Terminal

Can anyone recommend good US banks or banks that should be avoided?

I use First Direct in the UK. I love them, really easy to use website, the internet banking rocks and they have UK call centres, oh and did I mention it's toll-free?

The staff are really friendly and will call you back if they can't sort stuff out straight away.

I'm actually sorry to be leaving them.

In contrast I've used Alliance and Leicester (yes, it's now a bank!) and Cahoot and their websites suck. Really hard to log on and navigate generally.

Also if I forget my password I have to reset it even if I can answer my secret questions - how backward is that?

Anyway, I know nothing about US banks so any info good or bad would be useful!

Thanks

TexasPenguin

Hey terminal,
Millions of banks in the US, don't expect them to be in the 21st century like FD though!
There are huge banks (BOA for example) and small, local banks.
Personally I like the local, small version since I'm in a fairly small town with very few others with my accent. This means that security on the phone is a breeze and I'm likely to get the benefit of the doubt if there's ever any case of my word versus someone else (maybe that's naieve but there you go).
One word of advice though, don't whatever you do, close the FD account. You may need a UK bank someday and you can run FD from wherever you are in the world. FD will even mail your statements to the US for you if you cahneg your address on record there.
I keep the FD account ticking over (my brother in the UK puts a tiny amount in it each month to pay for a US-only music store thingy that I let him use) and then, when I visit the UK, I can use my switch card as usual.

Good luck on the move,
Andy.

Bob

A lot will depend on the area you live in, so probably best to ask what people use at work...

Ray

Great company ...

http://wachovia.com/

penguinsix

Ask around at your office. Back when I had a normal job I was given (via my firm) a 'private bank' account with Citibank, which has been just amazing. I have a personal banker (work, home and cell numbers) that I can call whenever I need some help. I get discounts on things (free wire transfers) and they've been able to let a few things slide and bend some rules on occasion.

Terminal

I'm not the one employed (initially) but good advice, I will ask hubs to look into it at work!

jumping doris

We use Citizens and our branch is really good. They opened the account while we were still in the UK as our bank there (RBS) is part of the same group.

Adnams

If OH will be traveling around US a lot then got for one of the biggies like Citizens or NBank of America. With one of the smaller pokey town / state banks you will get charged to take money out of atms (cash points) in different states - both by the atm and also by your bank. Doubly whammy and its day light robbery. You dont get that anymore in the UK!

Ray

Forget the bleedin UK ..we are not there ...

jumping doris

Ahhh. That explains why I can't find Marks and Spencers.

Adnams

Or a decent Oddbins....

rjbhutton

what are the main differences between a bank and a credit union? Is it worth having an account in each (if you can become a member of the credit union, which is usually affiliated with a large local employer)?

penguinsix

Credit Unions are generally considered 'non-profit' entitites (well, sometimes) and as such, pay no taxes on their earning. That extra profit is plowed back into services for their members, such as lower fees and rates on credit cards, mortgages, and other things like car buying services, etc.

I am a member of both a credit union and a bank. One interesting anecdote (of interest to readers here maybe) is that my credit union credit card does not charge a 'foreign transaction fee' for purchases I make when I'm in the UK, where as my bank card does. With dinners and hotels and cases of Wine Gums, these little fees (a percent% here and there) starts to add up.

lansbury

If you like FD, check out HSBC in the US. We have a savings account with them online and it works as it should. Not a bad interest rate either.

http://www.hsbcusa.com

veronica jayne

I like Citibank and they seem to have branches everywhere!