Top Massachusetts Financial Institutions for March 2023

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There are many great financial institutions in Massachusetts, but we recommend the following: Synchrony, Rockland Trust Bank, Salem Five Bank, Digital Federal Credit Union, and OneUnited Bank.  

These banks were chosen because they provided accounts with useful extras and low monthly fees. Read on for more information about the books we recommend the most.  

Synchrony is the Best Bank to Open a Savings Account

Synchrony is an innovative online bank because When compared to traditional and online savings accounts, the interest rate offered by Synchrony's High-Yield Savings Account is significantly higher.  

If you want to use an ATM card to withdraw money from your savings account or open a savings account with zero dollars, Synchrony is a great option.

Note: Synchrony does not offer checking or money market accounts, so keep that in mind. The best option for you would be to switch banks if you intend to open one of these accounts.  

Open a checking account at Rockland Trust Bank, the best bank in the area

Reasons to remember: Rockland Trust Bank is among the state's top five largest banks. It could be enticing if you are looking for a checking account in particular.  

There is no monthly maintenance fee or minimum deposit required to open a Rockland Trust Free Checking Account.  

In Rhode Island and Massachusetts, you can use any of our over 120 convenient locations or 200 no-fee ATMs.  

Rockland Trust could be a good option if you value having access to customer service at times that work for you. Start chatting with a representative online at 7 a.m. m to 6 p m Or 8 a.m. ET on weekdays. m to 5 p m Sat. a.m. ET After 7 PM, you can also reach the Help Desk by phone. to 8 p m ET during the week, and 8 a.m. m to 5 p m Time on Saturdays, which is 10 a.m. m to 3 p m Sunday nights at 8:00 p.m.

Keep in mind that the overdraft fee at Rockland Trust Bank is $35 if your account has a negative balance. Connecting your checking account to your savings account provides you with overdraft protection. However, if you use overdraft protection, there will be a $5 transfer fee.  

Salem Five Bank Is the Best Place to Open a Checking and Savings Account.

Salem Five stands out because it may be a viable option for those who prefer traditional banking (due to the presence of physical branches in the state of Massachusetts) but who are also keen on avoiding monthly maintenance fees.  

Overall, the Salem Five Open Account is a solid checking account, especially given its low opening deposit and absence of monthly maintenance fees. A companion savings account, the Salem Five Open Savings Account, is also available without any ongoing service charges and can be opened in tandem with this checking account.

Maintaining a minimum balance in your checking account could qualify you for Open Rewards. For the best checking account rewards, keep an ADB of $5,000 or more to avoid interest charges and receive unlimited reimbursements for ATM fees. Recoup $.05 on every purchase made with your debit card.

It's important to avoid overdrawing your Salem Five Open Account. There is a $35 overdraft fee at this bank. Overdraft protection may let you cover a negative balance by linking your checking account to a savings account or applying for a line of credit, but you'll still have to pay a fee.

Another account that offers a low interest rate is the Salem Five Open Savings Account.  

Differentiating Factor: If you prefer credit unions to banks, you'll love Digital Federal Credit Union.

The DCU Primary Savings Account is required of all members. There are no account maintenance fees associated with this account, and you can earn a maximum of 6 Up to 17% APY on the first $1000 deposited

If your account balance is more than $1,000, your interest rate will decrease. With a blended APY, your interest rate will vary depending on how much money is in each of your accounts. The range is from 0 to infinity. 16% to 6 17% annual percentage yield (APY), capped at $2,500.

Free checking and money market accounts, as well as certificates with low initial deposit requirements, are all available at Digital Federal Credit Union.  

Warning: There are membership criteria that must be met before you can join Digital Federal Credit Union.  

Membership can be obtained in a number of ways. If you meet certain requirements regarding where you live, work, worship, or attend school in the cities of Chelmsford, Lowell, Tewksbury, or Worcester County, then you are eligible. If you or a member of your immediate family are affiliated with any of the businesses or groups below, you are welcome to join as well.  

OneUnited Bank is the Best Local Bank

OneUnited Bank is notable because it is a bank owned by African-Americans with three locations in the greater Boston area. Aside from New York, it also has locations in Miami and Los Angeles.

The OneUnited Bank has earned the CDFI designation, making it a dedicated lender to local communities. A qualifying financial institution must demonstrate that it provides services to low-income and underserved populations.  

If you have had trouble establishing credit and are therefore unable to open a regular checking account at a bank, OneUnited Bank offers a second chance checking account that can help you do just that. Account holders in the second chance checking plan are subject to a $12 monthly maintenance fee and a $25 minimum initial deposit.  

There is a free checking account available at OneUnited Bank known as the OneUnited Bank Black Wall Street Checking Account. This account requires no maintenance fees, has a low opening deposit, and provides early direct deposits within two business days.  

Be aware that there is a $5 monthly service charge for the OneUnited Bank BankBlack Savings Account. Direct deposit, however, can get you out of paying that fee every month.

Why These Other Organizations Didn't Make the Cut

• Citizens Bank (Member FDIC): Citizens Bank has more locations than any other bank in the state, but we do not recommend their accounts. There are monthly requirements that must be met in order to avoid paying a service fee on a checking or savings account. Here you can find a detailed analysis of Citizens Bank.
• Bank of America (Member FDIC): Bank of America has a wide range of accounts and a widespread branch and ATM network, but in order to avoid paying monthly maintenance fees, you must meet certain criteria. Discover everything there is to know about Bank of America by clicking here.
• Santander Bank (Member FDIC) has a low interest rate on savings accounts and monthly service fees on checking accounts unless you meet certain criteria to have them waived. The full Santander Bank review is available on this page.
• If you are looking for a bank that requires little to no money to open an account, you may want to consider TD Bank (Member FDIC). There are monthly service fees for both checking and savings accounts unless you meet the requirements to have the fee waived. For more information about TD Bank, click here to read our detailed review.
• Checking and savings accounts at Eastern Bank (Member FDIC) do not have monthly maintenance fees and are not subject to Eastern Bank's minimum balance requirement. The bank also does not have nearly as many physical locations throughout the state as the other recommended banks in this roundup.
• Financial Institutions Guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) M&T Bank: M&T Bank has a sizable branch and ATM network, but its savings accounts and checking accounts may incur monthly service fees. Here is the full M&T Bank review for your perusal.
• Middlesex Savings Bank (Member FDIC) offers a wide range of services and products, but the banks we recommend more highly either have more locations across the state or offer better interest rates on savings accounts.
• Chase (Member FDIC) has a widespread bank and ATM presence across the United States, but in order to avoid paying their monthly service fee, you must meet certain criteria each and every month. Learn everything there is to know about Chase by clicking here.
• There are no fees for using either a checking or savings account at Brookline Bank (Member FDIC), but the bank has fewer locations than the others on our list.  
• Savings accounts at Rockland Federal Credit Union (NCUA-insured) earn a low rate of interest. This is true regardless of the size of your savings account. Barnstable, Bristol, Middlesex, Norfolk, Plymouth, or Suffolk county residents are required to either live in or be employed by the organization in order to join.
• A free checking account at Metro Credit Union (NCUA-insured) is solid, but savings accounts elsewhere are better.

The Better Business Bureau's rankings are used to assess the responsiveness and openness of financial institutions toward their clients' concerns and the general public. Look at the ratings for each school down below:

With the exception of Rockland Trust Bank, all of the banks we've included on our list have earned an A or higher from the BBB. Rockland Trust Bank has received 25 complaints on the BBB's website, earning it a B rating.  

A company's BBB rating isn't everything. You can learn a lot about a bank and whether or not you'd be happy working with them by reading online reviews and talking to current customers.  

Our compiled list contains no institutions that have been the subject of any recent negative media attention.  

How Did We Determine Which Massachusetts Financial Institutions Are the Best?

The goal of Personal Finance Insider is to educate its readers so that they can make sound financial decisions. Because "best" is a relative term, we've included a discussion of each account's and bank's strengths and weaknesses in their respective sections. In order to save you time and effort, we researched and compared the products' features and fine print at length.

A total of 15 of the state's largest financial institutions were analyzed. We also researched whether or not there were any potential CDFIs in the state.

To find the best checking accounts, we compared their features and costs. Our top picks for banks were singled out for their low monthly service charges. Additionally, many of these accounts provided bonus features. Some checking accounts, for instance, provide for early direct deposit or cash-back incentives. We picked savings accounts that offered competitive rates of return.  

Our top picks for best credit union and best local bank are institutions that made it simple to become a member, had low required opening deposits, and offered specialized checking and savings options.

Frequently Asked Questions About the Finest Massachusetts Banks

How to Pick the Right Bank, According to the Experts

Here are some tips from four experts on how to find the right bank or credit union for you:

We're considering factors like customer service, fees, rates, and more that contribute to a bank's usefulness. Take a look at their recommendations for local financial institutions. (The text may be edited slightly for readability. )

How does one know if a specific bank will best serve their needs?

Mykail James, BoujieBudgets.com, Master of Business Administration, CFE:

"The No One aspect of having a checking account is being aware of the debit card issuer. Additionally, many people forget that some businesses do not accept Visa, Mastercard, or American Express. "

Journalist and certified financial educator Sophia Acevedo of Personal Finance Insider:

"Consider the types of bank accounts you're interested in opening and the services you'll need before making any decisions. What if you use ATMs on a regular basis, either to withdraw cash or to handle financial transactions? Consider the bank's ATM availability and whether it serves a national, regional, or local network when making your selection. Withdrawal fees and maximum amounts from ATMs can also be found in the fee schedules document. " 

Inquiring minds want to know, what qualities does a good traditional bank

Certified financial planner at SaverLife, Tania Brown:

"How can that financial institution expand alongside your needs?" If you're 25 and recently single or married, you might think all you need is a checking account. Fast forward 15 years, and you might have had multiple jobs, an IRA rollover, or wish you had a financial adviser. "

James Mykail, CFEI

Regarding the ease of access, Then why don't we see any limbs? And how easy is it for me to get my hands on my money if I need to, say, take a trip out of town? "

If you're looking for an online bank, what features should you prioritize?

CFP Tania Brown:

Given that you can't just walk into an online bank and talk to a real person, "with an online bank, absolutely online customer service." If so, how frequently do you manage to get them? When do they open and close? "

Certified financial planner and author of "Work Your Money, Not Your Life" Roger Ma of lifelaidout®:

When transferring money in or out, the process can be tedious. Is it the same day or the following day? Is it simple to link a traditional bank account to this high-interest savings account? "

A Message from Mykail James, CFEI

Online banking institutions have a higher bar to clear in terms of interest rates, so be extra picky if you decide to open an account with one. That's the main issue, since conventional wisdom holds that online banks offer a superior rate of interest due to their lack of physical location costs. See to it that it's significantly higher than the average in the country. Where can I find out what sort of security they offer How about two-factor authentication? If you're looking for a strictly online bank, you should be extra cautious about their cyber security measures. At the very least, you should be able to change your passwords and other account information using a combination of your phone number and a security question and answer. "