Checking accounts for seniors

Only the POA should be helping Grandma with her finances.

I am out of checks.

Totally support and agree with CWillie's advice, especially on the difference between on-line banks and walk-in banks.  

The latter also have phone lines and communication for various issues; I've contacted them periodically with questions that I either couldn't ask an online bank, don't want recorded anywhere online (I'm aware that banks may record the conversations; that doesn't bother me), or had questions on various banking issues, especially related to trusts.  

I bank at one of the major banks, with high levels of security. When there was a breach, it went up to the 7th level of security, but the invaders still didn't reach a level of information to get personal data on clients.   That's important to me. 

I also want a bank with a track record; I see ads for these new on-line banks and wonder what, if any, track record they have.  What are the qualifications for the people they hire to maintain their sites and the accounts?   I also wonder how secure they are.

OldieGoldie, I also echo CWillie's observations on banks, generally.   The ease of opening accounts depends on a lot of factors, including geography.   Whether it's easy or not depends also on the elder and his/her family.  

Has your grandmother never had a banking account? How are her obligations and SS being handled now?

Asking for guidance to help your grandmother is a totally different question than what you originally posted. First - why does you grandma need a new checking account?
Although they often offer better perks and interest rates I would steer clear of on line banks unless she is very computer savvy. In my world I rely on the bank where I can walk in if I desire and speak with a real live person, it's where I have my savings account and although it's a different branch it's the same bank that I've used all my life. If I were you I'd take the time to help her set up on line banking and auto-pay of her bills.

Hi everyone,

Thank you for your comments. I am here because I want to guide my grandma because she wants to open a checking account.

I did some research on the internet and I found this one https://www.creditdonkey.com/best-checking-accounts-seniors.html I found it very helpful because there is an informative description for every checking accounts.

I'd love to hear your checking accounts recommendations and your experience as well.

Thank you!

Send, thanks for your "to-the-point" comments and insights.   I get tired of students and others asking questions for homework or personal/business reasons.

Part of college is learning how to research, to analyzed a problem or issue, research and develop potential solutions.

OldieGoldie,
You may be asking to help others by getting the information out there.
The information is plentiful on an internet search, and AARP has articles all the time on this topic. This forum can be helpful to you by searching banking issues in the search icon above.

Is there something specific relating to you as an 'oldie' that we could help you with?

Did you just drive by to ask your question, or are you going to be participating much on the forum? Will you answer back to your new forum buddies? I like to have some sense of who I am talking to, in general at least, maybe a real person?

I ask the same question as Bridger.  This has all the hallmarks of being a questionnaire for someone's homework. 

And if you really want to know what makes financial institutions more user-friendly for seniors, you might want to visit some and see how many seniors come in, how many may be uncomfortable standing up.   

Banking practices is a different issue, and changes with the level of experience  and data protection of the bank.    I'm an older person and the bank I chose had a high level of "hurdles" for wannabe thieves to reach before getting access to data which would allow them to tap into individual accounts.   Even if I got a toaster or other goodie incentives (which I don't even think are given out any more), I wouldn't have chosen differently.

The bank also had to have a solid plan for trust administration.   Three of the banks I interviewed did not have one.  They didn't get the funds or the account; I went elsewhere.

It can be as easy as pie, but that's not the tricky part: if they do not even use a smart phone, laptop or iPad, or/and they start having memory issues -- this is where the trouble comes in. Just them having to keep track of passwords can be a nightmare if they are writing them down in a notebook -- or not at all. This is why as we all age we need to keep up with technology, no matter how frustrating it is. It can (and should) be a lifeline for seniors.

We were realizing how bad my MIL's memory problems were when we began to find boxes and boxes of reordered checks in her house. She didn't remember where she put her checkbook (or her purse, for that matter) and then would call the bank and they'd just happily have her reorder more. Then she'd open one box, take out one book of checks, write 1 check (and not record it in the register), then forget about that and open another box, write 1 check, etc. She had $900+ in overdrafts. The bank forgave half of that.

It seems to me that seniors are the only ones still writing checks, I'm doubtful many under 30's even know how 😉

I haven't walked into a bank in like--3 years? I do all my banking online and there's just never been a need to go 'in'.

If a Sr is capable and competent, why would it be difficult to set up a checking acct?

I WISH my mom would turn her finances over to the FPOA brother. She insists on writing checks and then worries and fusses when she has to mail on, even one for $5 that is going to a ripoff charity. She fusses her checkbook to death, but she does balance it to the dime every month.

Srs. know how to use a checkbook. I don't think you need to have special training to help a sr use a check book. Just a ton of patience.

Is this question part of a study, for academic research, for a class.