Best Banks for Military Personnel, 2017

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published 24 May 2017

Service members, who may have to move frequently and face sudden and extended deployments, value no-hassle accounts with friendly policies for those who do their banking around the country and the world.

Here's a look at our top bank picks for military personnel.

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BEST: Navy Federal Credit Union

Open to current and former members of all military branches, Navy Federal Federal Credit Union has a strong mix of accounts. Active-duty personnel with a qualifying military direct deposit can use a free checking account that yields 0.05% interest and reimburses up to $20 per statement cycle in out-of-network ATM fees.

All of the credit union's checking accounts -- including one that yields up to 0.45% -- come with free checks and free transfers from a savings account to checking in case of an overdraft. The no-fee basic savings account yields 0.25%, and a free money market deposit account pays a rate of up to 0.55% (depending on the balance). Plus, Navy Federal offers the Go prepaid debit card, which has no monthly fee and is usable anywhere that accepts Visa debit cards. Both the prepaid card and standard debit cards from Navy charge a reasonable 1% fee on transactions abroad made in foreign currencies.

RUNNER-UP: Andrews Federal Credit Union

Andrews Federal Credit Union is centered in a few East Coast states and caters to the local military community, with branch locations on and near Joint Base Andrews, in Maryland, and Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, in New Jersey. But anyone in the country can become a member by paying a $5 fee to join the American Consumer Council. The credit union offers a free, no-strings checking account (as well as an interest checking account that yields 0.1% on balances of $5,000 or more), plus a free savings account with a rate of 0.31% on balances of $100 or more. Members can use ATMs in the CO-OP network, with nearly 30,000 machines, free of charge, and Andrews doesn't charge a fee to customers who use out-of-network machines (ATM operator charges may apply). Andrews also offers a no-fee Visa prepaid debit card.

The Best Banks and Credit Unions for You, 2017

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Lisa has been the editor of Kiplinger Personal Finance since June 2023. Previously, she spent more than a decade reporting and writing for the magazine on a variety of topics, including credit, banking and retirement. She has shared her expertise as a guest on the Today Show, CNN, Fox, NPR, Cheddar and many other media outlets around the nation. Lisa graduated from Ball State University and received the school’s “Graduate of the Last Decade” award in 2014. A military spouse, she has moved around the U.S. and currently lives in the Philadelphia area with her husband and two sons.