Following in the unpopular footsteps of JP Morgan and Wells Fargo, Bank of America is laying out plans to implement monthly fees on checking accounts unless customers bank online or meet other requirements. It’s a risky move for the bank, and one that may raise the hackles of cash-strapped customers, and their elected representatives, who are reluctant to give more of their money to financial institutions. The details of the bank’s plan are not yet clear, but it is thought that customers may be pushed toward conducting their banking online, buying new products, or maintaining specific balances in order to avoid the new fees.
By Diane Sweet
— March 1, 2012