Bank of America or Chase Bank???

Updated on May 13, 2011
J.S. asks from Cortland, IL
15 answers

Hey mama's!! I have a bank question for you! My family & I are going to be moving down to Texas in July. Here in IL, we bank with PNC and they are everywhere here! Well, they aren't in Texas. I've been looking at banks down in the Fort Worth area & it looks like Chase and Bank of America are everywhere. So, I'm just hoping some of you can share your experiences with me on these banks! We've been with PNC so long and love the customer service, points, and benefits of banking with them, so I'm sad to have to switch. But, I don't want to bank somewhere that isn't local for us. So, if any of you bank with them, please let me know how you feel, as well as any banking benefits that are there. I'm not looking into credit cards or anything since I have some credit work needed!
Thanks in advance!

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B.C.

answers from Dallas on

My husband works for Bank of America in the Mortage dept. so I guess I'm a little bias, but we love banking with them.

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R.K.

answers from Boston on

Bank of America is the devil.

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J.C.

answers from Rockford on

I have some experience with Chase. They took over Washington Mutual which I used, and I have to say I liked it much better before Chase took over. Also, Chase, by far, has the SLOWEST lobby/drive through banking I have ever experienced - no matter what the time or day or branch.

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A.V.

answers from Washington DC on

I have Capitol One since they bought my bank. I have a credit card with BoA, but several friends have told me not to otherwise bank with them.

Our favorite bank is my husband's credit union. If there's any way you can bank with one, often they share resources. Here we have a "shared branch" where if your credit union is a member, you can do your banking, even if the real branch is in another town. Or if you don't have access to one, what about a local bank? First Bank of Your Town or something? I've never had issues with that kind of bank.

You might also consider keeping PNC and opening a smaller account for when you might need cash to avoid fees. So much is available online now that you could continue to deposit and write checks, no matter where it is.

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J.S.

answers from Dallas on

Chase Bank hands down. I have been with them (Bank One then Chase bought them out down here) since I was 16 and I haven't had any issues ever. They are alway super professional and nice in any and ever branch I have ever been in.

E.B.

answers from Seattle on

I had HUGE problems with Chase before they took over Washington Mutual. They were on of the credit card companies for one of my CC's. Not only did they loose payments. They would start coming after parents via the phone. It was one of those things that I truly had no control over. I would make payments by walking in and then three weeks later be getting calls harassing me and my family. I finally went in and paid everything off. It was one of those moments I just held my breath afterwards for about a month and a half. I didnt think that I would ever be done with them.

I had my first ever car loan through B of A. They were pretty good about everything. I personally have no complaints working with them.

I bank with a credit union. My whole family, extended and in-lawed, works for Boeing. So, I married onto my husbands bank account. I love them!!

Good luck moving!! I hope everything goes smoothly for you:)

T.F.

answers from Dallas on

We've been with Bank of America 20+ yrs. LOVE them. We've never had any issues.

I've never encountered an unfriendly branch. Most of the time, at my local branch where I am almost daily, they call me by name and it is like a big happy family! I am probably there more than an average customer though, because of our business relationship.

We also run our company finances through BOA and they have a good business account feature as well. I do a lot of money wires incoming and outgoing with our business and the support has always been helpful, especially when I was in the learning process for wires.

We have no fee banking at all, free personal checks, interest (although small) savings and checking. In total, we have 6 accounts with them combined personal and business. We run our business credit card through them and get cash back with the points.

I suggest getting at least the Advantage program which has all the no fee perks. You do have to maintain an average balance and I don't know what that is, either $10,000 or $15,000 but it can be combined with savings and checking.

Welcom to Texas!! We LOVE it.

D.B.

answers from Boston on

Bank of America has been in the news for horrendous mortgage practices as well as losing customers' paperwork. A friend of mine recently went on many interviews to become a teller, and she rejected BOA because their tellers are expected to constantly sell additional products/services to customers.

I'm not endorsing Chase - I don't know anything about them.

You probably don't need a zillion branches to have an effective and responsive bank. Your debit card will be good anywhere so you just need one or maybe 2 branches where you can make deposits and stop in for occasional services.

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K.B.

answers from Salt Lake City on

I was a happy customer of BofA for 14 years until I moved 3 years ago to a state where they had essentially no operations. So I moved to WaMu and in the concern over their failure went to Wells Fargo. But I kept my WaMu acct and it became a Chase acct. I have been happy enough with both of these two banks as well. The occasional little thing comes up, but I have always been able to get a real person, competent and friendly, to "fix things." But don't get me started on American Express. . . .

I do note that bank fees have really accelerated recently, so you should definitely consider a variety of options. Also, I frequently get promotions from Chase offering $100-150 for opening an account there. You should inquire or look online for that one.

K.M.

answers from Chicago on

I have not had good experiences with BofA ... Chase I do not have much business with except the branches that I have been in were rude and they have odd policies (used to pay my car payment thru chase went in the bank often) ... Another bank that is all over, including Tx (used to live there a yr ago) is Citibank ... I and my two sisters bank there and we do love it, no complaints so far (we are difficult to please). So there are my 2cents ... Oh and Wells Fargo I had for a while too and they were addequate too.

F.H.

answers from Phoenix on

My ex husband worked for BofA for 15 years...we banked at Wells Fargo...need I say more???!!! Right now my husband and I have 5 bank accounts at Chase and have been happy with them. Good luck.

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A.P.

answers from Gainesville on

Well I have bank of america for my small (very small right now) checking account & I really like them. I have my paycheck direct deposited and so I have free checking. I can deposit a check at the ATM and have 75% of it available right away! Also if my account is negative I can deposit a check at the ATM and the deposit gets credited first so I won't accumulate fees in transactions that occur that same day. My friend had compass and the account went negative- she saw went into bank deposited cash but on that same day 5 debit card purchases posted. they posted the debits first charged her $38 per debit then credited her deposit- which of course no longer helped! Any who..
I also can get emails for when my account gets below a certain balance or when my direct deposit posts or when a online purchase posts..I also use them for online Bill pay. also I had a bogus charge - a clerk at a store copies the numbers off may card and ran it 3 times in one day- anyway they gave me the $ back first and then did an investigation! COOL!

Negatives- I can't use teller more than 3 times (orsomething like that) a month or they will charge me- whatever!!
If i deposit with teller a much smaller amount of the check is available right away..
Online bill pay the $ gets pulled from your account ont eh "due date" and if the check doesn't get cashed its a pain to get $ back- but it will happen once you figure that out - I had it happen!

Good luck with your move!

J.L.

answers from Los Angeles on

I have BofA and my bf has Chase.
I have had nothing but *good* experiences with BofA. I oncehad my card stolen and charges were racked up, they solved it very quickly and even gave me an "allowance" because it was on a weekend and I needed cash.
My checks and deposits go through quickly.
I have had 2 accounts of fraud on my card and it was taken care of immediately (recently at the grocery store my card wouldn't go through, I stepped aside and called BofA and they told me someone tried to use my card online at a store and it was marked as fraud....they opened my card back up so I could get my groceries and pull money out, stayed on the phoen with me while I bagged my own groceries up, then shut down my card so no further attempts to use it would occur).
I opted for the E-banking account where there is no monthly charge but you do 99% of your transactions through the ATM.
I have traveled quite a bit and they are everywhere.
My bf has Chase.
They are everywhere, but the downsides we have had with them are transactions don't always clear in a timely manner.
We pay some bills online and have found Chase will multiply a transaction if done through the computer (we were told its some kind of glitch between Chase and the other companies computer when trying to make a transaction).
When there is a mistake on the account...it takes forever for it to be cleared up (well to me it does when I have to go without my money for more then a 24 hr period).
Thats basically it. To me they are nothing special but my BF wants to stick with them
All in all I think you have to experience both to take a side. I'm sticking with BofA.
=) Hope this helps.

J.C.

answers from Columbus on

I use Chase and have never had any problems with them, BUT the only reason I use Chase is because BOA is not very accessible where I live, there are only a few branches in the area and none of them are close enough to be convenient. My parents have used BOA entire life and have never been displeased, so I would have gone with them if it had been workable. Not much help, I know :) but that's my two cents. They are both decent, respectable institutions, so I would probably go with what is more convenient for you and your home/work situation.

C.O.

answers from Washington DC on

I would stay with PNC if you are happy with them. ...you DO NOT have to switch - unless you do a lot of in-house banking. You can talk with PNC and let them know what you are doing - they may end up working with you to ensure that you can get credit on non-PNC ATM usage....don't just leave a bank....especially one you like.

I personally HATE BofA....my husband has been with them for over 30 years - but he doesn't like them either - however, we have EVERYTHING (mortgage, electric, gas, water, EVERYTHING) done electronically....so it would be a pain in the rear to leave them....

While we were in New York last November - they put my husband's debit card on hold because we were using the card outside our normal area...great - but you aren't my mama so I don't need to tell you when I am traveling....their fees are through the roof as well.

GOOD LUCK!! If you are military - consider USAA.

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