Top Checking Accounts for College Grads

For many college students, their default banking option while in school is a student checking account, which is typically free. Unfortunately, when you graduate you lose those benefits. Many student checking accounts will begin to charge you monthly maintenance fees unless you meet certain requirements. So, where do you go from there? Few young adults … Continue reading Top Checking Accounts for College GradsThe post Top Checking Accounts for College Grads appeared first on MagnifyMoney.

Posted 12:00 p.m. Aug 8, 2018 — Updated 12:00 p.m. Aug 8, 2018

So, where do you go from there?

Few young adults would turn to their parents for fashion or dating advice and, yet, one of the most common ways we’ve found young people choose their bank account is by going with whichever bank their parents already use. This could be a bigger faux pas than stealing your dad’s old pair of parachute pants.

The bank your parents use may carry fees or have requirements that don’t meet your lifestyle or budget, and make accounts expensive to use.

But where do you even begin to choose the right checking account?

In this post, we’ve compiled a list of the top checking accounts for college grads.

The 5 key things you should look for in a checking account

Top checking accounts overall

Aspiration – The Aspiration Summit Account

nbkc bank – Personal Account

Ally Bank – Interest Checking Account

Top free checking accounts

Atlantic Stewardship Bank – Cash Back Checking

Radius Bank – Radius Hybrid Checking

Bay State Savings Bank – Free Kasasa Cash®

Top high-yield checking accounts

First Financial Credit Union – High 5 Checking

America’s Credit Union – Affinity Checking

La Capitol Federal Credit Union – Choice Plus Checking

When you’re nearing graduation, start planning your bank transition.

Many banks send a letter in the mail a few months prior to your expected graduation date informing you that your student checking account is going transition to a non-student account. If you’re not careful and you disregard the letter, you may be transitioned into an account that charges a fee if you don’t meet certain requirements.

You can always call the bank and ask to switch to a different account or you can choose a new account that offers more benefits, like interest and ATM fee refunds.

The 5 key things you should look for in a checking account

When you’re shopping around for a new checking account, there are several things you should look for to ensure you’re getting the most value from your account:

A $0 monthly fee: Sometimes banks may say they don’t charge a monthly fee but read the fine print — they may require a minimum monthly balance in order to avoid it. There are plenty of free checking accounts available for you to open, so there’s no reason to stay stuck with an account that charges a monthly fee. Take note some accounts may require you to meet certain criteria to maintain a free account like using a debit card, enrolling in eStatements or maintaining a minimum daily balance.

No minimum daily balance: Accounts without minimum daily balances mean you can have a $0 balance at any given time. This may allow you to have a free account without meeting balance requirements — note, other terms may apply to maintain a free account.

APY: Annual Percentage Yield is the total amount of interest you will earn on balances in your account. Opening an account that earns you interest on your balance is an easy way to be rewarded for money that would typically sit without earning anything. Some checking accounts earn interest, albeit rarely, but you should definitely aim to earn a decent APY on your savings account.

ATM fee refunds: You may not be able to access an in-network ATM at all times, so accounts providing ATM fee refunds can reimburse you for ATM fees you may incur while using out-of-network ATMs. Those $3 or $5 charges add up!

No or low overdraft fees: Most banks charge you an overdraft fee of around $35 if you spend more money than you have available in your account. Therefore, it’s a good idea to choose an account that has no or low overdraft fees.

Top overall checking accounts for college grads

The best checking accounts will have a number of features that are both simple and low cost. For the top overall checking accounts, we chose accounts that have no monthly service fees, no ATM fees, refunds for ATM fees from other banks, interest earned on your deposited balances and with strong mobile banking apps. While there is no all-inclusive account that contains every benefit, the accounts below are sure to provide value whether you want a high interest rate, unlimited ATM fee refunds or 24/7 live customer support.

1. Aspiration – The Aspiration Summit Account

Monthly Fee

Minimum Monthly Balance

Amount to Open

ATM Fee Refunds

APY

$10

Unlimited

0.25% APY on balances up to $2,499.99

1.00% APY on balances $2,500+

The Aspiration Summit Account offers a wide range of benefits for account holders and has few fees. The amount to open is fairly low, and once you open your account there is no minimum monthly balance to maintain — though the more money you keep in your account, the more interest you’ll earn.

Another helpful feature is unlimited ATM fee refunds. That means you can either use in-network ATMs (filter by checking “SUM”) and avoid fees, or use any other ATM and be reimbursed for any fees incurred at the end of the month. If you’re looking for an interest checking account with no ATM fees, the Aspiration Summit Account is a solid choice.

2. nbkc bank – Personal Account

Monthly Fee

Minimum Monthly Balance

Amount to Open

ATM Fee Refunds

APY

Up to $12 a month

0.90% APY on all balances

nbkc has several locations in the Kansas City region. Anyone can sign up for an account, however. This just means if you don’t reside nearby, you’ll have to rely on their online banking system.

The nbkc Personal Account earns interest on your balances and has no hidden fees. Typical checking accounts charge overdraft fees and stop payment fees, among others, but nbkc doesn’t.

The two fees that may apply are for less common transactions — $5 to send domestic wires and $45 to send or receive international wires.

You can use 24,000+ MoneyPass® ATMs in the U.S. for free, and if you use out-of-network ATMs you’ll be reimbursed up to $12 a month. This account is a good choice if you want a checking account that has minimal fees and earns interest.

3. Ally Bank – Interest Checking Account

Monthly Fee

Minimum Monthly Balance

Amount to Open

ATM Fee Refunds

APY

Up to $10 per statement cycle

0.10% on daily balances less than $15,000

0.60% on daily balances $15,000+

Ally Bank is an overall great online bank and their Interest Checking Account is a standout choice if you want to open an account without depositing any money. There are some standout perks with this card like 24/7 live customer care and the ability to send money with Zelle®.

There are also no ATM fees at U.S. Allpoint® ATMs, and you’ll receive up to $10 per statement cycle for fees charged at other ATMs nationwide. This account earns at a lower interest rate than the two mentioned earlier, but it’s still better than typical banks. Ally Bank’s Interest Checking Account provides account holders with a well-rounded experience and the ability to earn interest.

Check out our full list of the best checking accounts.

Top free checking accounts for college grads

Free checking accounts are a great way to save on the monthly service fees many banks charge if you don’t meet deposit or balance requirements. The checking accounts listed below are all free, and if there are requirements, they’re minor like enrolling in eStatements or using a debit card. These accounts can be a good choice if you often have a fluctuating or low account balance and don’t want to worry about maintaining the requirements big banks impose to keep their accounts free.

1. Atlantic Stewardship Bank – Cash Back Checking

Monthly Fee

Minimum Monthly Balance

Amount to Open

ATM Fee Refunds

APY

Unlimited

Does not earn interest. But it does offer 0.50% cash back if you meet requirements*

Atlantic Stewardship Bank is headquartered in New Jersey and donates 10% of its profits annually to Christian and nonprofit organizations. Its Cash Back Checking account has a minor opening deposit and basic requirements for you to meet to get the added perks.

*When you make 12 debit card transactions each cycle and enroll in online banking and eStatements, you can receive unlimited ATM fee refunds and the chance to earn rewards at 0.50% cash back on debit card purchases.

2. Radius Bank – Radius Hybrid Checking

Monthly Fee

Minimum Monthly Balance

Amount to Open

ATM Fee Refunds

APY

$10

Unlimited

0.85% on balances $2,500+

Radius Bank is a community bank headquartered in Boston. The Radius Hybrid Checking account is free as long as you open the account with the required deposit and meet three simple requirements: Enroll in online banking, receive eStatements and choose to receive a debit card. Unlike other checking accounts that require you to make a certain number of debit card transactions a month, Radius Bank does not. In addition to simple requirements, there are unlimited ATM fee refunds at the end of each statement cycle.

3. Bay State Savings Bank – Free Kasasa Cash®

Monthly Fee

Minimum Monthly Balance

Amount to Open

ATM Fee Refunds

APY

Unlimited

0.05% if qualifications are not met

(2.01% up to $20,000 if you meet requirements listed below*)

Bay State Savings Bank was founded in Worcester, Mass., and is an independent community bank with the goal of maintaining long-term relationships with consumers and giving back to the community via the Bay State Savings Charitable Foundation.

If you want a free account that is always free — meaning no requirements for you to meet — check out their the Free Kasasa Cash® account.

There’s a small minimum deposit to open the account and you automatically earn interest on your balances.

*If you want the added perks of unlimited ATM fee refunds and a higher 2.01% APY, you need to enroll in electronic statements and online banking, as well make 12 PIN-based debit card transactions each month.

If you don’t meet those requirements, you’ll still earn 0.05% APY, but will have to pay $0.75 per ATM transaction (plus any fee the ATM operator charges). There are thousands of surcharge-free ATMs provided by the SUM® ATM network.

Check out our full list of the best free checking accounts.

Top high-yield checking accounts for college grads

Since most checking accounts offer little to no interest, high-yield checking accounts are a great way for you to maximize the money that typically would just sit in your account without earning interest. These accounts often offer interest rates that fluctuate depending on how much money you have in the account. However, in order to earn interest, there are some requirements that you may have to meet such as making a certain number of debit card transactions and enrolling in eStatements.

1. First Financial Credit Union – High 5 Checking

Monthly Fee

Minimum Monthly Balance

Amount to Open

ATM Fee Refunds

APY

Up to $10 per statement cycle

5.00% APY on balances up to $2,500

0.10% APY on balances of $2,500.01 or more

The High 5 Checking account from First Financial Credit Union is a free account that has fewer requirements for you to follow to qualify for the interest rates compared with other high-yield checking accounts. That’s why it tops our list.

All you need to do is enroll in eStatements and complete 15 signature-based debit card transactions in the statement period. In addition, there are surcharge-free STAR® ATMs to use, plus out-of-network ATM fee refunds of up to $10 per statement cycle. You can also earn Buzz® Points with your debit card that can be redeemed as statement credit, gift cards and other rewards.

2. America’s Credit Union – Affinity Checking

Monthly Fee

Minimum Monthly Balance

Amount to Open

ATM Fee Refunds

APY

None

5.00% APY on balances up to $1,000

0.10% APY on balances between $1,000.01 - $15,000

0.25% APY on balances over $15,000

Like most high-yield checking accounts, you’ll need to jump through a few hoops before you qualify for the higher rate. Here are the four requirements:

Have $15,000 in combined loans or deposits with ACU
Have a $500 direct deposit each month
Sign up for eStatements
Complete 10 debit transactions in-store that post and settle during the monthly statement period

In addition, there are 30,000+ surcharge-free ATMs for you to use, and while there are no ATM fee refunds, you receive 10 free ATM fee withdrawals per month — that means America’s Credit Union will not charge you for using an out-of-network ATM, but you will have to pay whatever fee the ATM operator charges.

3. La Capitol Federal Credit Union – Choice Plus Checking

Monthly Fee

Minimum Monthly Balance

Amount to Open

ATM Fee Refunds

APY

$2, waived if you enroll in eStatements

$0*

$50

Up to $25 per month

4.25% APY on balances up to $3,000

2.00% APY on balances $3,000-$10,000

0.10% APY on balances over $10,000 (or on all balances if you don’t make 15 or more posted non-ATM debit card transactions per month)

This checking account has a $2 monthly service fee, which can easily be waived if you enroll in eStatements.

*While the terms state a minimum balance requirement of $1,000 and a low balance fee of $8, the fee can be waived if you make 15 or more posted non-ATM debit card transactions per month.

To earn the top interest rate on your checking balance, you just need to make at least 15 or more posted non-ATM debit card transactions per month. There are numerous surcharge-free La Capitol ATMs for you to use, and after signing up for eStatements you can receive up to $25 per month in ATM fee refunds when you use out-of-network ATMs.

Check out our full list of the best high-yield checking accounts.

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