Fees are on the rise across the retail banking sector, and customers on the hunt for “free checking” will have a difficult search ahead.
Bankrate.com‘s annual checking survey, released today, found that just 38% of non-interest checking accounts are truly free, down from 76% in 2009. However, the 38% number is unchanged from 2013 and down just 1% from 2012. If certain minimum direct deposit requirements are met, 95% of non-interest checking accounts have the potential to be free.
The average minimum balance to open a new checking account rose 9% to $66 in 2014, while the average minimum balance to avoid fees decreased 1% to $661. The average monthly service fee for non-interest checking accounts declined 5% to $5.26.
Out-of-network ATM transactions hit a nationwide average of $4.35, a record for the eighth consecutive year. Ouch!
Overdraft fees hit a new high for the 16th consecutive year, at $32.76 per overage.
In related news, prepaid cards are doing just fine.