Banking » Reviews » Associated Bank Review 2023: Savings & Checking Account, CDs and MMAs
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Associated Bank Review 2023: Savings & Checking Account, CDs and MMAs

Associated Bank offers a wide range of financial products as well as modern facilities such as online banking, advanced mobile app and digital payments.
Author: Baruch Mann (Silvermann)
Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Writer, Contributor

Experience

Baruch Silvermann is a financial expert, experienced analyst, and founder of The Smart Investor, which helps consumers make better financial decisions.  Silvermann’s areas of expertise include investing, banking, and credit cards. Silvermann has contributed to Yahoo Finance and cited as an authoritative source in financial outlets like Forbes, Business Insider, CNBC Select, CNET, Bankrate, Fox Business, The Street, and more. Aside from being a finance expert, his background includes working as a business and financial analyst. Above all, he is passionate about teaching people how to manage their money and helping millions on their journey to a better financial future.

Review & Fact Check: Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Financial Expert, The Smart Investor CEO

Experience

Baruch Mann (Silvermann) is a financial expert and founder of The Smart Investor. Above all, he is passionate about teaching people how to manage their money and helping millions on their journey to a better financial future.
Author: Baruch Mann (Silvermann)
Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Writer, Contributor

Experience

Baruch Silvermann is a financial expert, experienced analyst, and founder of The Smart Investor, which helps consumers make better financial decisions.  Silvermann’s areas of expertise include investing, banking, and credit cards. Silvermann has contributed to Yahoo Finance and cited as an authoritative source in financial outlets like Forbes, Business Insider, CNBC Select, CNET, Bankrate, Fox Business, The Street, and more. Aside from being a finance expert, his background includes working as a business and financial analyst. Above all, he is passionate about teaching people how to manage their money and helping millions on their journey to a better financial future.

Review & Fact Check: Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Financial Expert, The Smart Investor CEO

Experience

Baruch Mann (Silvermann) is a financial expert and founder of The Smart Investor. Above all, he is passionate about teaching people how to manage their money and helping millions on their journey to a better financial future.

We earn a commission from our partner links on this page. It doesn't affect the integrity of our unbiased, independent editorial staff. Transparency is a core value for us, read our advertiser disclosure and how we make money.

Associated Bank

Associated bank review
Associated bank review

Associated Bank

Fees

$12 Can be waived if you maintain a $1,000 minimum daily balance, making direct deposits or Associated SnapDeposits of $500 or more per statement cycle, or holding $2,500 in combined deposit accounts with the same statement cycle date or having a Health Savings Account or investment account

Minimum Deposit

$100

Current Promotion

None

APY Savings

0.25% – 2.50%

You can say that Associated Bank found its niche in the Midwest and it has proven very advantageous to them. This is a bank that you can call traditional in the sense that they offer the basic bank products and services. They have several types of checking accounts, savings account, CDs, money market accounts, mortgages, debit and credit cards, HELOC, and more.

By concentrating around its birthplace, the bank has positioned itself side-by-side with the larger banks servicing the states of Illinois, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. It now boasts of around 176 locations all over the three states with a physical branch, drive up, ATM or a combination thereof.

Of course, their partnership with MoneyPass Network has extended their ATM coverage not only within the 3 states but throughout the United States and other countries as well.

  • Traditional And Modern Banking
  • Good Advocacies
  • 24/7 Customer Service
  • Fees
  • Lower Rates on Savings
  • Only 3 states

Associated Bank Review

Benefits & Drawbacks

For customers who are looking for the traditional feel of a modern bank, this is the choice.

They have both the physical branches and fully-loaded mobile & online banking apps.

Their strong advocacies that benefit the community is also an endearing value.

People can feel they are giving something back to the community.

The bank prides itself as a relational bank and one proof of this is that customers can reach them 24/7 through their Customer Care hotline.

While many banks do not invest in this kind of access, Associated Bank is allocating resources to keep the communication lines with their customers open all the time.

Although the bank has several checking accounts on its roster, they do not pay out any interest, while there are many checking accounts with high APY.

The downsides about a regional bank like this are not about size but the limited reach.

Since they only have a physical presence in three states, they cater only mostly to the residents and businesses within.

Being a traditional bank also restricts them from doing away with many of the fees and charges as well as from giving above-average deposit rates. For example, the  Capital One savings account APY is much higher – 3.75% as of May 2023.

Savings Account

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Initial Deposit

$25

Minimum Balance

None

APY

0.25% – 2.50%

This savings account is pretty straightforward – nothing fancy, complicated, nor extraordinary about it. Depositors need a minimum of $25 to open an account but those who want to earn higher APYs can start with a higher initial deposit ($25,000 and up) and maintain a higher minimum balance ($10,000 and up). However, the rates are quite low – as a comparison, the Discover Bank savings account APY is much higher – as of May 2023, the rate is 3.90% .

The account comes with an ATM card that customers can use to check their balance, make withdrawals and transfers using Associated Bank ATMs or their affiliate networks’ ATM. These services come free of charge but if you use non-Associated ATMs, you might pay a small fee. You can find Associated Bank’s own ATMs all over the 3 states we mentioned above.

The bank also offers a good selection of Retirement Savings Account that answers the different needs of individuals. They have several types of IRAs, Self-directed Brokerage IRAs, Annuities, and Nonqualified Retirement Plans.

Cheking Account

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Initial Deposit

$100

Minimum Balance

None

APY

0.15%

Associated Bank’s line of checking accounts segments the market according to their need for a physical checkbook and if they can afford the minimum deposit.

The features are almost identical for most parts except for the Choice Checking Account that appears to be a product for the high-end market.

All the checking accounts are available through mobile and online banking.

The bank tied-up with several partners to service the other ends of digital banking. Depositors can send money to other people through Zelle, a money remittance mobile app.

For check deposits and bills payments, the Associated mobile app comes with SnapDeposit and SnapPayments to handle the two transactions respectively.

Certificate Of Deposits (CDs)

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Initial Deposit

$1000

Minimum Balance

3 – 60 months

APY

0.02% – 4.00%

Associated Bank’s CDs follow the average norm of most banks so there’s really nothing that can set them apart from their competitors.

They can be good ‘companion’ accounts to the main deposit accounts such as checking and savings because the bank can give better rates to customers with multiple deposit relationships.

When you talk of CDs, the first feature that customers will look for is the interest rate. There is no real advantage to their rate offerings as customers can find that many banks can give them rates that are even 5X higher.

Money Market Account

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Initial Deposit

$1000

Minimum Balance

None

APY

0.75% – 1.25%

The Associated Select Money Market Account comes with five interest rate tiers. The higher your balance, the higher the interest. It’s convenient because the bank gives you access to your account through an ATM card, online, and/or a checkbook.

The rates are within the national averages but increase the moment your balance climbs to $10,000 upwards. You can still earn interest even if you go below the minimum – at least, it softens the impact of the $16 fee. Here are the main key specs of MMAs:

  • Minimum opening deposit of $1,000
  • Minimum daily balance of $1,000
  • Interest credited and compounded monthly
  • Free online banking and combined statement
  • Comes with ATM card
  • Checkbook available
  • $16 fee for going below minimum

Alternatives Banks For Consideration

Here are our alternatives to Associated Bank:

sofi logo
CIT-Bank-Logo
Capital One
APY Savings The annual percentage yield (APY) is a percentage that represents the amount of money or interest earned on your savings account over the course of a year. The APY factored in compound interest. A savings calculator can help you quickly determine how much you'll earn with a given APY.
up to 4.20%
4.85%
3.75%
Checking Account Fee The monthly fee on checking account
$0
$0
$0
Checking Minimum Deposit
$0
$100
$50
Mobile App Rating
4.8/5 on iOS, 4.2/5 on Android
4.6/5 on iOS, 4.2/5 on Android
4.8/5 on iOS, 4.7/5 on Android
BBB Rating
A+
B
A
Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Baruch Mann (Silvermann)

Baruch Silvermann is a financial expert, experienced analyst, and founder of The Smart Investor, which helps consumers make better financial decisions.  Silvermann's areas of expertise include investing, banking, and credit cards. Silvermann has contributed to Yahoo Finance and cited as an authoritative source in financial outlets like Forbes, Business Insider, CNBC Select, CNET, Bankrate, Fox Business, The Street, and more. Aside from being a finance expert, his background includes working as a business and financial analyst. Above all, he is passionate about teaching people how to manage their money and helping millions on their journey to a better financial future.
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