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Checking

Maximize your checking: Compare high-yield checking accounts, no-fee checking accounts and more.

Explore checking basics

A woman uses mobile banking while eating.
From no fees to online bill pay, here are the must-have checking account features.
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If you overdraw your account frequently, then overdraft protection could be a good way to avoid hefty overdraft fees.
close up of hands signing a check
Checks aren’t as ubiquitous as they once were, but you may still have to write one.

Get started with a checking account

Checking

Types of checking accounts

Whether you’re making payments online, using a debit card, or writing a physical check, a checking account is a necessity for most people. Here are some of the most-widely available types of checking accounts offered at banks and credit unions.

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Checking

Available balance vs. current balance

Learn about the two separate balances you may see when looking at your bank account.

Checking

Checking account fees

Learn about the different kinds of checking account fees and what you can do to avoid them.

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Checking

Bank account alerts to protect your money

Explore the types of bank account alerts you can set up to help you stay informed about your finances whenever and wherever you are.

 

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Experts in all things banking

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Chief Financial Analyst

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Senior Economic Analyst

Latest articles

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If you don’t have a bank account, check-cashing services offer access to your money, at a cost.
close up of hands signing a check
Checks aren’t as ubiquitous as they once were, but you may still have to write one.
Older woman and child putting pennies in a jar
We all use our checking accounts for the basic purposes — direct deposit of our paychecks, paying monthly bills and making debit card purchases. And while usually you’re seeing money leave your checking [...]
Business owner talking on phone.
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Stay on top of your money with the right balance between your checking and savings.
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Check out the 13 different types of checking accounts.
woman depositing a check on her phone
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Young Woman Depositing Check With Smartphone
The amount of time for a check to clear can vary from check to check.
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It’s a low interest rate environment, but there are ways to earn more on your money.
Mom preparing financial paperwork at home while her child draws next to her
Single people and young families tend to have significantly less saved.
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A couple looks over at a crowded beach in Santa Monica, California.
Economists say a second wave is the biggest downside risk to the U.S. economy this year.
A picture from above of pedestrians crossing a busy street
The study shows that the number of Americans with less emergency savings has ballooned since the crisis began.
President Donald Trump meets with U.S. tech workers
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President Donald Trump makes remarks as he meets with U.S. Tech Workers
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