Bankrate Checking Account Study - 2010 Edition

Bankrate's annual checking account study is always interesting.

For 2010, the highlight is a move away from free checking.  Banks are making it harder to avoid fees in basic checking accounts, and some won't even talk about "free checking" anymore.  Regulatory changes and a brutal environment have made things more difficult for banks to keep revenues up.

You can still find free checking, but you may have to work a little harder.  Setting up direct deposit into a checking account often does the trick, as does keeping a high balance (but you're probably not earning interest).  You can also look to online banks and credit unions - plenty of them still offer free checking.

Further reading:

• Online Banking 101
• Credit Union Basics