Before I left the US almost exactly a year to this date, I killed my Chase account and reopened my BofA account online... an admittedly stupid exercise (as an 18 year customer), but I did the drill in order to avoid monthly fees.

But, today I checked my statement and realized that they have been dinging for $12 per month since May (without notice). What gives? I am planning on migrating towards Schwab during the course of the next two weeks and ending my relationship with BoFa.

BoA charges anything, if not everything. Even with their so-called Free Checking products, you have to jump through all kind of hoops to not be dent with any fees. Let me put it this way. BoA is the last bank I'd go for my free checking need.

The best (fee) checking accounts I found are mostly from online banks. These two OMNI threads (here & here) may give you pointers for some checking accounts, online or not, from fellow FTers.

Good luck!

I personally like the HSBC online account. they pay a better interest then most other place and its free.

Thanks for the suggestion, but I refuse to play ball with HSBC due to the compulsory DCC they practice in China.

I think I'm just going to switch completely to Schwab because I already have an account there and it appears that they haven't been charging me any fees.

I like Schwab because they don't change you any FX fees plus the fx fees on the credit card are usually the best that I have seen.

I have used Schwab for 30+ years,
yes, no fees, the ATM rebate works well..

although recently have moved cash to ING (both Orange and IRA)
where I get about 1% instead of .05% at Schwab.
....and Ameritrade to pick up 20K SPG and still get .55%.

But nobody oays for cash these days !!

can someone confirm the paypal transfer should cover the direct deposit? I paypal transfer all the time, and I'm pretty sure I still get charged monthly. Is there a minimum amount?

I thought they only pay 0.01%? Where you have the 0.55%?

Most banks dont consider it direct deposit that is why you could not avoid fee.

As for Chase, it specifically requires a $500 or above direct deposit from employer, pension or SS benefit if I read the small prints correctly.

Chase keeps changing my statement end date as well so sometimes I miss during enough transactions to keep it free.
If it was not for the bonus with the chase freedom card I would be long gone.

Capital One does not charge any kind of maintenance fee.

Ditto.

However we are still having the DBA Business Checking Accounts opened for CO bonus miles - that one always has end of month as the statement closing date. I just notice that the 5 non pin transactions now seem to post much earlier. Yesterday I did 5 at Walgreen and they already showed as pending. I dont know when has this posting method changed because if they are used as credit cards, the posting usually take a few days - at least that is how it works in previous months.

I have been doing a monthly $501 ACH transfer from my brokerage acct into my Chase acct (and then back the following day) and it has been working to ward off the monthly fee. Not sure why I'm playing this game with them rather than just cancelling my Chase Checking acct, except it's the only brick & mortar bank I have and figure I should keep it in case of emergency. My employer won't do direct deposit so I'm stuck depositing my paychecks into Chase and then transferring them immediately out to ING Direct. Annoying all the games these stupid banks make us play.

Good to know the $501 ACH from brokerage account work. This would be my back up plan should the current scheme of 5 debit card Non PIN transactions do not work.

I just notice that for August, all my Non PIN debit card transactions despite never entering PIN and always chose Credit Card, it got posted IMMEDIATELY instead of a couple days delay like in the past when it was Non PIN Credit Card type... This got me worry a bit so I called - got Philippines call center and the CSR insisted that as long as 5 debit card transactions regardless PIN or Non PIN, it would serve to waive monthly fee... I made her to notate the account and I also sent a SM to ask for clarification.

As someone mentioned upthread, if it is not for the bonus effect on Freedom Credit Card I would not keep the Chase checking. But the bonus on Freedom card is too good to ignore, esp it could transfer to Sapphire Preferred card's point pool and ultimately transfer to Hyatt Gold Passport.

I closed my Chase acct when the coins dried up and it was too much trouble to keep up with the 5 transactions a month. Then they kept sending these offers for $150 to open a checking account. So I did that (Chase Total Checking) and the rules changed - now $1500 in the bank keeps it fee free, $12 otherwise. I started a small direct deposit as well. I was told that the direct deposit can be a way to keep it fee free if it is over $500 per month...so $125 a week would do it. Reading the new rules dated 8/24/2011 its says must be one minimum $500 direct deposit per month and not multiple smaller ones.