BB&T Charges Fee for Certain Checking Account

I was considering using BB&T more for my checking needs until I got the letter, the letter announcing a change to what BB&T refers to as Bright Banking. BB&T has announced that their BB&T Free Checking will now be BB&T Bright banking, a checking service that charges a $10.00 a month maintenance fee unless customers meet the following conditions:

• Use Direct deposit
• Have a $1,500 a month average checking balance per cycle
• Or have $6,000 combined in deposit and retail outstanding loan balances to include checking, savings, money rate savings, investors deposit accounts, retail loans, lines of credit, and credit card balances.

Unfortunately, currently I meet none of the requirements to have free checking from BB&T; so me and BB&T have parted ways. I was happy to doing business with BB&T, but their imposed maintenance fee has alienated from their bank.

 With all the banks that offer free checking now-a-days, I am not sure if I would call BB&T's changes Bright Banking, but might refer to it as not so Bright Banking. In my opinion, with the banking sector being highly competitive, a bank that loses customers by imposing fees that other banks do not charge is not making a bright decision. However, that is just my opinion.

How to Open a Checking Account

Having a checking account can be very benefical in finacial matters. A checking account is a good way to pay bills, to keep up with money and also build financial credibility. Opening a checking account is a simple process that takes a minimal amount of time.

Things a person needs to open a checking account
 Before going to open up a checking account, someone should make sure they have the needed documents to open an account. When opening an account a person needs to have proof of identification, without proper ID, the bank will not open a checking account. Along with ID, a social security # is required when opening a checking account, if a person does not know their social security number, they need to find it before going to the bank. After getting the proper documents and information together, a person opening up a checking account will need some money to open up an account; some banks require a minimum opening deposit.

Choosing a bank for a checking account
Once a person has the information/documents that they need to open a checking account, it is then time to choose a bank. The banking business is very competitive, so shopping around and finding a bank that offers the best deal is an option. There are many banks that offer free checking services, so there is no reason why somebody should have to pay to have a checking account.