Best bank in America?

Does anyone happen to know which bank in the States offers the most reasonable fee structures? I’m looking to set up a checking account, a foreign currency account, and reliable online banking—all in one go.

thanks

Quorgyle said:http://www.chase.com/personal/checking-account-comparison

Bottom line—banks are all sharks.

Fair point... I mean, Chase probably charges next to nothing—like maybe two or three bucks a month—just to keep the account running...

Honestly, just tell them to kick rocks. Don't let them walk all over you...

The data in this link is pretty outdated—it just isn't really relevant anymore.

Alexander Thompson said:Fair point... I mean, Chase probably charges next to nothing—like maybe two or three bucks a month—just to keep the account running...

Honestly, just tell them to kick rocks. Don't let them walk all over you...

If paying 10-14% interest on an overdraft isn't highway robbery, I don't know what is.🤔

Raymond Palmer3 said:If paying 10-14% interest on an overdraft isn't highway robbery, I don't know what is.🤔

I mean, if diving headfirst into a negative balance when the terms are clearly stacked against you isn't considered reckless behavior, then I'm just lost. 🤷

By the current legal definition, usury is when an interest rate hits 8% above the maximum late fee cap—so we're looking at something like 18%... I mean, look, if you don't like it, you don't have to use them, right?

Personally, even 5% feels way too steep to me, which is why I usually try to steer clear of using anyone else's money altogether...

Sure, there's always that option where you blow through someone else's cash and then act totally blindsided when you actually have to pay it back based on the rules you agreed to upfront...

Raymond Palmer3 said:If paying 10-14% interest on an overdraft isn't highway robbery, I don't know what is.🤔

I get it—but this is misinformation. If you actually look at current bank interest rates, you'll see that your "low" end is basically just the standard ceiling for overdrafts. This table looks like it’s pulled from some 2009 data or something. Nowadays, the fees have gone up while the actual interest rates have dropped.

Alexander Thompson said:I mean, if diving headfirst into a negative balance when the terms are clearly stacked against you isn't considered reckless behavior, then I'm just lost. 🤷

By the current legal definition, usury is when an interest rate hits 8% above the maximum late fee cap—so we're looking at something like 18%... I mean, look, if you don't like it, you don't have to use them, right?

Personally, even 5% feels way too steep to me, which is why I usually try to steer clear of using anyone else's money altogether...

Sure, there's always that option where you blow through someone else's cash and then act totally blindsided when you actually have to pay it back based on the rules you agreed to upfront...

Wow, great logic there. So you're basically saying you have nothing against usury, because "if someone dives into debt, it's their own damn fault."
It’s like walking down a street with no sidewalks and getting hit by a car—you're blaming the kid for being out there when they knew there were no sidewalks. 😵
Besides, sometimes life just forces people into debt. A death in the family, for instance. And you'd actually want to congratulate the banks for making a bad situation even worse with an extra 10% interest "because they should have known better"...
Go ahead, keep rooting for the banks—maybe suggest they bump rates up to 20% since their profits are just so pitifully low...
It's attitudes like this—this worship of big "capital," greed, and predatory lending—that ensure this country stays trapped in a cycle of debt slavery.

Raymond Palmer3 said:Wow, great logic there. So you're basically saying you have nothing against usury, because "if someone dives into debt, it's their own damn fault."
It’s like walking down a street with no sidewalks and getting hit by a car—you're blaming the kid for being out there when they knew there were no sidewalks. 😵
Besides, sometimes life just forces people into debt. A death in the family, for instance. And you'd actually want to congratulate the banks for making a bad situation even worse with an extra 10% interest "because they should have known better"...
Go ahead, keep rooting for the banks—maybe suggest they bump rates up to 20% since their profits are just so pitifully low...
It's attitudes like this—this worship of big "capital," greed, and predatory lending—that ensure this country stays trapped in a cycle of debt slavery.

Exactly... so anyone who messes up with other people's money and then has to pay it back under pre-set terms is just solely to blame...

But hey, you've got a pretty fantastic antidote to my "selfish" way of thinking... Just lend money to whoever you want at minimum, or even negative, interest rates... Give them 100 bucks, but if they were in a bind, maybe they only give you 80 back... The only catch is, don't do it with my money. I'm not handing mine over, and frankly, I couldn't care less about their situation. ☕....

Lending money without interest is basically like socialism... It works great right up until people start blowing through someone else's cash...

Alexander Thompson said:Exactly... so anyone who messes up with other people's money and then has to pay it back under pre-set terms is just solely to blame...

But hey, you've got a pretty fantastic antidote to my "selfish" way of thinking... Just lend money to whoever you want at minimum, or even negative, interest rates... Give them 100 bucks, but if they were in a bind, maybe they only give you 80 back... The only catch is, don't do it with my money. I'm not handing mine over, and frankly, I couldn't care less about their situation. ☕....

Lending money without interest is basically like socialism... It works great right up until people start blowing through someone else's cash...

I'm not talking about interest-free loans, I'm talking about predatory interest rates... But clearly, that concept is flying way over your head.....
If they're only charging you two or three bucks for account maintenance, then by all means—go down to Chase and ask them to hike that fee up to ten dollars 😁

Raymond Palmer3 said:I'm not talking about interest-free loans, I'm talking about predatory interest rates... But clearly, that concept is flying way over your head.....
If they're only charging you two or three bucks for account maintenance, then by all means—go down to Chase and ask them to hike that fee up to ten dollars 😁

I honestly don't get where you're coming from... If the interest rate (which is clearly laid out before you sign anything, by the way) doesn't work for you, then don't take the money... You know, using someone else's cash... It's pretty basic stuff—even a retard could wrap their head around that.🤷

Just spend your own money and you won't owe anyone a damn thing...

And for the record, I have no idea why I'd bother asking for $3.25 fee waivers when having three of them works just fine for me...

"Quote:"

Alexander Thompson said:I honestly don't get where you're coming from... If the interest rate (which is clearly laid out before you sign anything, by the way) doesn't work for you, then don't take the money... You know, using someone else's cash... It's pretty basic stuff—even a retard could wrap their head around that.🤷

Just spend your own money and you won't owe anyone a damn thing...

And for the record, I have no idea why I'd bother asking for $3.25 fee waivers when having three of them works just fine for me...

If you’d actually read what I wrote, you'd see I wasn't talking about "taking" money—I was saying that sometimes, due to things totally out of anyone's control (like a death or a serious illness), people just have no choice but to dip into the red. Does a bank—which, by the way, is supposed to be serving its own client—really have to charge them 10%+ interest? They don't *have* to. Is that a fair way to treat a customer? Not at all. And yeah, that interest rate is pre-defined—thanks for breaking the news to me, Captain Obvious. But who exactly decided it should be that way?
What choice does the guy actually have? Switch banks? Please—they’re all the same flavor of predatory. Honestly, thanks to our government for making sure the big banks get everything they want while the rest of us just deal with the fallout.
If you don't charge at least 10% interest, you might as well be running a socialist commune—give me a break with this "socialism" nonsense. What’s next on your list of ridiculous arguments—bringing up the Civil War?

"Quote:"

Same here—honestly, I have no idea why I'd even bother looking. $3.25 Benefits—honestly, when having three of them works better for me...

So, I see you’re out here playing defense attorney for the banks—acting like they aren't absolutely fleecing everyone. If you're going to defend them, maybe start by looking in the mirror first. 😵

Raymond Palmer3 said:"Quote:"

If you’d actually read what I wrote, you'd see I wasn't talking about "taking" money—I was saying that sometimes, due to things totally out of anyone's control (like a death or a serious illness), people just have no choice but to dip into the red. Does a bank—which, by the way, is supposed to be serving its own client—really have to charge them 10%+ interest? They don't *have* to. Is that a fair way to treat a customer? Not at all. And yeah, that interest rate is pre-defined—thanks for breaking the news to me, Captain Obvious. But who exactly decided it should be that way?
What choice does the guy actually have? Switch banks? Please—they’re all the same flavor of predatory. Honestly, thanks to our government for making sure the big banks get everything they want while the rest of us just deal with the fallout.
If you don't charge at least 10% interest, you might as well be running a socialist commune—give me a break with this "socialism" nonsense. What’s next on your list of ridiculous arguments—bringing up the Civil War?

"Quote:"

Same here—honestly, I have no idea why I'd even bother looking. $3.25 Benefits—honestly, when having three of them works better for me...

So, I see you’re out here playing defense attorney for the banks—acting like they aren't absolutely fleecing everyone. If you're going to defend them, maybe start by looking in the mirror first. 😵

As far as blowing people off goes, the best move is usually just to blow off spending other people's money....

You need to go into the red? Seriously? No shit, Sherlock. Why should your "need" be anyone else's problem but yours? Where are you gonna find the cash? Honestly, who cares?

You ask your friends, you borrow from jars with zero interest and no deadline, just like I do with my friends.... Or they borrow from me, I guess....

And yeah, spending someone else's money on terms that suit you perfectly is definitely socialism... Luckily we moved past that, but feel free to keep spending the money of whatever idiot is willing to hand it over to you....

BTW, I defend everyone's right, including the bank's right, to handle their money however they damn well please... Whether they lend it to someone or not, or at whatever interest rate they want...

If I didn't defend that, I might wake up tomorrow expecting some jerk to expect $33 from me that they have no intention of paying back, even though they "need" it... Sure, you'll find jerks like that, but for now, the legal thing to do is just tell them to get lost...

Alexander Thompson said:As far as blowing people off goes, the best move is usually just to blow off spending other people's money....

You need to go into the red? Seriously? No shit, Sherlock. Why should your "need" be anyone else's problem but yours? Where are you gonna find the cash? Honestly, who cares?

You ask your friends, you borrow from jars with zero interest and no deadline, just like I do with my friends.... Or they borrow from me, I guess....

And yeah, spending someone else's money on terms that suit you perfectly is definitely socialism... Luckily we moved past that, but feel free to keep spending the money of whatever idiot is willing to hand it over to you....

BTW, I defend everyone's right, including the bank's right, to handle their money however they damn well please... Whether they lend it to someone or not, or at whatever interest rate they want...

If I didn't defend that, I might wake up tomorrow expecting some jerk to expect $33 from me that they have no intention of paying back, even though they "need" it... Sure, you'll find jerks like that, but for now, the legal thing to do is just tell them to get lost...

I agree with that—but you’re clearly missing my point entirely. A retard would have caught on by now, so I'm done explaining.

So you have to go into debt? Seriously? No shit, Sherlock? Why should your "struggling" be anyone else's problem besides yours? Where are you going to get the cash? Who actually gives a damn?

I'm not talking about myself—I'm talking generally. I'm nowhere near being in the red. And I'm not saying it should be someone else's problem. It's just that banks rip you off way too much on interest rates. Inflation is at 0%, savings accounts are sitting at maybe 3%, and don't even get me started on those instant-access ones. Then you still have to pay taxes on that... meanwhile, if you're overdrawn, they hit you with 10%+.
Get it?

And yeah, spending other people's money under terms that suit you is socialism... Luckily we've moved past that, but you're out here spending money provided by some fool who's willing to hand it over....

Oh sure, America is such a happy place. 🙄
And apparently, spending other people's money at usurious rates is what we call capitalism.

Raymond Palmer3 said:I agree with that—but you’re clearly missing my point entirely. A retard would have caught on by now, so I'm done explaining.

So you have to go into debt? Seriously? No shit, Sherlock? Why should your "struggling" be anyone else's problem besides yours? Where are you going to get the cash? Who actually gives a damn?

I'm not talking about myself—I'm talking generally. I'm nowhere near being in the red. And I'm not saying it should be someone else's problem. It's just that banks rip you off way too much on interest rates. Inflation is at 0%, savings accounts are sitting at maybe 3%, and don't even get me started on those instant-access ones. Then you still have to pay taxes on that... meanwhile, if you're overdrawn, they hit you with 10%+.
Get it?

And yeah, spending other people's money under terms that suit you is socialism... Luckily we've moved past that, but you're out here spending money provided by some fool who's willing to hand it over....

Oh sure, America is such a happy place. 🙄
And apparently, spending other people's money at usurious rates is what we call capitalism.

I mean, who’s actually forcing you to spend money that isn't yours and then acting miserable about it? And honestly, who’s stopping you from just giving your own cash away to some jerk if it makes you feel better?

Both of you need to stop trolling. These interest rates aren't predatory; the data in that link is seven years out of date. You’re basically having a philosophical debate about something that doesn't even exist anymore.

Alexander Thompson said:I mean, if diving headfirst into a negative balance when the terms are clearly stacked against you isn't considered reckless behavior, then I'm just lost. 🤷

By the current legal definition, usury is when an interest rate hits 8% above the maximum late fee cap—so we're looking at something like 18%... I mean, look, if you don't like it, you don't have to use them, right?

Personally, even 5% feels way too steep to me, which is why I usually try to steer clear of using anyone else's money altogether...

Sure, there's always that option where you blow through someone else's cash and then act totally blindsided when you actually have to pay it back based on the rules you agreed to upfront...

The maximum penalty interest rate in financial services from January 1, 2016, to June 30, 2016, was 10.05%. Usury rate isn't actually a specific term. What exists is the maximum allowable interest rate a legal entity can charge a private individual: 14%.

Alexander Thompson said:I mean, if diving headfirst into a negative balance when the terms are clearly stacked against you isn't considered reckless behavior, then I'm just lost. 🤷

By the current legal definition, usury is when an interest rate hits 8% above the maximum late fee cap—so we're looking at something like 18%... I mean, look, if you don't like it, you don't have to use them, right?

Personally, even 5% feels way too steep to me, which is why I usually try to steer clear of using anyone else's money altogether...

Sure, there's always that option where you blow through someone else's cash and then act totally blindsided when you actually have to pay it back based on the rules you agreed to upfront...

You're wrong enough to deserve a slap—plenty of people have to take it, regardless of the terms. That's why regulations exist to dictate exactly how much you can fleece someone who has no choice.

Or how much you can rip off a fool. And there are fools.

Interest on authorized overdrafts at Chase is zabiti 14,00%. About 50-60% of people with checking accounts use an overdraft.

You can just look the other way, which is what you're doing here:

Alexander Thompson said:I mean, if diving headfirst into a negative balance when the terms are clearly stacked against you isn't considered reckless behavior, then I'm just lost. 🤷

By the current legal definition, usury is when an interest rate hits 8% above the maximum late fee cap—so we're looking at something like 18%... I mean, look, if you don't like it, you don't have to use them, right?

Personally, even 5% feels way too steep to me, which is why I usually try to steer clear of using anyone else's money altogether...

Sure, there's always that option where you blow through someone else's cash and then act totally blindsided when you actually have to pay it back based on the rules you agreed to upfront...

...but that's just saying you shouldn't trust a hungry man. It's not an argument.

Alexander Thompson said:I mean, if diving headfirst into a negative balance when the terms are clearly stacked against you isn't considered reckless behavior, then I'm just lost. 🤷

By the current legal definition, usury is when an interest rate hits 8% above the maximum late fee cap—so we're looking at something like 18%... I mean, look, if you don't like it, you don't have to use them, right?

Personally, even 5% feels way too steep to me, which is why I usually try to steer clear of using anyone else's money altogether...

Sure, there's always that option where you blow through someone else's cash and then act totally blindsided when you actually have to pay it back based on the rules you agreed to upfront...

There are plenty of ways that debt grows 10x or 40x depending on how much time passes, and then that debt forces a need for a new loan. A person ends up in debt bondage, which is a very real thing that happens to people in the real world. Right here, around you.

I'm sorry, but I have to tell you that you're supporting green ideology with the argument that "whatever you spend, you must pay." It doesn't hold water. We aren't talking about whether it should be paid back; we are saying that lending money is a service that carries a reasonable price.

The bank tries to exceed that reasonable price in every possible way andkeeping you shackled by debt for as long as possible. There’s a massive gap between what you think you’re signing up for in good faith and the actual trap the bank sets for you.

Everything seems fine until life hits you with something you consider unforeseen, but the bank considers perfectly predictable—like a death in the family (less income...), having a kid, getting married, a divorce, disability, illness, or losing a job. Suddenly, you're defenseless.

This isn't about expecting someone to bail you out of trouble; it's about realizing that entity was actually waiting for you to stumble because that's their favorite kind of client.

It ends with a measly little loan $4.00 ruining your finances for years. A 14% interest rate doesn't mean you pay $0.56 total; it means you pay $0.56 every single year. And an overdraft doesn't have a repayment term like a standard loan; it just goes on forever.

Your idea that we should just grant banks the right to lend money under whatever terms they want—as if anyone would actually sign that—is so idiotic I won't even dignify it with a comment. That sounds like something a teenager would say who hasn't experienced real life. Or maybe someone who hasn't lived in America for the last 20-25 years.

If you actually want to solve the problem, you need to come up with something better than "just refrain from using other people's money," which is honestly terrible financial advice.

Capping maximum interest rates isn't socialism. Though, there should be a social element involved since you're supposed to care about your citizens. A productive citizen who pays taxes and drives the economy is much more useful than one trapped in debt slavery.

That’s why things have changed drastically over the last 5-10 years. It certainly wasn't because of ignoramuses like you; it was because people recognized the issue and fought to make us a more civilized nation with rules governing how you can treat consumers.

That’s why the current interest rate is 10.05% (recently lowered), whereas it used to be as high as 30%. Annually. I hope you didn't have financial struggles requiring bank help back then. Many people did.

Once again, there's a misunderstanding here. Specifically, JPMorgan Chase uses two different interest rates for overdrafts—the higher one sits at 10.05%. Then you have the default interest on current account obligations at 8.05%, which is a fixed rate set by federal law back in May of last year.

And honestly, debating whether those rates are too high is kind of pointless. Anyone who really thinks about it understands why overdraft rates are structured this way—banks want to "teach" clients that this isn't meant to be a long-term loan. An overdraft should just bridge the gap for a month or two, and if that's the case, the interest is negligible—especially when you consider there are no collateral requirements, processing fees, or notary costs involved. The issue is that many Americans aren't quite financially literate; they start treating an overdraft like it's their own money, staying $2,000 in the red constantly because it’s easier than actually paying the Bank of America back. It's just a cycle. Plus, borrowed money is always more expensive when the lender doesn't have a guarantee of repayment—higher risk, higher interest. That's just how it works.

If someone needs cash for something like a funeral and doesn't plan on paying it back within a couple of months, they should look at personal loans, which run around 6%. If they don't intend to clear that debt for years, a personal loan is the move—but if they can settle up in three months, the overdraft is actually the better deal. That’s basically the whole logic behind overdraft limits.

Another angle people bring up is whether personal or mortgage rates are still too high compared to the rest of the European Union. But in the US, you can still scrape together a decent return on certain types of savings, whereas in the European Union, rates are trending toward zero. That's a much more complex issue, though—one that probably requires deeper research before anyone tries to give a definitive opinion.

Robin Rodriguez5 said:Both of you need to stop trolling. These interest rates aren't predatory; the data in that link is seven years out of date. You’re basically having a philosophical debate about something that doesn't even exist anymore.

Let's not troll—let's actually stick to the topic. This discussion is top-tier—if only we had more like it on this forum. 😍

Quincy:

Interest rates aren't even predatory—honestly.

That's your opinion—feel free to let everyone else have their own.

Quincy:

Let’s have a little philosophical debate about something that doesn't even exist—just for kicks.

Oh yeah, it definitely exists. You seem to be having some real trouble with the term "philosophical" — honestly.