Released: August 01, 1996

 
 

1996 Free Checking Account Survey

 

PLEASE NOTE: This 1996 publication is not current, and should be used only as historical information.

Consumer Action's surveys are intended solely for the use of reporters and individuals to whom they are sent. Nothing in the survey may be used in advertising or for any other commercial purpose.

This survey is also available in Spanish.

BANK/Phone Number Areas Served Direct Deposit Req. Canc. Checks Rtn ATM Use Only
/Teller Visits Extra		 Other Conditions
American National Savings Bank/
(410) 752-0400		 Maryland No No No  
American Savings/
(800) 788-7000		 California Yes Yes No  
Astoria Federal Savings Bank/
(516) 327-3000		 Queens, NY No No No  
Bank of America/
(Check local phone directory)		 AK, CA, ID Yes Yes Yes  
Bank United of Texas/
(800) 366-7378		 Texas No Yes No Free until the year 2000. For first 30 days account is opened all deposited checks held for 9 business days.
BankAtlantic/
(800) 741-1700		 Miami, FL Yes Yes No  
Bayview Federal/
(415) 433-6110		 San Francisco Bay Area Yes Yes No  
Boatmen's National Bank/
(314) 466-6000		 AR, IA, IL, KS, KY, MO, NE, OK No No Yes Limited to 8 checks per month. $1 each after that.
Boston Federal Savings Bank/
(800) 688-2372		 Boston Metro Area No No No  
California Federal/
(800) 252-0206		 California Yes Yes No  
Cambridge Savings Bank/
(617) 864-8700		 Boston Metro Area Yes Yes No  
Cen Fed Bank/
(800) 643-6354		 Southern California No Yes No Current promotion offers one year free interest bearing checking account.
Coast Federal/
(800) 800-2820		 Los Angeles, San Francisco, CA No Yes No Guaranteed to be free for 5 years.
Colorado National Bank of Denver/
(800) 623-0607 (?)		 Colorado Yes No No Also has ATM account limited to 8 checks per month.
Commerce Bank/
(800) 292-1601		 St. Louis, MO No No No Must fill out Commerce Bank credit card application.
Commercial Federal Bank/
(303) 331-3500		 Colorado No No No Debit card has $12 annual fee.
Community First Bank/
(904) 396-1182		 Jacksonville, FL No Yes No Bank has no ATMs/75¢ per transaction at other banks' ATMs.
Compass Bank/
(904) 798-5100		 Gulf Coast-FL, AL, TX No No No Free for one year. Promotion ends Oct. 31, 1996.
Dime Savings Bank/
(800) 843-3463		 New York City No Yes No Free for one year from opening account. Promotion ends June 97.
Eureka Bank/
(800) 538-7352		 California No Yes No Current promotion offers one year free interest bearing checking (paying 4%) and unlimited use of other banks' ATMs at no charge.
Fall River 5¢ Savings Bank/
(508) 679-8551		 Fall River, Somerset, Swansea, MA Yes Yes No  
First Arizona Savings & Loan/
(800) 229-3992		 Arizona No No No  
First Bank/
(612) 244-3900 (800) 285-8585		 CO, IA, IL, KA, MN, MT, NB, ND, SD, WI, WY Yes Yes No  
First Bank of Colorado/
(800) 964-3444		 Colorado No No No Free for one year from opening account.
First Chicago Bank Chicago, IL No No Yes  
First Federal Savings Bank of America/
(800) 635-9191		 RI and Eastern Massachusetts Yes Yes No  
First Federal Savings Bank of Colorado/
(303) 237-3372		 Colorado No No No Free for one year from opening account.
First Federal, FSB/
(612) 437-6169		 Minnesota No No No  
First National Bank of Maryland/
(800) 842-2265		 DC, MD Yes Yes No  
First Nationwide/
(800) 652-1760		 CA, FL, TX No No* No *Bank has plans to replace canceled checks with small reproductions.
First Northern Savings/
(970) 356-3760		 Boulder and Greely, CO No Yes Nov  
Firstar Bank of Minnesota/
(800) 784-9777		 Minnesota No No No Limited to 12 checks per month; $1 each after that.
Great Western/
(800) 782-8875		 CA, FL Yes Yes No  
Heartland Savings Bank/
(800) 557-2719		 St. Louis, Mo No Yes No  
Hospital Trust National Bank/
(401) 278-8000		 RI Yes Yes No Limited to 10 checks per month.
Independence Federal Savings Bank/
(202) 628-5500		 DC No No No If account is inactive for 3 months, you will be charged a "dormant fee" of $5 per month.
Interbank/
(612) 333-5925		 MN, FL No Yes No  
Key Bank/
(800) 333-9993		 CA, TX, WA No No Yes You are credited 25¢ for each deposit you make at the ATM each month (up to 4).
Lafayette Federal Savings Bank/
(508) 679-1961		 Fall River, MA and areas of RI No Yes No  
Liberty Savings Bank/
(303) 295-7200		 Colorado No Yes No  
Marquette Bank/
(612) 470-0950		 Minnesota No No No Free access to Instand Cash ATM network.
Metro Savings Bank/
(407) 293-7320		 Orlando, FL Yes Yes No  
Midway National Bank of St. Paul/
(612) 628-2661		 Minnesota No No No Free access to Instant Cash ATM network.
Monticello Bank/
(904) 262-5555		 Jacksonville, FL No Yes No  
Norwest/
(800) 326-6000		 AZ, CO, IA, IL, IN, MN, MT, NB, ND, NM, NV, OH, SD, TX, WI, WY No No No ATM card has $10 annual fee; debit card has $15 annual fee.
People's Bank/
(800) 772-1090		 Connecticut Yes Yes No  
Roosevelt Bank/
(314) 576-4500		 Missouri No No No  
Seafirst Bank/
(800) 442-6680		 Washington State Yes Yes Yes  
Signet Bank/
(800) 955-1500		 MD, DC, VA Yes No No  
St. Paul Federal Bank/
(312) 622-5000		 Chicago, IL No No No  
Standard Federal Savings Bank/
(312) 847-1140		 Chicago, IL No No No Cannot use overdraft protection with this account
Sumitomo Bank of California/
(800) 355-0503		 California No Yes No Current promotion offers free checking for one year.
TCF Bank/
(800) 228-8892		 MI, MN, UT, WI No Yes No  
Union Bank/
(800) 238-4486		 CA, WA, OR Yes No No  
Washington Mutual Savings Bank/
(800) 756-8000		 ID, MT, OR, UT, WA No Yes No  
Washington Savings Bank/
(800) 848-5990		 Maryland No No No  
Wells Fargo Bank/
(800) 869-3557		 CA, AK, AZ, CO, ID, MT, NV, NM, OR, TX, UT, WA, WY Yes No No  

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