
If you want a cash management account for the safety and returns they offer, you can open a CD. CDs pay more interest than savings accounts and are fully insured by the FDIC up to the $250,000 limit.
The only drawback is you have to commit your deposit to the account for a set period of time. If you make an early withdrawal, you have to pay a fee.
If returns are your primary concern, you should open an investment account instead. You won’t have the safety of FDIC insurance, but you can earn far more money by investing your cash in stocks, bonds, or mutual funds.
Final Word
Cash management accounts offer safety, simplicity, and a solid return on your cash. They’re a great choice for anyone who wants to make managing their money easier, but they don’t have all of the features of dedicated checking and savings accounts.
If you’re looking to store and protect a large sum of cash, whether in anticipation of putting a down payment on a home or keeping it as an emergency fund, a cash management account could be a great option that provides you with the best features of checking, savings, and investment accounts all in one place.
Find today’s best CD rates and compare certificates of deposit from leading national banks. All rates are updated daily and accounts can be opened securely online.
Click the rates to learn more about how to apply.
What’s Ahead:
Finding the best CD rates for your savings goal
Most of the time, CD rates are significantly higher than regular savings account rates. The trade-off is you need to keep your money in the account for the specified term in order to earn the best CD rates.
Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of investing in CDs versus savings accounts.
What is a certificate of deposit?
CDs are like savings accounts. They are federally insured, meaning they can’t lose value, so they are a totally safe place to put cash.
Unlike savings accounts and money markets, however, when you “buy” a CD, you can’t access that money anytime you want. If you withdraw money from a CD before the end of the term, you will pay a penalty equal to some or all of the interest the account has earned.
When not to use CDs
Because you face a penalty if you access your money before the end of the CD term, CDs don’t work for emergency savings or other money that you might need on short notice. (If your car breaks down, you want to tap your savings now, not in three months when your CD matures.)
When to save with CDs
A CD make an attractive option for short-term savings goals. CDs can be a smart way to save for a major purchase like a new car, vacation, wedding or the down payment on a home. When saving for a short-term goal, you may be able to earn a better return on your money in stocks or bonds, but investing involves risk; with a CD, you know you’re principal will be there for you at the end of the term.
If, for example, you have been saving for home and know you will not be buying for another year, throw your savings into a 1-year CD to get a better rate than you could in an online savings account.
Finally, if you are an aggressive saver and have at least two months of emergency cash and are working on building more, you can do what is called CD bracketing or CD ladders.
Say you are putting $400 a month into emergency savings. Once you have, say, three months living expenses saved, you can begin to buy CDs with different maturity dates. The goal is to think about what would happen if you needed your emergency savings in the future, and to have different CDs mature each month after your initial cash reserves has run out.
The higher CD rates get, the more CD ladders make sense; it all depends on how much extra juggling you want to do to earn a few extra points in interest.
HSBC Mastercard BusinessCard Credit Card is offering a bonus of 50,000 points after $10,000 in spend within the first six months
Card Details
No annual fee
Earn 1.5 Points on each dollar spent – no categories to remember or enrollments to worry about.
Points are worth 2% Cash Back when redeemed into your HSBC Fusion Checking or Savings account.
Points can also be used towards Travel powered by Priceline, gift cards, merchandise and more.
Our Verdict
I assume this bonus is worth a maximum of $500, but if points are worth 1.33¢ when redeemed into a business checking account it’s possible that this bonus could be worth up to $665. Looks like you need to open this card in branch, there is also up to a $400 business checking bonus. This is a card worth considering if you have a HSBC branch near you, will be interesting to see what happens with this in branch stuff considering HSBC is exiting the retail market.
With a full-suite of banking services online and an easy-to-use interface and mobile app, BBVA is best for those who want to handle all their banking needs online.
Savings APY
0.01%
1Y CD Rate
0.05%
J.D. Power Rating
N/A
SimpleScore
2.8 / 5.0
SimpleScore BBVA 2.8
Savings APY 2
1Y CD APY 2
Customer Satisfaction 2
Mobile App 3
Product Variety 5
BBVA bank, formerly BBVA Compass bank, was founded in 1964 and is based in Alabama. BBVA has quite a few branches spread across seven states — Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico and Texas — although around half of those locations are in Texas. BBVA is a full-service bank and has been around a long time, but it also has a strong online banking presence. Unlike many other banks that we would consider “online banks,” BBVA offers a full suite of services, from checking and savings to money market accounts, investing, CDs and even home and auto loans.
In this article
BBVA Bank
Min Savings Deposit
Max Savings APY
J.D. Power Survey Score
Key Benefit
$25
0.01% APY
N/A
Full-service banking with many options
What we like about it
BBV bank has been around for quite a while and has a sizable presence in the states where it has branches. Unlike many other banks that offer accounts online, this one offers a full suite of banking services, meaning you can do all of your banking in one place. The website and app are where this bank shines. With an easy-to-use interface that also offers a lot of functionality, it’s easy to manage accounts, even if you don’t live near any branches. Their mobile app offers a wide range of features too, along with great digital security options.
Things to consider
Because BBVA is a more traditional, full-service bank, their interest rates are lower than most online bank offerings, and they do have some fees that are higher than other banks. For example, overdraft fees are $38 each and you can incur up to six per day. That means even simple mistakes can add up quickly. The rates on BBVA’s CDs and savings APY rates are also low, and there are options with higher rates and lower fees available elsewhere.
BBVA checking accounts
BBVA bank offers the Free Checking account, which doesn’t have monthly Service Charge. This account includes free ATM withdrawals at not only BBVA ATMs, but the network of Allpoint ATMs as well, which means you have 44,000 options around the US. Fees for overseas withdrawals are small and reasonable. The bank also offers the Premium Checking account, which earns interest on your money. Like the other accounts, there is only a $35 minimum balance to open it, but if your balance is below $5,000 you’ll pay a hefty $26 monthly maintenance fee. If you’re going to keep that high of a balance, you may want to look at their money market account instead. We have more information on BBVA’s money market accounts below.
BBVA savings accounts
There are a few different types of savings accounts offered by BBVA. The first is the BBVA Build My Savings Account. You can earn a match bonus depending on the term you choose, your opening account balance and how much you add to the account regularly, up to $25 per term.
The BBVA Online Savings Account account also has a minimum opening balance of $25 and the same interest rate, but it does not have the same match options as the Build My Savings Option. It does offer easy access to your funds and a link to your checking account for overdraft protection, and there is no Service Charge for the account. The BBVA Savings Account offers similar benefits to the BBVA Online Savings Account and the same minimum opening balance, but there is a $15 quarterly Service Charge that can be waived if you meet certain criteria.
BBVA money market accounts
The BBVA Money Market account earns better interest than the Premium Checking account, but the APY varies by region. It can be set up as overdraft protection for your checking account, and you can access your money anytime you need it with ATM access or online and mobile banking. You’ll only need a minimum of $25 to open the account, and while there are higher-interest MMAs to be found elsewhere, most require a much more substantial minimum balance.
BBVA CDs
BBVA CDs require a minimum of $500 to open — certainly not the highest minimum around. Rates vary depending solely on term. These are certainly not the most spectacular rates out there if that’s what you’re looking for, but there are no maintenance fees associated with these accounts.
BBVA IRA accounts
As a full-service institution, BBVA offers SEP, ROTH and traditional IRAs with a variety of ways to invest, including mutual funds and ETFs. There are a wide variety of portfolios and funds to choose from based on your needs, how soon you want to retire and how risk-averse you may be. They also offer other ways to invest that can help you build your retirement income, including annuities and lifetime-income options.
BBVA credit cards
There are four credit card options with BBVA bank. All offer varying levels of rewards and interest rates that depend on your credit-worthiness and the type of perks you would like to earn.
The BBVA Rewards Card offers unlimited 1.5% rewards on all purchases and the ability to earn an additional unlimited 0.5% reward bonus with $1,000 in monthly direct deposits to a BBVA deposit account, among other perks like 0% balance transfer options.
The BBVA ClearPoints Credit Card is a rewards card that lets you choose how you earn up to 2x & 3x points in categories you select each quarter. It has no annual fee and offers a 0% introductory APR for 13 months on purchases, among other perks.
The Select Credit Card allows you to choose how you earn 3x the points in categories you select, and it offers access to Visa Signature travel and entertainment benefits, a 24/7 complimentary concierge, and no foreign transaction fees. The downside is the $125 annual fee, which BBVA waives for the first year.
The exception to this is the Optimizer Credit Card, a secured credit card that’s collateralized by a savings account. This card is designed for those who can’t qualify for a traditional credit card and will help rebuild their credit. It has a high interest rate, but the credit limit can be increased at any time with a matching deposit in the savings account.
Regardless of your credit history and your desire for rewards, BBVA probably has a credit card that will work for you.
BBVA investing
There are two investing options with BBVA. The first is self-directed investing, which is just what is sounds like. You control and direct your investments, and you can put your money in mutual funds, ETFs and other options. You can even establish a margin account through the bank.
If you want more options and someone to manage your investing for you, BBVA offers full-service investment accounts as well. This means your money is managed by a professional. BBVA also offers 529 plans and options that help you save to pay for your child’s college managed under this plan.
Compare top bank accounts
Too long, didn’t read?
Are you looking for a full-service bank online that offers plenty of options? If the answer is yes, then BBVA may be the right place for you. Many fees can be avoided though they are steeper than many other banks, and the interest rates are respectable but not the highest around.
If you’re looking for the highest rates and lowest fees, or have very simple banking and financial services needs, BBVA may not be the best place for you. If you shop around, you will find higher interest rates, lower fees and simpler options from other online banks. From full-service investing to traditional banking and lending products, BBVA’s strength lies in its options. If you’re shopping around for a bank, they’re certainly worth a second look.
Saving for retirement is difficult, but it’s an important part of everyone’s financial life. There are a number of ways to make saving for retirement easier, such as using tax-advantaged accounts like individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and 401(k) plans.
One special type of tax-advantaged account, the health savings account (HSA), isn’t specifically designed to help people save for their retirement. However, its unique benefits make it one of the most powerful tax-advantaged accounts out there.
If you have access to an HSA, it can be one of the best ways to set money aside for retirement.
What Is an HSA?
A health savings account (HSA) is a special type of account that is designed to help people save money to pay for medical bills. HSAs are only available to people who have certain types of health insurance plans called high-deductible health plans (HDHPs).
Like retirement accounts, HSAs offer tax advantages that make it easier to set aside money to pay for medical bills. If your employer offers eligible insurance plans, they may also make contributions to your HSA on your behalf, similar to 401(k) matching.
The unique tax benefits of HSAs are what make them potent vehicles for saving for both medical expenses and retirement.
Pro tip: If you’re thinking about opening an HSA, you can get started through Lively. There are no hidden fees and you’ll be able to set up recurring contributions.
How Do HSAs Work?
Understanding how HSAs work is essential to making the most of them when it comes to saving for both health care and your retirement. You risk paying penalties if you fail to follow the rules.
Insurance Requirements
First, not everyone can open an HSA. They’re only available to people who have a qualifying high-deductible health plan.
An insurance plan’s deductible is the amount that you pay before your insurance kicks and starts covering costs. For example, if you have a $2,000 deductible, you have to pay $2,000 toward your health care expenses before your insurance pays any of the cost.
For an insurance policy to qualify as an HDHP, it must meet the following requirements:
It charges a higher annual deductible than typical health plans (for 2020, the minimum is $1,400 for individuals and $2,800 for families).
It has a maximum limit on the sum of the annual deductible and out-of-pocket medical expenses that you must pay for covered expenses (for 2020, the maximum is $6,750 for individuals and $13,500 for families).
It may, but is not required to, provide preventative care without a deductible or with a lower deductible.
Other Qualifications
The exact requirements for qualifying for an HSA are:
You are covered by an HDHP.
You have no other health insurance coverage, with the following exceptions:
Liabilities incurred under workers’ compensation laws, tort liabilities, or liabilities related to ownership or use of property.
A specific disease or illness.
A fixed amount per day (or other period) of hospitalization.
Coverage for accidents, disability, dental care, vision care, and long-term care.
You aren’t enrolled in Medicare.
You aren’t claimed as a dependent on anyone else’s tax return.
If you meet the requirements, you can open an HSA.
Contribution Limits
Like other tax-advantaged accounts, you cannot make unlimited contributions to an HSA. There is a limit on how much you can contribute each year.
For 2020, the limit is $3,550 for individual plans and $7,100 for family plans.
Some employers that offer HDHPs make contributions to their employees’ HSAs as an employee benefit. Employer contributions count toward these limits, so make sure you don’t exceed the contribution limit with your contributions and your employer’s contributions combined.
Tax Advantages
The primary reason that people use HSA for savings is the tax advantages. Like traditional IRAs and 401(k)s, the money you contribute to an HSA is contributed before tax. That means you can deduct the amount you add to the account from your income when filing your taxes.
If you have a taxable income of $50,000 and put $5,000 in your HSA, you can report your taxable income as just $45,000. That will save you about $1,100 on your tax bill, meaning your $5,000 contribution only costs you $3,900 out of pocket.
With a traditional IRA or 401(k), you pay income tax on the money that you withdraw from the account. HSAs are different. If you use the money in the account for qualified health expenses, you pay no taxes on the withdrawals either. This makes them doubly tax-advantaged.
If you have extra money in your HSA after you turn 65, you can begin making withdrawals from the account for nonmedical expenses too. If you do, you pay income tax on the amount you withdraw, but no penalties, just like a retirement account.
Penalties
Typically, you can only withdraw money from an HSA for qualified medical expenses. The IRS outlines all qualified expenses in its Publication 502, but it includes most things you’d expect, including:
Ambulance fees
Birth control
Body scans like MRIs or X-rays
Contact lenses
Dental treatment
Drug addiction care
Eye exams
Hearing aids
Hospital services
Physical exams
Prescriptions
Surgery
If you withdraw money from an HSA for a nonmedical expense and you are under age 65, you pay a 20% penalty on the amount withdrawn. You also have to pay income tax on your withdrawal, meaning you are doubly punished for using the money for nonmedical expenses when you’re under 65.
Once you reach age 65, however, you can use HSA funds for nonmedical expenses penalty-free, but will still have to pay income tax on the amount withdrawn.
Although you generally don’t have to prove that you’ve used your HSA money for qualified medical expenses when you file your taxes, you should always save your receipts so that you can show how much you spent compared to how much you withdraw. The receipts will come in handy if you wind up getting audited.
How to Use an HSA for Retirement Savings
HSAs are useful for saving for health care expenses, but they’re one of the most powerful retirement accounts available to Americans. If you want to use your HSA to save for retirement, these tips can help.
1. Contribute as Much as You Can
If you want to use your HSA for retirement savings, the first thing to do is contribute as much as you can to the account.
Typically, you want to contribute to your 401(k) until you max out the amount that your employer will match. Getting employer matching contributions is like getting a raise, so it’s worth getting as much in matching funds as possible.
After that, you can focus on putting money in your HSA until you max it out.
2. Invest Your Balance
The name “health savings account” might make you think that your HSA is a simple savings account. Savings accounts pay interest, but they’re not great for long-term wealth building because you usually wind up losing spending power to inflation.
Depending on your HSA provider, you likely have the option to invest your HSA in the stock market. That means that you can use the money in your HSA to build an investment portfolio like you do in your retirement and taxable brokerage accounts. Building a portfolio of low-cost index funds is a great way to help your HSA’s balance grow.
Just remember to keep some of the money in cash if you plan on using the HSA to cover health expenses as well.
3. Wait Until You’re 65
Once you’ve opened your HSA, made contributions, and invested your money, all you have to do is wait. Once you turn 65, you can withdraw money from the account as if it were a 401(k) or IRA. There’s no requirement that you use the money for health care expenses.
The only downside of this strategy is that IRAs and 401(k)s are slightly more flexible when it comes to withdrawals. You can start taking money from those accounts, penalty-free, when you turn 59 ½.
4. Save Your Receipts
Even if you don’t plan to use your HSA to cover health care expenses, you should make sure that you save every medical-related receipt that you get.
The reason to save every receipt is that there is no time limit for withdrawing money from your HSA after you incur a qualified medical expense.
Consider this example: you injure your leg while out for a run and have to go to the hospital for surgery. After you recover, you get the hospital bill and have to pay $5,000.
You can withdraw money from the HSA now to pay the bill, or you can pay the bill out of pocket, leaving your money in the HSA to grow, tax-free. You decide to pay the bill out of pocket.
Because there’s no time limit on withdrawals, you can take $5,000 out of your HSA, tax-free and penalty-free, any time you want. You can make the withdrawal tomorrow, next year, 10 years from now, or when you retire.
This is better than simply waiting until you turn 65 because withdrawals for nonmedical expenses still incur income taxes. If you pay for medical expenses out of pocket but save your receipts, you can withdraw from your HSA without paying any tax at all, up to the total amount of your qualified medical expenses that you’ve incurred over the years.
This makes HSAs more powerful than standard retirement accounts because you pay no tax on contributions or qualified distributions.
The full list of qualifying medical expenses is long, and some might surprise you. Over time, you’ll likely build up plenty of qualified expenses, which will make it easy for you to make tax-free withdrawals when you need to.
Advantages of Using an HSA for Retirement Savings
HSAs are one of the most powerful tax-advantaged accounts when used properly, so there are a lot of perks to using one for retirement savings.
1. Tax Benefits Add Up
One of the primary reasons to use an HSA for retirement savings is the tax benefits. If you use the account properly and save your medical receipts you can ultimately pay no tax on any of the money you contribute or withdraw from the account.
Even if you don’t have enough medical expenses to withdraw the entire amount tax-free, you have the backup plan of paying taxes on penalty-free withdrawals after you turn 65, effectively making the account into a second IRA or 401(k). Over the long term, the amount that you save in taxes can be huge.
If you’re in the 22% tax bracket — single earners making $39,476 to $84,200 and couples making $78,951 to $168,400 — and withdraw $10,000 per year from your HSA tax-free, you save $2,200 per year in taxes. That means needing to save about $55,000 less for retirement if you’re using the 4% rule to determine how much of your portfolio to withdraw each year.
2. HSA Contributions Don’t Count Against Retirement Contribution Limits
Using an HSA for retirement savings also increases the amount of tax-advantaged saving “cap space” you have for other retirement vehicles. IRAs and 401(k)s limit your contributions (to $6,500 per year and $19,500 per year, respectively). HSA contributions don’t count against those caps.
If you’re maxing out your tax-advantaged retirement contributions and looking for other ways to reduce your tax bill, HSAs can be an attractive option.
Disadvantages of Using an HSA for Retirement Savings
Just because you can use an HSA to save for retirement doesn’t mean that doing so is a good idea. Here are the disadvantages to consider.
1. You Might Need the Money for Medical Expenses
One reason not to use your HSA for retirement savings is the possibility that you might wind up needing that money to pay for health care expenses. Odds are good that you’ll wind up with a big medical bill at some point in your life.
If you have a high-deductible health plan, the out-of-pocket expense could be significant, and unless you have a strong emergency fund in savings, you might need to tap your HSA account to pay the bill.
If your HSA is one of your primary methods of saving for retirement, you might have to dip into your nest egg to cover a medical emergency, which is never ideal.
2. HSAs Aren’t Designed for Retirement Investing
Another drawback is that HSAs aren’t designed for retirement saving. The tax rules surrounding HSAs make them a great way to save for retirement, but that isn’t their intended purpose. HSA accounts aren’t necessarily optimized for long-term investing.
Some HSA providers might not offer the option to invest your balance at all, or might offer options that charge hefty fees for the privilege. Some HSAs limit your investment options to expensive mutual funds whose fees can eat away at your balance over the long term, meaning your savings will grow much more slowly in an HSA than a specifically designed retirement account.
By contrast, many true retirement plans have specially designed investment options, such as target-date funds, that make saving for retirement easy.
3. The Rules for HSAs Could Change
Finally, just because HSAs are great for retirement savings now doesn’t mean that they will be 20, 30, or 40 years from now. The government could change the rules for how you can use the money in the account. For example, the IRS may add a time limit for withdrawing funds after you incur a medical expense.
Future changes may make it harder to use the money you have in the account or alter the tax implications, which could limit its usefulness as a retirement savings vehicle.
Final Word
HSAs can be a good way to save for retirement, but you need to have a high-deductible health plan to be eligible for one. Furthermore, you must be able to cover out-of-pocket medical expenses by other means in order to make the most of these accounts as retirement savings vehicles.
For most people, 401(k)s and IRAs will be the main methods of saving for retirement. Don’t forget that you can also benefit from opening a taxable brokerage account if you want to invest for long-term goals beyond retirement.
Capital One 360 is a particularly good choice if you’re looking for a strong all-round option ifn online banking. In fact, it’s The Simple Dollar’s pick for the best free checking account. This online arm of Capital One should appeal to anyone who wants to dip their toes into online banking with a convenient, trusted service that boasts several physical locations and a nationwide ATM network.
Savings APY
0.40%
J.D. Power Rating
854/1,000
1Y CD Rate
0.20%
SimpleScore
3.8 / 5.0
SimpleScore Capital One 3.8
Savings APY 4
1Y CD APY 3
Customer Satisfaction 4
Mobile App 4
Product Variety 4
Capital One 360 is a particularly good choice if you’re looking for a strong all-round option in online banking. In fact, it’s The Simple Dollar’s pick for the best free checking account. This online arm of Capital One should appeal to anyone who wants to dip their toes into online banking with a convenient, trusted service that boasts several physical locations and a nationwide ATM network.
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Capital One 360 Highlights
No hidden fees or minimums as you earn interest on your everyday money
38,000 fee-free Allpoint® ATMs and 2,000 Capital One® ATMs
Free MasterCard® Debit Card for all purchases
Mobile check deposits with CheckMateSM & one checkbook’s free
Capital One 360 launched in 2013 after Capital One acquired ING Direct and rebranded the service. As a former ING Direct customer, I “inherited” a Capital One 360 savings account that I still use today, and I can personally attest to the convenience and ease of use it offers.
Capital One 360 at a Glance
When it comes to your banking needs, you’ll have access to just about everything you expect from a bank through Capital One 360, as well as some products that aren’t as common for online-only banks. Here are the key offerings:
Savings: Capital One 360 offers personal, business, and kid-focused savings accounts.
Checking: There’s a no-fee personal checking account and a teen-friendly checking account that links to a debit card and helps teach your child how to manage money.
CDs: Choose from nine terms ranging from six to 60 months when you want to amp up your personal or business savings.
Mortgages: Whether you need a fixed- or adjustable-rate mortgage, Capital One 360 has you covered at competitive interest rates.
Investment accounts: With the Capital One Investing platform, you can build a portfolio of stocks, ETFs, and mutual funds. You can also open an IRA.
In addition, parent company Capital One fills in the gaps with auto loans, credit cards, and more extensive business and commercial banking. However, there are no money market accounts or personal loans.
If you’re nervous about online banking, note that your deposits with Capital One 360 will be protected by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, just like at any brick-and-mortar bank. In addition, your data is fully encrypted and protected by several layers of security such as firewalls, intrusion detection, and multi-factor authentication.
Capital One 360 Performance Savings
Capital One 360 Performance Savings has a lot of appeal, the interest rate, currently 0.40% APY, isn’t the highest you can find online, but it’s still pretty competitive — especially when you consider that the national average is .09%, according to Bankrate. Add that to this account’s other perks, including no fees and no account minimums, and you’ve got a compelling savings option. Here are the account features at a glance:
No maintenance fees: At other banks, you may have to pay a fee just to have an account.
No account minimums: You don’t have to have a certain amount of money to open an account or maintain any sort of minimum balance to avoid a fee.
A great rate: You’ll earn 0.40% APY, more than eight times the national average.
Open multiple accounts: You can have up to 25 different savings accounts for free.
24/7 account access: Need to make a withdrawal at 2 a.m.? No problem.
Customer support any day of the week: You’re just a phone call away from a real person.
Easy account management: Schedule stress-free automatic deposits, and track your progress with the My Savings Goals feature.
Mobile check deposit: Depositing funds is as simple as snapping a picture with your phone using the CheckMate feature.
One of the nicest features on this list is the ability to open up to 25 savings accounts without ponying up account maintenance fees. This is a great way to stay organized if you have multiple savings goals.
Right now, I have a few separate savings accounts with Capital One 360, and have had several more in the past, including one dedicated to saving for a down payment on our house. You could also have one emergency-only account, one for a dream vacation, and so on.
I can also vouch for the convenience of the automatic savings plan, which let me funnel a certain amount of money into my savings account every other week without lifting a finger. You can also set up an automatic transfer to take place as often as every week or as little as once every few months depending on your savings goals. It’s a great way to force yourself to save and requires very little effort to set up.
The biggest downside here is the interest rate. I’ve watched my interest rate sink (and sink … and sink) over the past several years from a high of close to 5%, when I opened it with ING. Now, that’s not a situation that’s unique to Capital One 360 — rates have plummeted everywhere, and the current rate of 0.40% is definitely higher than brick-and-mortar banks offer.
However, some competing online-only banks are higher — you’ll find a few in our guide to the best savings accounts. That isn’t a lot in the grand scheme of things, but every bit helps.
Capital One 360 Checking
Capital One 360 Checking shares many of the benefits of the savings account, including no maintenance fees and mobile check deposits. Though I don’t personally use Capital One 360 for checking, The Simple Dollar has picked it as one of the best checking accounts for 2020. Why? Here are some of the main features:
No maintenance fees or minimums: You won’t need to keep a minimum balance or hook up direct deposit to avoid maintenance fees, like many other banks require.
No overdraft fees: At many banks, you’ll pay $30 or more every time your account is overdrawn.
Nationwide ATMs: You’ll get fee-free access to 38,000 Allpoint ATMs and 2,000 Capital One ATMs.
Free debit card: You’ll get a MasterCard debit card to make purchases. And as a bonus, there are no foreign transaction fees if you use it overseas.
Pay other individuals for free: You can easily send money directly to others’ bank accounts, even if they don’t also bank with Capital One 360.
Mobile check deposit: Depositing funds is as simple as snapping a picture with your phone using the CheckMate feature.
Free online bill pay: Use the bill pay center to keep up with bills online — no need to waste checks or stamps. If a bill ever arrives late because of Capital One 360, they will pay your penalty fees.
Earn interest on your balance: You’ll get 0.10% APY on all balances.
One of the biggest perks of Capital One 360 Checking is the lack of an overdraft fee. These fees top $30 at other banks and can add up fast. Instead, Capital One hooks up your checking account to an Overdraft Line of Credit of up to $1,000. You’ll simply pay interest on the amount you’re overdrawn only for as long as you’re overdrawn.
To get an idea of how much that can save you, here’s an example: If you slipped up and overdrew your account by $100 for just five days, you’d only pay about 15 cents in interest with Capital One 360 instead of a fee over $30 with another bank. That’s a big savings for anyone who has let their balance slip into the red from time to time.
On the downside, you’ll have to have a pretty substantial balance to earn anything more than 0.10% APY on this account, and there are competitors that offer better yields on checking. For instance, Ally will bump you up to 0.10%–0.25% depending on your balance, and Bank5Connect offers 0.20% on any balance over $100. If you’re like most people, you aren’t going to park a huge amount of money in a checking account. Still, the interest is a nice bonus.
I also want to mention the fees that I did see: $25 to stop payment, $20 to overnight a check, and up to $40 for domestic wire transfers. The first two fees are in line with national averages, but $40 for wire transfers is high — so take note if you think you may use wire transfers often.
You will also have to pay for checks with Capital One 360. The first checkbook is free, but after that, it’s $5 per book of 50 checks. It’s a trade-off I’ll gladly make for no account maintenance fees and the lack of overdraft gouging, but it’s still worth noting.
Capital One 360 Accounts for Children and Teens
Online banks will probably be even more common once your kids are grown, so Capital One 360 could be the perfect way to teach them about money.
Kids Savings Account: A lot of banks offer savings accounts aimed at teaching kids the value of a dollar, but most earn the paltry interest rates typical at brick-and-mortar institutions. Kids will earn 0.00% APY, but they will have access to tools including the automatic savings plan and My Savings Goals tracker. They get their own log-in to check their balance, but adults will have to transfer money to and from the account.
MONEY (teen checking): This checking account aimed at teens help them learn how to use a checking account and fully featured debit card, but adults can easily keep tabs on account activity. Teens have access to all of Capital One’s ATMs as well, but only adults can initiate online money transfers.
Getting Started with Capital One 360
Capital One has a clean, easy-to-use website, and opening an account is a fairly effortless affair. To open a savings or checking account, you’ll need to enter standard personal information: name, address, date of birth, and Social Security number.
You’ll also need to link your new account to an existing checking account for funding purposes. You simply enter your account number and bank’s routing number, all found on the bottom of your current checks. You’ll be asked to verify ownership of your external account by confirming one or two small deposits from Capital One 360. You can link up to three personal checking accounts to a Capital One 360 checking or savings account.
After you open a savings account, your funds will be held for 10 business days for security purposes. After that, all new deposits are held for five business days before they’re available for withdrawal. Checking account deposits have a standard two-day hold; however, some types of deposits (such as direct deposit) are available sooner. You may have to wait up to five days to access all of a check deposit over $500, however.
Who Is Capital One 360 Best For?
You tend to rack up overdraft fees: If you’re in the habit of withdrawing more than you owe, you know that bank fees make that an expensive habit. Though you should still aim to better track your balance and avoid the situation entirely, Capital One 360’s Overdraft Line of Credit means you’re likely to pay just pennies in interest instead of over $30 in fees.
You’re looking for a lot of services in one spot: A lot of online-only banks focus only on checking and savings to the exclusion of other products, but you have a lot more to choose from with Capital One 360, like mortgages and investments. And 360’s parent bank, Capital One, provides easy access to other products such as auto loans and credit cards.
You’re not that tech-savvy but still wants to start banking online: Opening an account with Capital One 360 is very simple, and the online interface is very streamlined. Several cities now even have inviting brick-and-mortar Capital One 360 Cafes, where you can open an account or speak with an associate in person over a cup of Peet’s coffee.
You have a variety of savings goals and want an easy way to manage them: Capital One is great for savers with a lot of different goals. Because you can have up to 25 different accounts for free, it’s easy to keep your money in different buckets but still manage each account in one spot.
You like the idea of online banking, but lesser-known online banks make you nervous: Capital One 360 is an established brand with all the resources of a major bank, including its huge ATM network — that may mean peace of mind for some people.
Who Might Want to Skip Capital One 360?
While Capital One 360 should have a lot of appeal for the casual saver who wants a convenient venue for their online banking, there are still a few downsides. You may want to look elsewhere if:
You’re chasing the highest interest rate: While Capital One 360 offers solid interest rates that eclipse those offered by traditional brick-and-mortar banks, they aren’t the highest you’ll find online.
You need your money fast: This can be an issue with all online banks, but some online reviewers complain that Capital One 360’s hold times on check deposits are too long. Assuming you’re using mobile check deposit to put funds in your checking account, you’ll only get access to the first $200 of a check over $500 the next business day. You’ll have to wait five business days to access the remainder of the deposit. (Note that direct deposits, if available, are a good way around this, as you can get same-day access to those funds.) For savings accounts, you’ll wait five business days to access any deposit. Since I don’t expect to turn around and immediately access my savings, I’ve been OK with this delay, but I can understand why the checking holds would be frustrating.
You want 24/7 customer service: Disappointingly, Capital One 360 does not staff its call center around the clock. Many may not take issue with this, but it’s worth noting that several competitors do let you talk to a live person, even at 3 a.m.
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Too long, didn’t read?
When it’s all said and done, Capital One 360 is a great option for anyone who wants the convenience of online banking, better-than-average interest rates, and no account maintenance fees. Capital One 360 has extended their current offer – sign up by 11/30 to earn up to $500 when you maintain a certain balance in your new account for 90 days.
You’ve got several factors to consider — ATM access, interest rates, monthly fees, minimum balances, mobile app reviews, and more.
Another factor to consider: bank promotions. These are cash bonuses you can earn when opening a new checking or savings account with a bank or credit union during the promotion window, meeting any specific criteria and keeping the account open at least long enough to earn the extra cash.
While a savings or checking bonus shouldn’t be your top reason to choose a bank, don’t rule it out entirely. After all, wouldn’t it be nice to fund your shiny new account with some extra cash?
Many banks offer such sign-up bonuses, but often, these bonuses aren’t advertised, meaning finding the best bank account bonuses can be tricky. That’s why we did some digging for you and found some hefty cash offers.
Best Bank Promotions of May 2021
We’ve researched the best cash bonuses available this month so you don’t have to. Below, you’ll find our favorite checking and savings account bonuses.
Keep an eye on what it takes to qualify, as well as any limitations. Direct deposit and minimum balances are commonly factors in securing these bonuses. Also pay attention to any monthly fees the account might carry; over time, these could weigh out the actual cash bonus. Otherwise, happy bank bonus shopping!
1. Aspiration Account: $150
Bonus amount: $150
How to get the bonus: To earn your $150, here’s all you need to do: Open your Aspiration account and deposit at least $10. Aspiration will send you a debit card associated with the account. Use the Aspiration debit card to make at least $1,000 of cumulative transactions within the first 60 days of opening your account. There’s no need to spend extra money — just use your card to buy groceries and pay your utilities.
Where to sign up: Enter your email address here, and link your bank account.
When you’ll get the bonus: Allow up to 120 calendar days from account opening to receive the bonus; you must have completed the requirements within the first 60 days.
The fine print: With Aspiration, your money is FDIC insured and under a military-grade encryption. The account offers up to 1.00% APY on savings and allows fee-free withdrawals at more than 55,000 ATMs. There are no hidden fees with Aspiration (monthly fees are on a “Pay What is Fair” policy, and that can be zero every month!), and you’ll earn cash back when you spend at socially conscious businesses (up to 5%).
No offer expiration.
2. Aspiration Plus Account: $200
Bonus amount: $200
How to get the bonus: To earn your $200, here’s all you need to do: Open your Aspiration Plus account during signup or within the first 60 days of enrollment in the regular Aspiration Account. Deposit at least $10. Aspiration will send you a debit card associated with the account. Use the Aspiration debit card to make at least $1,000 of cumulative transactions within the first 60 days of opening your account. There’s no need to spend extra money — just use your card to buy groceries and pay your utilities.
Where to sign up: Enter your email address here, and link your bank account.
When you’ll get the bonus: Allow up to 120 calendar days from account opening to receive the bonus; you must have completed the requirements within the first 60 days.
The fine print: With Aspiration, your money is FDIC insured and under a military-grade encryption. The account offers up to 1.00% APY on savings and allows fee-free withdrawals at more than 55,000 ATMs. Unlike the typical Aspiration Account, there is a $15/month fee (or $12.50/month if you pay annually). However, you’ll earn more cash back when you spend at socially conscious businesses (up to 10%), get monthly out-of-network ATM reimbursement and receive carbon offsets for all gas purchases.
No offer expiration.
3. TD Bank Beyond Checking Account: $300
Bonus amount: $300
How to get the bonus: Open a new TD Beyond Checking account. You must receive a total of $2,500 or more via direct deposit within 60 days of opening your new account.
Where to sign up: Visit this TD Checking page. Click the orange “open account” button, and follow the instructions to open a TD Beyond Checking account.
When you’ll get the bonus: The $300 bonus will be deposited into your account within 140 days of opening.
The fine print: While this bonus offer sounds too good to be true, it is definitely attainable. However, only open the account if you regularly get sizable monthly deposits or can maintain a healthy minimum balance. That’s because the account charges a monthly maintenance fee, but TD will waive the fee if you receive monthly direct deposits of $5,000, keep a minimum daily balance of $2,500 or maintain a combined balance across all your TD bank accounts of a whopping $25,000.
TD fees—and the bank’s capacity for waiving them—extend to ATMs. You won’t face fees for making withdrawals at TD’s own ATMs, and it’ll reimburse all fees for withdrawing at non-TD ATMs as long as you keep your daily balance at $2,500 or more.
No offer expiration.
4. TD Bank Convenience Checking Account: $150
Bonus amount: $150
How to get the bonus: Open a new TD Convenience Checking account. You must receive a total of $500 or more via direct deposit within 60 days of opening your new account.
Where to sign up: Visit this TD Checking page. Click the orange “open account” button, and follow the instructions to open a TD Beyond Checking account.
When you’ll get the bonus: The $150 bonus will be deposited into your account within 140 days of opening.
The fine print: While this bonus offer sounds too good to be true, it is definitely attainable. Unlike the TD Bank Beyond Checking account, this checking account option is easier for financial beginners to manage. You only need to maintain a minimum balance of $100 to have the monthly maintenance fee waived. And if you are between the age of 17 and 23, there are no minimum balance requirements and no monthly maintenance fee.
However, the Convenience Checking account does not earn interest; the Beyond Checking account does.
No offer expiration.
Carmen Mandato/ The Penny Hoarder
5. Bank of America Advantage Banking Account: $100
Bonus amount: $100
How to get the bonus: Open a new Bank of American Advantage Banking account online using the offer code DOC100CIS. You must then set up and receive two qualifying direct deposits, each totaling $250 or more, within 90 days of opening the new account. This offer is only available to new Bank of America personal checking account customers.
Where to sign up: Visit the offer page and use the offer code DOC100CIS when opening the account.
When you’ll get the bonus: Bank of America promises to “attempt” to deposit the bonus into the account within 60 days of satisfying all requirements. Though the “attempt” disclosure seems a little suspect, we could not find traces of reviews citing unpaid bonuses.
The fine print: A qualifying direct deposit means the direct deposit must be regular monthly income, whether through salary, pension or Social Security benefits. Deposits through wire transfer, apps like Venmo or ATM transfers will not qualify.
Advantage Banking accounts come in three varieties: SafeBalance, Plus and Relationship. All three carry monthly maintenance fees that can be waived:
To waive the SafeBalance monthly maintenance fee of $4.95, enroll in Preferred Rewards.
To waive the Plus monthly maintenance fee of $12, receive a qualifying minimum direct deposit, maintain minimum daily balance requirements or enroll in Preferred Rewards.
To waive the Relationship monthly maintenance fee of $25, maintain the minimum combined balance in all linked accounts or enroll in Preferred Rewards.
Offer expires June 30, 2021.
6. Associated Bank Access Checking Account: Up to $500
Bonus amount: Up to $500
How to get the bonus: Open a new Associated Access Checking account with a minimum deposit of $25 and receive direct deposits totaling at least $500 within 90 days of opening your account. Bonus values will vary based on the sum of the average daily balance of all Associated Bank deposit accounts from days 61 to 90:
Average daily balances of $1,000 to $4,999.99 will earn a $200 bonus.
Average daily balances of $5,000 to $9,999.999 will earn a $300 bonus.
Average daily balances of $10,000 or more will earn a $500 bonus.
Where to sign up: Visit this Associated Bank account sign-up page and select the appropriate account.
When you’ll get the bonus: You will receive the bonus as a deposit to your account within 120 days of account opening.
The fine print: Must be a new Associated Access Checking customer. If easy access to a physical branch is important to you, note that the bank has locations in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin, but members have free access to MoneyPass ATMs nationwide. Account must remain open for a minimum of 12 months; if you close it early, Associated Bank reserves the right to deduct the paid out bonus before account closure.
The account requires a minimum deposit of $25, charges $4 a month if you require paper statements and does not earn interest.
Offer expires May 31, 2021.
7. Associated Bank Balanced Checking Account: Up to $500
Bonus amount: Up to $500
How to get the bonus: Open a new Associated Balanced Checking account with a minimum deposit of $100 and receive direct deposits totaling at least $500 within 90 days of opening your account. Bonus values will vary based on the sum of the average daily balance of all Associated Bank deposit accounts from days 61 to 90:
Average daily balances of $1,000 to $4,999.99 will earn a $200 bonus.
Average daily balances of $5,000 to $9,999.999 will earn a $300 bonus.
Average daily balances of $10,000 or more will earn a $500 bonus.
Where to sign up: Visit this Associated Bank account sign-up page and select the appropriate account.
When you’ll get the bonus: You will receive the bonus as a deposit to your account within 120 days of account opening.
The fine print: Must be a new Associated Balanced Checking customer. If easy access to a physical branch is important to you, note that the bank has locations in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin, but members have free access to MoneyPass ATMs nationwide. Account must remain open for a minimum of 12 months; if you close it early, Associated Bank reserves the right to deduct the paid out bonus before account closure.
The account requires a minimum deposit of $100 and does not earn interest.
Offer expires May 31, 2021.
8. Associated Bank Choice Checking Account: Up to $500
Bonus amount: Up to $500
How to get the bonus: Open a new Associated Choice Checking account with a minimum deposit of $100 and receive direct deposits totaling at least $500 within 90 days of opening your account. Bonus values will vary based on the sum of the average daily balance of all Associated Bank deposit accounts from days 61 to 90:
Average daily balances of $1,000 to $4,999.99 will earn a $200 bonus.
Average daily balances of $5,000 to $9,999.999 will earn a $300 bonus.
Average daily balances of $10,000 or more will earn a $500 bonus.
Where to sign up: Visit this Associated Bank account sign-up page and select the appropriate account.
When you’ll get the bonus: You will receive the bonus as a deposit to your account within 120 days of account opening.
The fine print: Must be a new Associated Choice Checking customer. If easy access to a physical branch is important to you, note that the bank has locations in Illinois, Minnesota and Wisconsin, but members have free access to MoneyPass ATMs nationwide. Account must remain open for a minimum of 12 months; if you close it early, Associated Bank reserves the right to deduct the paid out bonus before account closure.
The account requires a minimum deposit of $100. This account is the only Associated option that earns interest and offers complimentary checks.
Offer expires May 31, 2021.
9. Citizens Bank Student Checking Account: Up to $400
Bonus amount: Up to $400
How to get the bonus: Open a new Student Checking account with Citizens Bank. Receive a direct deposit of $500 or more within the first 60 days to earn a $300 bonus.
Earn an additional $2 for every debit card purchase you make within the first 60 days, up to $100 total rewards (50 purchases).
Where to sign up: Visit this promotional page for Citizens Bank and choose “Open Your Account” button for the Student Checking account. The promotion only applies when opening the account via this page.
When you’ll get the bonus: If you open the account this month (May 2021), your bonus will be paid by September 30, 2021.
The fine print: Cannot have had a Citizens Bank account in the six months prior. Qualifying debit card transactions must be in person, on an app or on a merchant site; online bill payments and ATM payments do not qualify. While the account advertises a $0 monthly maintenance fee, you must be under 25 for this to apply. This account does not offer an APY.
Offer expires May 13, 2021.
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10. Citizens Bank One Deposit Checking from Citizens: Up to $400
Bonus amount: Up to $400
How to get the bonus: Open a new One Deposit Checking from Citizens. Receive a direct deposit of $500 or more within the first 60 days to earn a $300 bonus.
Earn an additional $2 for every debit card purchase you make within the first 60 days, up to $100 total rewards (50 purchases).
Where to sign up: Visit this promotional page for Citizens Bank and choose “Open Your Account” button for One Deposit Checking from Citizens. The promotion only applies when opening the account via this page.
When you’ll get the bonus: If you open the account this month (May 2021), your bonus will be paid by September 30, 2021.
The fine print: Cannot have had a Citizens Bank account in the six months prior. Qualifying debit card transactions must be in person, on an app or on a merchant site; online bill payments and ATM payments do not qualify. There is a monthly maintenance fee of $9.99; to waive it, make one deposit each statement period. This account does not offer an APY.
Offer expires May 13, 2021.
11. Citizens Bank Platinum Checking: Up to $400
Bonus amount: Up to $400
How to get the bonus: Open a new Citizens Platinum Checking account. Receive a direct deposit of $500 or more within the first 60 days to earn a $300 bonus.
Earn an additional $2 for every debit card purchase you make within the first 60 days, up to $100 total rewards (50 purchases).
Where to sign up: Visit this promotional page for Citizens Bank and choose “Open Your Account” button for the Platinum Checking account. The promotion only applies when opening the account via this page.
When you’ll get the bonus: If you open the account this month (May 2021), your bonus will be paid by September 30, 2021.
The fine print: Cannot have had a Citizens Bank account in the six months prior. Qualifying debit card transactions must be in person, on an app or on a merchant site; online bill payments and ATM payments do not qualify. There is a monthly maintenance fee of $25; to waive it, you must have a combined monthly balance (across all Citizens deposit and investment accounts) of $25,000 or more. This account offers an APY with a variable rate, but it is quite low compared to typical online bank APYs.
Offer expires May 13, 2021.
12. Citizens Bank Platinum Plus Checking: Up to $400
Bonus amount: Up to $400
How to get the bonus: Open a new Citizens Platinum Plus Checking account. Receive a direct deposit of $500 or more within the first 60 days to earn a $300 bonus.
Earn an additional $2 for every debit card purchase you make within the first 60 days, up to $100 total rewards (50 purchases).
Where to sign up: Visit this promotional page for Citizens Bank and choose “Open Your Account” button for the Platinum Plus Checking account. The promotion only applies when opening the account via this page.
When you’ll get the bonus: If you open the account this month (May 2021), your bonus will be paid by September 30, 2021.
The fine print: Cannot have had a Citizens Bank account in the six months prior. Qualifying debit card transactions must be in person, on an app or on a merchant site; online bill payments and ATM payments do not qualify. There is a monthly maintenance fee of $25; to waive it, you must have a combined monthly balance (across all Citizens deposit and investment accounts) of $25,000 or more and make a deposit of at least $5,000 in your checking account each statement period OR maintain an average daily balance in the checking account of $10,000 or more. This account offers an APY with a variable rate, but it is quite low compared to typical online bank APYs.
Offer expires May 13, 2021.
13. PNC Virtual Wallet Account: $50
Bonus amount: $50
How to get the bonus: Open a new PNC Virtual Wallet account online or in a branch. Receive qualifying direct deposits of $500 within the first 60 days.
Where to sign up: Visit this promotional page for PNC and choose “Apply Now” for the Virtual Wallet account (either with Spend, Reserve and Growth or just Spend).
When you’ll get the bonus: After meeting the bonus criteria, you will receive the bonus (labeled “Cash Trans Promo Reward” on your monthly statement) within 60 to 90 days.
The fine print: Cannot have a current PNC account or have closed an account within the previous 90 days. Qualifying direct deposits include paychecks, Social Security, pension or other recurring monthly income that is electronically deposited by your employer or an outside agency into your account. The account carries a $7 monthly service charge that can be waived if 1) you have $500 or more in monthly direct deposits in the associated Spend account, 2) you maintain $500 or more between associated Spend and Reserve accounts, or 3) are 62 or older. This account does not earn interest.
Offer expires June 30, 2021.
14. PNC Virtual Wallet with Performance Spend Account: $200
Bonus amount: $200
How to get the bonus: Open a new PNC Virtual Wallet with a Performance Spend account online or in a branch. Receive qualifying direct deposits of $2,000 within the first 60 days.
Where to sign up: Visit this promotional page for PNC and choose “Apply Now” for the Virtual Wallet with Performance Spend account (either with Spend, Reserve and Growth or just Spend).
When you’ll get the bonus: After meeting the bonus criteria, you will receive the bonus (labeled “Cash Trans Promo Reward” on your monthly statement) within 60 to 90 days.
The fine print: Cannot have a current PNC account or have closed an account within the previous 90 days. Qualifying direct deposits include paychecks, Social Security, pension or other recurring monthly income that is electronically deposited by your employer or an outside agency into your account. The account carries a $15 monthly service charge that can be waived if 1) you have $2,000 or more in monthly direct deposits in the associated Spend account, 2) you maintain $2,000 or more between associated Spend and Reserve accounts, or 3) have at least $10,000 across all consumer PNC accounts.
Offer expires June 30, 2021.
15. PNC Virtual Wallet with Performance Select Account: $300
Bonus amount: $300
How to get the bonus: Open a new PNC Virtual Wallet with Performance Select account online or in a branch. Make qualifying direct deposits of $5,000 within the first 60 days.
Where to sign up: Visit this promotional page for PNC and choose “Apply Now” for the Virtual Wallet with Performance Select account (either with Spend, Reserve and Growth or just Spend).
When you’ll get the bonus: After meeting the bonus criteria, you will receive the bonus (labeled “Cash Trans Promo Reward” on your monthly statement) within 60 to 90 days.
The fine print: Cannot have a current PNC account or have closed an account within the previous 90 days. Qualifying direct deposits include paychecks, Social Security, pension or other recurring monthly income that is electronically deposited by your employer or an outside agency into your account. The account carries a $25 monthly service charge that can be waived if 1) you have $5,000 or more in monthly direct deposits in the associated Spend account, 2) you maintain $5,000 or more between associated Spend and Reserve accounts, or 3) have at least $25,000 across all consumer PNC accounts.
Offer expires June 30, 2021.
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How to Search for Bank Bonuses on Your Own
In the spirit of not listing approximately 193 bank promotions, we kept this list short and sweet — only highlighting the best bank promotions for checking and savings accounts.
But maybe you’re interested in banking with your local credit union, opening up a small business checking account or finding the perfect investment account? There are often bonus offers attached to these account openings, too.
The banks don’t always make finding these promotions easy, so here are a few tips to help you get your hands on that cash bonus.
Check the bank’s website first. Sometimes it’ll advertise its promotions right there. This is rare, but it’s worth a quick check — it could save you a ton of time.
If you don’t have any luck, reach out to the bank’s customer service team through phone, email or chat. Let them know you’re shopping for a new account, and you’d like to know if it’s running any promotions. More often than not, the nice representative will send you a special link.
If this doesn’t work, turn to your trusty friend Google. Look for the best bank account bonuses. Because you’ll likely dig up some offers from third-party sites, you’ll want to take a few minutes to make sure the offer:
Hasn’t expired.
Is legitimate. Make sure the bank is FDIC-insured and has a positive Better Business Bureau rating. You can even read some online reviews.
Doesn’t require outrageous qualifying activities. For example, it might not be realistic for you to maintain an average daily balance of $50,000 and carry out 60 qualifying debit card purchases or receive five direct deposits before the end of your first 30-day statement cycle.
You can also reach out to your family, friends and social network to crowdsource bank recommendations. Sometimes banks have impressive referral programs, so both you and your friend could benefit from you signing up.
Overall, be smart. Don’t let that promise of an account bonus blind you. Also, read the fine print so you don’t get stuck paying high monthly fees, interest rates or closing penalties.
Will Opening a Bank Account Hurt Your Credit Score?
If you’re worried that opening a new bank account or closing an old one will hurt your credit score, don’t be. Your bank accounts are not included in your credit report and therefore have no effect on your credit score, unless you have an outstanding negative balance that the bank turns over to a collection agency.
Sometimes when you go to open a new bank account, banks will do a soft credit check. However, that won’t affect your credit score.
Now, go enjoy your fresh new bank account and that nice cash bonus you’re about to pocket. Add it to your savings account, put it toward student loan payments or, heck, treat yourself!
Editorial Disclosure: This content is not provided by the bank advertiser. Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of the bank advertiser. This site may be compensated through the bank advertiser Affiliate Program.
As traditional banks struggle with customer frustration over hidden fees and insultingly low interest rates, Ally Bank has positioned itself as the antidote to these problems.
Savings APY
0.50%
1Y CD Rate
0.55%
J.D. Power Rating
853/1,000
SimpleScore
4.2 / 5.0
SimpleScore Ally Bank 4.2
Savings APY 5
1Y CD APY 5
Customer Satisfaction 4
Mobile App 3
Products 4
By and large, it has succeeded, becoming one of the best all-around options for online banking today and The Simple Dollar’s pick for the best all-around savings account for 2018.
Ally, previously known as GMAC Bank, launched in 2009. It was rebranded after parent company GMAC — the financial arm of General Motors — received billions in bailout money from the U.S. government during the subprime mortgage crisis.
Despite its rocky beginnings, Ally Bank has grown and flourished. It now has more than a million customers, likely due to its appealing blend of competitive interest rates and low, clearly disclosed fees.
In this article
Ally Bank at a Glance
If you’re just looking for basic checking or savings products, Ally has a particularly strong lineup. Here are the products and services you’ll find:
Savings: Ally offers two main options: an online savings account and a money market account.
Checking: There’s just one checking option, but it’s a good one: no-fee interest checking.
CDs: Choose from three account options: the High-Yield CD, with seven terms ranging from three months to five years; the Raise Your Rate CD, with a two- or four-year term; or the 11-month No Penalty CD.
IRA savings and CDs: Ally offers an IRA online savings account, or you can choose an IRA High-Yield CD or an IRA Raise Your Rate CD.
IRA plans: Traditional, Roth, and SEP IRAs are available, too.
Ally also has a sizeable auto loans business, but you can’t apply for financing online — it’s only available at select dealers, including GM, Chrysler, and Maserati. It also has a business financing division, but only for sizeable transactions of more than $15 million. There are no mortgages, personal loans, business checking or savings accounts, credit cards, or non-IRA investment accounts.
Ally’s Online Savings account is one of the best options in the industry when you consider the high interest rate and lack of fees. In fact, it’s such a strong option that The Simple Dollar named it the best all-around savings account for 2018. Here are the main account features:
No minimum deposit: You don’t need any certain amount to open your account, unlike some other banks that will require an initial deposit of $250, $500, or even $1,000 or more.
No account maintenance fees: You also won’t pay a monthly fee to keep your account open, regardless of your balance.
A very high interest rate: Your deposits will earn 0.50% APY currently.
Mobile check deposit: It’s as simple as snapping a photo of a check with your smartphone using Ally eCheck Deposit.
24/7 account access and customer service: Get the convenience of online banking or connect with a customer service agent regardless of the time.
Simple transfers: Move your money easily by scheduling transfers up to a year in advance, and link up to 20 external accounts to your Ally account.
The major benefit with Ally’s Online Savings is the interest rate, which is compounded daily. At 0.50% APY, it’s one of the most competitive rates in online banking. While this kind of interest certainly isn’t going to make you rich, it’s a lot better than the 0.01% (effective as of 10/14/2019. Interest rates are variable and subject to change) APY you might receive with Chase Savings℠, Bank of America, or another major brick-and-mortar bank.
Another big benefit is the generous number of external accounts you’re allowed to link up: 20. It’s common for other banks to limit you to three linked accounts, so this could be a big advantage for anyone who wants to move money between several accounts. You can also open, nickname, and link multiple savings accounts all in one go if you want to maintain separate accounts for separate savings goals.
Ally is also impressively clear about its fees. As I mentioned above, you won’t pay for monthly account maintenance. You also won’t pay for unlimited deposits, transfers to non-Ally accounts, incoming wires, online statements, postage-paid deposit envelopes, or cashier’s checks. (There are still some fees to note, but they are reasonable — they include $9 for overdrafts, $10 for excessive transactions, and $20 for outgoing wires.)
As for cons, there aren’t many. But if you’re used to depositing cash, that won’t be an option for you with Ally.
Ally Money Market Account
Ally also offers an outstanding money market account with a lot of the same features as its online savings account. For instance, there is no minimum deposit, there are no monthly maintenance fees, and you still have the option of mobile check deposits.
The major difference is that you’ll be getting a slightly lower interest rate, currently 0.50%, in exchange for a couple of nice conveniences. With the money market account, you’ll get a debit card and checks. And you can use your debit card at any ATM nationwide without paying steep fees: Ally won’t charge you, and it will reimburse any fees that other banks charge for using their ATMs.
No maintenance fees or minimums: Some banks charge monthly maintenance fees or require you to have a certain balance to avoid them. Not so with Ally.
No ATM fees: Ally doesn’t charge you for ATM withdrawals, and it will reimburse you at the end of the month for any fees that other banks charge.
Mobile check deposit: It’s as simple as snapping a photo of a check with your smartphone using Ally eCheck Deposit.
Easy to pay other individuals: With the Popmoney feature, you can easily send money to anyone else who has a bank account as long as you know their email address or cell phone number.
Earn interest on your balance: Ally’s Interest Checking earns 0.10%–0.25%.
One of the biggest benefits of Ally’s Interest Checking is the lack of ATM fees. Considering you can expect to pay an average of $4.35 every time you get money from an out-of-network ATM, not having to plan ahead to avoid fees is a nice convenience.
Of course, the absence of monthly maintenance fees and minimums is also appreciated — my own bank requires me to keep a pretty substantial balance to avoid shelling out $11 each month. Checks are free with Ally, too.
There are still other fees, including 1% for foreign transactions, $9 for overdrafts, $15 to stop payment, and $20 for outgoing wires. These fees are a good bit lower than industry averages, but note that if you travel abroad frequently or are concerned about overdraft fees, Capital One 360 doesn’t charge either one. (Note that you can protect yourself from overdraft fees by linking an Ally savings or money market account to your checking. Ally will pull money from the linked accounts in $100 increments to cover the overdraft, but you obviously have to have the funds in the linked account to avoid fees.)
There are also some better options out there if you’re looking for the best interest rate in a checking account. For instance, Bank5Connect offers 0.20% APY on any balance over $100, and FNBO Direct offers 0.25% with no minimum balance. However, since it doesn’t make much sense to think of a checking account as a long-term place to grow your money, I don’t consider this a major con.
Ally Certificates of Deposit
None of Ally’s CDs require a minimum deposit to open, which is a rare benefit. Interest is compounded daily. Ally also offers a 10-day Best Rate Guarantee on its CDs, which ensures you can snag the best rate Ally has within 10 days of opening or renewing your account. Here’s a rundown of your CD choices with Ally:
High-Yield CD: This type of CD gives you the most flexibility on term: Go as short as three months or as long as five years. Of course, the shorter the term, the lower your interest rate, but a 12-month CD currently earns 0.55% APY. This CD is available for Ally IRAs.
Raise Your Rate CD: You’ll only be able to choose a two- or four-year term with this option. However, you get the chance to bump up your rate (once for a two-year CD, twice for a four-year CD) if Ally’s rates go up after you’ve funded your CD. This is also available for Ally IRAs.
No Penalty CD: If the prospect of early-withdrawal fees is keeping you from opening a CD, Ally’s No Penalty CD lets you skip them entirely. The convenience means you’ll be getting a lower rate, and there is only one term available (11 months).
Getting Started with Ally
Ally has a streamlined, easy-to-understand website, and opening an account is easy. In fact, you can open multiple account types at once, even linking a newly opened checking and savings account for overdraft transfer service right away.
If you prefer, you can also open an account over the phone or by mailing in an application. Online chat is available if you have any quick questions during account opening.
Online, all you’ll need to enter is your name, date of birth, Social Security number, email address, mailing address, and phone number. You’ll be able to fund your new account right away if you link a non-Ally account and transfer money electronically (you will have to verify ownership of the account). You can also mail a check, use mobile deposit to submit a check, or set up a wire transfer.
For savings and checking accounts, direct deposits are available the same day. You’ll wait up to three business days for transfers you request from linked non-Ally accounts. For most check deposits, you’ll have access to $200 within one business day and $4,800 in two business days. Any amounts over $5,000 won’t be available until the fifth business day. Ally may apply five-day holds for customers who’ve had a history of overdrafts.
Who is Ally Best For?
Ally is going to be one of your strongest overall options for online banking, but there are a few scenarios where it should definitely be your first choice:
You want the best combination of high interest rates, low fees, and no minimums: Ally is very near the top of the heap on interest rates across the board. Of course, nothing is stopping you from chasing the very highest rate you can find, but the trade-off for that rate is often higher fees and high account minimums. If you’ve got a lot of money to stash, that might not be a concern, but for the average Joe, it’s a good compromise.
You prize transparency: Ally is by far the clearest about fees of any of the banks I’ve researched, whether online or brick and mortar. Each product has a “Straight Talk Product Guide” that lays out everything you need to know about fees as well as important details such as when your money will be available.
You want to bank online, but you don’t want to skimp on customer service: Ally has 24/7 customer service, and the time you’ll wait to speak to a representative is disclosed at the top of the website (it was never more than a few minutes each time I visited). If phone calls aren’t your thing, you can still email a representative, search a comprehensive set of FAQs, or start an online chat session.
Who Might Want to Skip Ally?
Of course, there are also a couple of situations where Ally might fall short:
You want a one-stop shop: If you prefer to keep most or all of your financial dealings with one bank, Ally might not be the best option for you. It lacks several relatively common products, including mortgages, small-business accounts, and brokerage accounts. If this kind of variety is important to you, you’ll probably need a brick-and-mortar bank; if you want to stay with an online bank, Capital One 360 would be worth a look.
You want to build a personal relationship with a bank: For all of its plusses, there is one thing Ally (and all online-only banks) can’t offer: the chance for you to be more than a number. While its customer service availability is as good as it gets for an online bank, some customers may find comfort in the facetime they can get at their community bank branch. These relationships may come in handy when you’re in a bind, and one common customer complaint about online banks is that problems can take a long time to get resolved.
You need your money fast: Funds availability may be the Achilles heel of all online banks. While Ally isn’t the slowest online bank when it comes to transferring your money and making deposits available, it still generates plenty of complaints from customers who say holds were extended beyond what was promised, sometimes without explanation.
Ready to Bank With Ally?
Ally’s well-rounded personal account offerings should satisfy most of your everyday needs. The savings and checking options are particularly strong, or you can nab some of the benefits of both with a money market account.
You’ve probably always thought that if you want to earn interest on your money, you move it to a savings account. Your checking account is just for paying bills and the like, right? Not anymore.
With the rise of online banks that don’t have the overhead of brick-and-mortar locations, the competition for your checking dollars has gotten fierce. One of the big benefits of this battle is that many banks are now offering interest-yielding checking accounts. And while you may not rake in giant interest rates, you can definitely earn a little something on that money — and why wouldn’t you?
How We Picked the 6 Best Checking Accounts That Pay Interest
Our methodology for this list is simple: According to the FDIC, the average interest rate for interest-bearing checking accounts is currently 0.03%. So, we looked for accounts that came in around that range or higher. (Note: APR fluctuates over time, so a lower rate now could rise in the future.)Beyond the interest rate, we looked at what else the account brings to the table. We gave preference to those accounts that don’t have maintenance fees or high minimum balances and that offer ATM fee reimbursement.
The 6 Best High-Interest Checking Accounts for May 2021
Here are the six best high-interest checking accounts where you can use your money and make a little money at the same time.
1. SoFi
One of the highest interest rates we’ve found for an online checking account is from SoFi Money. That checking account earns you 0.25% APY, or annual percentage yield, which is percent in interest (including compound interest) you’ll earn on your money in a year.
SoFi Money takes a number of steps to make the transition to online banking easy:
ATMs: With automatic reimbursement of ATM fees, you can use just about any ATM anywhere for free.
Overdraft Protection: This feature is new. SoFi Money members who meet certain criteria and accidentally spend more than they have in their account will be covered up to $50 with no fees.
Website: SoFi’s website and mobile apps have detailed FAQs, and they make it simple and easy for you to find any information you want.
Read our full Sofi Money review.
2. NBKC Personal Checking
The NBKC Personal Checking Account offers 0.25% interest on all balances and has no minimum balance requirement. It also features $0 overdraft and non-sufficient funds charges, so if you tend to overextend your money, you won’t get dinged.
Do you use ATMs? NBKC Personal Checking also offers up to $12 monthly to refund those pesky ATM fees.
3. Memory Bank
You may not have heard of Memory Bank. Or maybe you did and you just forgot. (Get it?) Anyhoo, Memory Bank’s EarnMore Checking Account is another option for a high-interest checking account with 0.02% APY.
Memory Bank is a great choice for those of us who like the perks of online banking, but also want to know that we can get personal service when we need it. They offer live support by phone, email or online chat. That can be a great benefit when you just need to ask a quick question, but don’t want to get stuck on an automated phone system for an hour.
4. Capital One 360
The real beauty of the Capital One 360 Checking Account is the pure ease of its online banking setup. Both the website and the app are remarkably intuitive. Plus, you won’t have any minimum balance or fees to deal with.
The base APY right now for the Capital One 360 is 0.1%, which is a respectable three times the national average.
5. Charles Schwab
OK, when you think Charles Schwab, you probably don’t think about checking accounts. That could change. Its High Yield Investor Checking is a free account that earns 0.03% APY on your balance.
It also features unlimited ATM fee rebates worldwide. That’s pretty cool if you travel a lot.
This account has no minimum balance, no minimum opening deposit and no maintenance fees.
There is one catch: You need to have a Schwab One brokerage account linked to your checking to avoid maintenance fees. It may not be for everybody, but if you already invest, why not take advantage of it?
6. Ally Interest Checking Account
As the name suggests, you’ll earn interest with the Ally Interest Checking Account. For balances under $15,000, you’ll earn 0.1%, which isn’t all that remarkable.
But, if you tend to have $15,000 or more on hand, you can earn 0.25%. While 0.25% may not seem like much, that’s about eight times the national average for checking accounts that pay interest.
Ally’s Interest Checking really makes its mark with the other perks. The account has:
No maintenance fees.
No minimum balance requirement.
No minimum opening deposit.
Easy online access.
Another nice perk is that Ally will reimburse you for up to $10 worth of ATM fees charged by other banks per statement cycle.
Pro Tip
Check out our current list of bank promotions for a chance to gain a monetary bonus when signing up for a new bank account.
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How to Choose a High-Interest Checking Account
If you’re thinking about moving to a high-interest checking account, take a few things into consideration.
Look for accounts that won’t negate those interest earnings by charging you fees. However, if you will carry a high balance, it may be worth paying a small fee to get a better interest rate. Do the math.
Keep an eye on minimum balance requirements. We focused on accounts that don’t require a minimum balance, but if you know that you’ll consistently have at least $1,000 in your account at all times, you may want to shop around a bit more. There may be a great deal out there.
Look at the requirements. Maybe you don’t use your debit card that much or you don’t want to have direct deposit. Choose an account that fits with the way you like to use your account.
Keep ATMs in mind if you use them. It’s 2021, and you shouldn’t have to pay those fees. There are too many banks that are willing to cover those for you.
The app. If you do a lot of banking on your phone, make sure the bank you choose has a solid banking app. Once you find the checking account that checks all the right boxes for you and how you like to use your account, sign up and start earning money on your money already.
