I’ve read the horror stories about Bank of America and Citibank and Wells Fargo, but now I’d like to hear recommendations for national banks. I just got married and while I like USAA, we’d like to get a joint checking account at an actual brick-and-mortar bank, preferably one that has locations nationwide.
I’ve never had any problems with Citibank. They can be a bit bureaucratic and slow at times, but I’ve always been satisfied. Free checking. Free online bill-paying. (They’ll even mail a check for free if they don’t have an EFT deal.)
The interest on my money market account is not too special. But I have index funds at Vanguard for my long-term savings.
The several times when I’ve lost my ATM card, I’ve always been able to get a replacement immediately by walking into any branch.
I like Citibank also. The online account access and bill pay is great, I’ve never had a problem paying bills with it. It’s updated almost immediately too, I see account activity the same day, usually within minutes. There’s branches & ATMs everywhere so usually I can avoid ATM charges.
I’m not sure about “free” checking though. The way I understand it you have to maintain a combined average monthly balance of $10k (all linked accounts) to avoid all checking/ATM fees. Luckily my mortgage is with them and counts toward that balance so I’ll never have to worry about paying fees. Not sure why it counts, since it’s money I owe them, but whatever, I won’t argue.
I’ve had Key Bank for almost 20 years and never had any trouble. Everytime I call customer service I get right in and they are friendly and helpful. They even let me call collect from Lithuania several times to get into my automatic banking (before online banking). And all my services are free. I like the online banking site as it’s easy to use. I’ve heard a lot of people say they like Washington Mutual.
I’m a happy Commerce Bank customer. They have ridiculously long hours, open to 8 or later most nights, open on saturday and sunday. They have pretty good service, though I have had to wait on occasion. The online checking is pretty good too. They also have, with sufficient balance, free ATM use.
No, that’s not where they don’t charge you to use ATMs, it’s where they credit you back whatever ATM fees you racked up, from whatever random ATM you used that month. Use the deli’s ATM that charges $2, you get that $2 back at the end of the month, they just give it to you! Coolest perk ever.
I like the Ulster Bank here in Northern Ireland, now part of the Royal Bank of Scotland group.
My Dad being an ex-assistant manager, I avoid certain charges 
I use a credit union out of Texas that I signed up with when I lived there. They provide a service called shared banking that I can use almost anywhere I go. Since I moved to Georgia, I found a credit union in the town I live in now that is part of the shared banking network where I can do all of my banking - deposits, withdrawals - that I normally wouldn’t be able to easily do since we don’t have direct deposit. I haven’t used a “bank” since 2000, when I stupidly opened an account with Wells Fargo - something I regretted almost instantaneously and closed within two months. I highly recommend looking into credit unions in your area, particularly if you are not planning to move around a lot. If you are staying put for a while, I wouldn’t worry about nationwide branches, but you didn’t specify if that was the reason for that requirement. 
I’d like to second the Credit Union suggestion. I_Love_Ours! I will never use a bank again. I have on sereal occassions stormed into a bank I had used for several years and withdrew/closed out everything.
I have never had any complaint with these people. Online banking, checking are free (really free) and when I call a branch a real person answers.
I heartily suggest you check on out!
You mentioned Bank of America as one of the bad ones. However, I had to take a major home improvement loan recently with BoA to fix major tree strike damage to our house. I have never seen anything so efficient in my life. They did virtually all of the paperwork (none of this “we already have everything in our files but want you to document it anyway by filling out these multi-part forms” stuff. When the loan was approved they located me at work and kindly asked when would be a good time to come in to sign. I replied that I could only do it on Saturday’s. They said that they could have someone meet me at any one of their branches (my choice) at any time on Saturday. I went in and signed. It took less than 15 minutes and most of that was them explaining how I could have access to the money. I could get money through checks, in person, or on-line starting that minute.
I was pretty impressed because I had been through the whole mortgage process before and this was completely different and more user friendly. Bank Of America gets my vote for most streamlined loan process.
Nah, until recently I’ve had a combined average of around $2000 to $3000 most of the time. I’ve never paid for checking.
Ah, the credit union in Northern Ireland, very helpful indeed as a savings and loan bank. Saved me from a few credit cards I’d foolishly applied for as a student
Here is the one for Fairwinds Credit Union. They may be able to direct you to a similar institution near you.
And no, I am not affiliated with them other than as an account holder but they sure could use me in one of their commercials.
I also recomment credit unions.
I’ve been a member of mine since maybe 1992 or something. Never paid a fee, never ran into problems, never felt like they were fucking me over.
My CU has “overdraft protection” - if you write a check for more than you have in your checking account, and you have the $$ in your savings account, they just move the cash over for you and cover the check, no questions asked. Since savings gets more interest than checking, alot of members JUST keep money in savings and bank this way. The CU doesn’t complain.
I can also very easily move money between my account, my brother’s account and my dad’s account - which is handy since we’re always loaning stuff to eachother.
When I went to sign the papers for my house, the sellers took forever to get me a figure to bring a check for, and I didn’t get it until 15 mins before my bank was to close. I sped up there, told them “I need a cashier’s check for $15k” and it took them 5 mins to get it done, right before closing. I also needed something notaried and they got their notary dude up there for me to get that done at the same time.
I always equate using our credit union to keeping my money in a box in my friend’s closet. It really feels like it’s right there, and no one hassles me about it.
The only downsides to my CU are that it’s waaaay across town, the hours are kind of shitty (no saturday) and until recently they didn’t have an ATM or online banking. They did have a great phone system tho. Oh, and I hear their interest rates are shit but I don’t really care.
I had to set up an account for my business at National City and they have been so-so. I hear they are better to their business customers than their other customers, so I don’t want to move my personal accounts there. I’ll tell you what tho - I felt like a major idiot when I had to go through learning how to use a “real” bank. One that requires deposit slips and PIN numbers and stuff
Funny you should ask… I went to a local CU today and walked out muttering CYA! to Washington Mutual. I’ve been getting pretty tired of the endless errors and crappy customer service and the outdated home equity loan policy (20K loan MINIMUM, and no line of credit option available, feh) but I’ve been hostage because online banking and bill pay are NOT optional in my world. So the nice First Tech ladies were at work handing out literature, so I went into the local branch this afternoon just to send up a test balloon as it were and walked out 45 minutes later with a savings account, two checking accounts (the real one and the direct debit/internet shopping one) and approval for a 10K lhome equity ine of credit pending an appraisal (they gave me a coupon for 250.00 off the 300.00 appraisal fee, the remaining 50.00 to be credited back when the loan funds!) and the net cost to me? Well, 5.00 to open the savings account (which they actually just GAVE me) so, zip.
Let’s see:
Free checking - Yep, with direct deposit. I’ve had direct deposit for years and NO plans to go back to the old way. Visa debit cards for each account. No minimum balance required. Oh, except the five bucks in the savings account. That they gave me.
Online banking and bill pay - check, free and unlimited, plus the web site is very nice and user friendly.
Overdraft protection - check, set it up to pull automatically from another account, with a tiered preference setup, and yes it can be set to pull from the line of credit.
Equity LOC - check, and at a VERY nice interest rate, .5% incentive for direct debit of the monthly payment.
ATMs at any CU are free, and so are the ones at 7-11. :eek:
And if all this weren’t enough, they also threw in the 50.00 Home Depot gift certificate when the equity LOC funds, the 10.00 Starbucks card (just because, I guess!) and a free book of checks. I think I’m getting a roadside safety kit too, because I took a brochure on car insurance…
So far I am totally impressed with these guys, hope it follows through!
Oh, and WAMU can lick my tush, those snooty overcharging dinkwhistlers!
Like Shagnasty I really like Bank of America. I haven’t had any problems with them. I have been a member there for 8+ years now. Their online banking is awesome, I think we only write maybe 1-2 checks a month anymore. Heck, they even give me a couple of free withdrawls a month at another banks ATM without charging me a fee. There are lots of locations, they offer every possible service and their initials spell out the name of a really awesome snake. I mean what’s not to like?