7 banks that are still awesome

While other banks are busy hiking fees, these financial institutions are bucking the trend by offering free checking and other perks.

Alliant Credit Union
Alliant Credit Union

Alliant is one of the largest credit unions in the United States. And while it's located in Illinois, residents in any state can join if they meet certain requirements.

To become a member, you need to either work for one of more than 175 qualifying companies and organizations, including Google, JetBlue and 1-800-Flowers, or simply make a one-time donation of $10 or more to Foster Care to Success.

The credit union offers a checking account with no monthly service fee and no minimum balance requirement.

While the basic free checking account doesn't pay interest automatically, you can easily earn a competitively high annual percentage yield, or APY, of 1.10% on your checking account if you opt out of paper statements and make at least one online deposit per month.

Customers can also access a nationwide network of more than 80,000 ATMs for use without charge.


By Blake Ellis - Last updated October 13 2011: 7:03 PM ET
Join the Conversation
9 most annoying bank fees

Some banks are now charging you for talking to a human teller, forgetting to notify your bank of your new address, losing your credit card, or cashing in your loose coins.

Find Homes for sale
  • Property Type
  • Find a home in:
    New York | Atlanta | Chicago | Los Angeles
    Washington D.C | Houston | Philadelphia | More options
Most Popular
 
 
 
 
 

Most stock quote data provided by BATS. Market indices are shown in real time, except for the DJIA, which is delayed by two minutes. All times are ET. Disclaimer. Morningstar: © 2018 Morningstar, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Factset: FactSet Research Systems Inc. 2018. All rights reserved. Chicago Mercantile Association: Certain market data is the property of Chicago Mercantile Exchange Inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved. Dow Jones: The Dow Jones branded indices are proprietary to and are calculated, distributed and marketed by DJI Opco, a subsidiary of S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC and have been licensed for use to S&P Opco, LLC and CNN. Standard & Poor's and S&P are registered trademarks of Standard & Poor's Financial Services LLC and Dow Jones is a registered trademark of Dow Jones Trademark Holdings LLC. All content of the Dow Jones branded indices © S&P Dow Jones Indices LLC 2018 and/or its affiliates.