Bank Research

We're gonna switch banks. Please add information and questions that would help us in our decision.

Our Information

• Current accounts:
  • Main savings account (where we put our operating reserve)
  • Main checking account (bills, payroll, regular expenses, most deposits go in here)
  • Extra account for transferring money in from PayPal (from eBay sales)
  • Extra account for transferring money in from PayPal (from donations and other online income)
• Sorts of transactions that we'll need to make on a regular basis:
  • A few times per week: cash and check deposits
  • Payroll through Paychex, once per month
  • Tax payments through Paychex, monthly, quarterly, yearly
  • Online transfers from eBay sales, etc. (mostly payments to us), monthly or so
• Sorts of transactions we'll need to make occasionally:
  • Get change for tills
• We may want extra accounts for holding grant money earmarked for specific purposes

Initial Checklist of Questions

1. Can businesses sign up (or just individuals)?
2. What sort of online access would we have to our accounts?
3. Do you offer Merchant Services (credit and debit card processing)?
4. Can I get information on rates, fees, etc.?

If we have problems getting the above information answered quickly, we probably want to eliminate this financial institution as an option.

More detailed questions

• What do your monthly statements look like?
• Where's the nearest branch where we can accomplish most of our banking needs?
• Interest rate on savings, checking?

Rates and Fees

• Monthly service fee
• Bounced checks (when we try to deposit a rubber check someone wrote to us)
• Interest rate on checking account?
• Interest rate on savings account?
• Minimum balance on checking account?
• Minimum balance on savings account?

Top Choices

Both Unitus and First Tech use Total Merchant Concepts for merchant services.

Unitus

http://unitusccu.com

• • Shawn's CPA, who works with lots of credit unions, likes this one best because it's still efficient, but it's a little smaller and more warm and fuzzy feeling. It used to be Oregon Telephone Employees Credit Union, and its closest branch is a few blocks from the other side of the Hawthorne Bridge.
  • Closest branch (exact): 1300 SW 6th Ave Portland, OR 97201 (27 blocks -- across the Hawthorne bridge)
  • Services available at this location:
    • Unitus Mortgage
    • Notary | Safe Deposit Boxes | ATM | Tech Center | Coffee Bar
  • Services available at next nearest location:
    • Notary | Safe Deposit Boxes | ATM | Tech Center | Child Center | Coffee Bar

There are actually two branches quite close to Free Geek (as the crow flies.

Like all the credit unions we checked out, Unitus has:

• online banking
• merchant services

They, however, were the only credit union to actual have brochures oriented to businesses. They offer both basic and interest checking as well as a money market account.

They plan to have some other business related services set up in the near future:

• payroll services in place later this year (in the event we want to move that business from Paychex someday)
• business lending

First Tech

http://www.firsttechcu.com/

• • This one's really big. The closest branch is in close-in Lloyd District, but that branch doesn't have all the services available. It has basic ones, though.
  • Closest branch (exact location): 650 NE Holladay St. Suite 160, Portland, OR 97232 (~30 blocks)

Others Considered

Credit unions tend to have fewer fees for banking, and less rules to navigate in order to avoid extraneous fees. They also keep our money local-er. We've been advised that, if we go with a credit union, we should use a big one. Here are 3 big ones in town.

• OnPoint (PTCU) does not allow business accounts, so they're out.

Some other close by credit unions (smaller, I guess):

• Rivermark Community Credit Union https://www.rivermarkcu.org/
  • Closest branch: 2537 SE Hawthorne Blvd, Portland, OR 97214 (18 blocks from Free Geek)

Big banks, in theory, won't mess up as much, but have more fees.

• Key Bank http://www.key.com/
  • Closest branch: 726 SE Morrison St, Portland, OR 97214 (12 blocks from Free Geek)

• Umpqua Bank http://www.umpquabank.com/ are based in Oregon.
  • Closest branch: 1448 NE Weidler St, Portland, OR 97232 (38 blocks)

• I couldn't find a Shore Bank location anywhere near us.