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USAA Checking Accounts Review

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USAA (United Services Automobile Association) is a Texas-based financial institution founded in 1922 to serve members of the armed forces and their families. USAA currently offers banking products and services, as well as various types of insurance products, retirement planning, wealth management, and real estate agency services.

How is USAA Checking Accounts rated?

Breakdown

4.7/5
Account Features
4.5/5
Fees and Restrictions
4.8/5
Support, Reputation, and Financials

Overall Rating: 4.6 / 5 (Excellent)

USAA Bank offers customers flexible banking services through its free checking accounts, having both physical branches and mobile banking options. With no monthly service fees or minimum balance requirements, account users can utilize their checking account to help save money and manage bill payments. USAA has excellent ratings regarding its financial strength and, although has many online complaints of it services and management, is reputable for resolving many of them. Consumers should keep in mind that if they are not members of the armed forces, or are family of armed forces personnel, they cannot apply for membership or accounts. Also, since USAA provides primarily online banking solutions, it has a limited number of physical branches. The bank does, however, have ATMs nationwide and is FDIC insured.

USAA Checking Accounts Account Features

Account Features - 4.7 / 5

USAA has two different checking accounts: Classic Checking and Cashback Rewards Checking. As with any other USAA account, applicants must be active, retired and honorably separated officers, and enlisted personnel of the U.S. military, or the families of such. Newly enlisted recruits also get additional benefits, such as zero opening deposit (normally $25), and early deposits when DFAS sends payment information early.
Types of Checking Accounts
Free Checking Accounts
Online Checking Accounts
Student Checking Accounts
Methods of Deposits
ATM Deposit
Mobile Check Deposit
Physical Branch
Integration with Other Online Accounts
Savings
No-Fee ATM
No-Fee at Network ATMs
Reimbursement for Domestic ATMs
ATM Locations
USAA has ATMs located nationwide.
Branch Offices
USAA has four physical branch offices in the following states: Colorado, Texas, Maryland, and New York.

Interest (APY)

0.01%

Overdraft Protection

USAA offers overdraft protection through "protecting accounts," such as a savings account or credit card. Transfers from these accounts to the checking account are limited to six transactions per month, with additional charges if exceeded.
Integration with Mobile Payment Services
Apple Pay
Google Pay
SamsungPay
Pay Bills Online
Yes
Bank Checks
Yes
Mobile App
Yes

Bonus Features

USAA bank offers special features for military recruits, including refilled 1199A, no opening deposit payment, and early withdrawal of DFAS deposits. General account holders can utilize account management features from the USAA mobile app.

USAA Checking Accounts Fees and Restrictions

Fees and Restrictions - 4.5 / 5

USAA checking accounts have no monthly service fees or minimum balance requirement and offer customers overdraft protection via savings account or credit card. USAA Bank has ATMs nationwide and provides a $15 refund per month for domestic ATMs out of network. There are a few fees, including foreign transaction fees, $2 ATM withdrawal service fees after the first ten transactions, insufficient funds fees, and overdraft fees.
Maintenance Fee
$0
Minimum Balance
$0
Minimum Monthly Deposit
not specified
Minimum Number of Transactions
10
Maximum Number of Insufficient Funds Fees Per Day
2
Other Fees
Stop Payment Fee
Insufficient Funds Fee
Deposited Item Returned Fee
Bounced Check Fee

USAA Checking Accounts Support, Reputation, and Financials

Support, Reputation, and Financials - 4.8 / 5

With excellent ratings from trusted rating companies, USAA Bank is deemed of having outstanding financial strength. The bank does not have 24/7 customer support, but does have multiple forms of contact, including social media. USAA Bank has an observable amount of complaints online, many regarding account management and service. The majority of the complaints, however, were answered in a timely manner.
BBB Rating
A+
BBB Total Complaints
933
BBB Resolved Complaints
164
Trust Pilot Rating
3.1 out of 5
Consumer Financial Protection Board (CFPB) Complaints
4,708
Year Founded
1983
Standard & Poor's Financial Rating
AA+
Moody's Financial Rating
Aaa
AM Best Financial Rating
A++
Live Help 24/7
No
Customer Support Hours
7:30am-10pm Monday-Friday; 8am-6pm Saturday

Contact Methods

  • Phone
  • Chat
  • Social Media

Company Profile

Full Name
USAA Checking Accounts
Company Website
Headquarters
9800 Fredericksburg Road, San Antonio, TX, 78288

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Customer Comments & Reviews

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jodypowell
4/25/2023
USAA checking is horrible and I DO NOT RECOMMEND. The worse decision we ever made was switching over to USAA checking. They put all deposits on 7 day holds, including cashiers checks and money orders. There is no place, including ATM, within a 5 hour driving distance to deposit cash so the only way to do that is buy cashiers checks and make your mobile deposit that way. They will hold that for 7 days but take money off your USAA credit card to cover items coming through and charge you a transfer fee. This is fraud when the money is there but on hold. Customer service is zero help and the last person was down right rude about it. After 1 month of trying you all out, we'll be moving... Read More


T
Tanya
8/15/2020
I do not recommend this bank any longer. I have been with them for well over 10 years. Two years ago we bought a house and needed to give a check to basically hold the house. For some reasons, the "people" that were selling the house, decided to keep the check for 2 years and then decide to cash it, in the middle of a pandemic where a lot of people have lost jobs, including my husband. So what was left in the bank was already spoken for. Well, despite having a three month "expiration" date for checks, wonderful USAA decides to cash the check and will not help to get the money back. I even called the other bank and the other bank was willing to help, but since USAA refuses to help, we... Read More



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