The idea of a checking account may seem quaint for the 21^st century, but even though you may still write an occasional paper check, the features of checking accounts have moved with the times to include many digital features and benefits. How to choose the best checking account is a matter of first recognizing how you tend to manage your money.

What Is the Best Checking Account for Me?

Your best checking account is the one that makes your life easier, that lets you travel without worry, or gives you rewards that matter to you. Whether paper checks are a part of your life or you’ve gone full-on digital, there’s a flavor of checking account for you. Maybe you would like a bit of both?

Do you tend to keep a high balance in your checking? Maybe you keep a large amount of money in your account every month, or your checking account simply provides a home base for general daily spending and paying bills? Understanding which of these profiles your spending resembles can give you important insight into which type of checking account may suit you best.

Your financial picture may be even more complex. In that case, the rewards that different accounts offer may be a deciding factor in your choice. Does the account offer rewards that make your adventurous lifestyle smoother? Do you enjoy points-style rewards? Or do you prefer to see your account earning interest?

It might be worth going over your last few monthly statements, or pulling up a report on your personal financial management app, to check how many transactions of each kind (ATMs, checks, ACH or wire transfers) you generally have in a month, how much money you tend to move around, and what your average balance tends to be. That way, you will have numbers to inform your choice of checking account.

How Do I Choose the Best Checking Account at ITCU?

ITCU makes it easy to choose the right checking account for the way you use your money. The baseline features of ITCU’s checking accounts cover much of what we use checking accounts for daily. All of our checking accounts are easy to use with 24/7 access to Digital Banking, a nationwide network of shared branches and ATMs, and to make payments electronically or with old-school paper checks. You can even add your debit card to your digital wallet (e.g., Google Pay™ or Apple Pay^®). And since we understand that we all make the occasional balance blunder, all of our checking accounts have no fee for non-sufficient funds (NSF). You can choose to link to your savings account to cover an overdraft without getting charged the NSF fee or opt-in for Courtesy Pay to cover the item for a nominal fee.

With all those major features baked in, the choice boils down to the account that best fits your spending style and monthly average balance. Our Value Rewards Checking is a no-monthly-fee account with all the base features, plus the option of enrolling into a free rewards program to earn points for your debit card purchases. You can redeem the points for cash back, gift cards, and to pay with points on Amazon.com. Far from being bare-bones, this account begins with solid utility and lets you build a set of rewards that suit you.

The High-Yield Rewards Checking (HYRC) account offers a high rate of interest (“yield”) on a sliding scale. The rate you earn is based on the monthly net amount you spend on your ITCU debit card, up to $2,500+. The more you spend, the more you earn in interest on the average daily balance of your account, up to $50,000. You can also enroll in the same rewards program to redeem points on that spending, as well. Choosing the High-Yield Rewards Checking account, qualifies you to take advantage of special share certificates with premium rates, available only to HYRC account holders.  

If your monthly balance is likely to remain over $20,000, then you will want to also consider ITCU’s Prime Rewards Checking account. In addition to tiered dividend rates (your rate is determined by your account balance), your account is eligible for valuable security options, such as identity theft protection and cell phone protection. You also have the option of using non-ITCU ATMs without an ITCU fee more often every month, which makes travel easier. Like the other two options, your debit card spending earns points that you can enroll to redeem, as well (enrollment required). Keep your balance up and the monthly service fee is waived as well. The rewards are many and varied.

For an easy comparison, check out the table of benefits on our Checking Accounts page. We want you to be happy with the account you choose so contact us if you need any help deciding. 

Compare ITCU Checking Accounts