USAA Classic Checking Account

If you're a USAA member, you can apply for the USAA Classic Checking account online, by following the link available when you click on the "APPLY NOW" button on this page.

If you're not a USAA member, you'll have to join first before being able to bank with USAA, and purchase any other products or services of theirs.

To join USAA, you need to meet a number of eligibility requirements. You need to be:

• a U.S. military service member/veteran, OR
• a precommissioned officer (Contracted Cadet or Midshipman or other), OR
• a spouse of a U.S. military member, OR
• a child of a U.S. military member.

When you access the membership application form, you'll be asked to provide:

• Your date of birth, contact information and Social Security number,
• Details about you or your family member's military service,
• A passport or permanent resident card, if you're not a U.S. resident.

Once you've set up your secure online ID and password, you'll be able to apply for a USAA checking account or other products. USAA membership is free.

Usually, USAA charges a $29 overdraft fee if you don't have enough money in your balance, but try to make a purchase, whether it be using your debit card or by check (in the latter case, it's called an NSF fee). However, if you have an additional bank account with USAA or a USAA credit card, you can link either to your primary USAA checking account, which is the Classic Checking. Then, if it ever happens your balance is lower than the amount needed to complete a purchase, USAA will automatically pull the money from your linked USAA bank account or credit card, and transfer it to your Classic Checking, so you could complete the transaction, and avoid overdraft/NSF fees.

However, do note that, if you link your USAA credit card, each time a transfer is required, it will be done in $100 increments, and treated as a cash advance, which means you may be charged additional fees. For example, currently, there's an APR of 9.90% to 25.90% applying to cash advances. Plus, you'll also have to pay 3% of the amount of each cash advance.

As a USAA member, you get to enjoy plenty of benefits that will definitely simplify your life! These include:

• Home Solutions: ADT™ Home Security, PODS® Moving and Storage, Tenant Screening, Pet Insurance, Home Contractors, Home Builders, Home Maintenance and Protection Advice.
• Travel Deals: car rentals (Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz); flights, hotels, resorts, cruises and tours, travel insurance.
• Online Shopping: MemberShop, FedEx Shipping, TurboTax.
• Vehicle Maintenance Center.
• Health, Wellness, and Fitness (the Active&Fit Program).

Of course, this is just a mere overview of the benefits you'll receive. Many of these are subject to terms and conditions, while other offers might be geo-restricted.

USAA Savings Boosters are free tools you can use to save money by having it transferred from your USAA checking to your USAA savings account automatically. You set the amount to be transferred, and USAA handles the rest.

USAA Savings Booster tools include:

1. Text Savings Tool: every couple of days, USAA will check your account balance, and eventually transfer between $1 and $9 to your USAA Savings account, unless your checking account balance is below $100. You'll receive a daily text message from USAA to let you know how much money you have in your balance.
2. Recurring Transfers Tool: USAA will automatically move money from regular deposits made to your checking to your USAA savings account - but it's up to you to decide which recurring deposits should be used and how much money transferred.
3. ATM Rebates Tool: USAA reimburses up to $15 per month if other banks charge you a fee for using their ATMs. You can then choose to transfer those rebated to your USAA savings account.
4. Tax Refunds Tool: You set an amount of your tax refund to be transferred, once deposited, from your USAA checking to your USAA savings account.

There are 2 savings accounts you can open with USAA, namely:

• USAA Savings Account,
• USAA Performance First Savings Account.

Both come with 24/7 fraud protection, mobile check deposits, automatic transfers, goal planner and tracker tools, and no monthly fees or minimum balance requirements. However, while the first can be opened with as little as $25, the USAA Performance First Savings account is more suitable for those who'll keep at least $10,000 in their savings account balance.

You can learn more about USAA's savings account offer by visiting their website directly!

Of course it is! As long as you stay prudent, and don't disclose your account information to anyone, and pay attention to when and how you access your USAA Classic Checking account online, you'll be fine!

With its USAA's Cyber Threat Operations Center, USAA does its best to protect its member from financial frauds, identity theft or other threats, but there are some additional things you can do to better protect your account.

For example, USAA offers several sign-in options, which you can choose to add an extra layer of protection:

• CyberCode Text: you'll receive a text message with a unique code you'll enter instead of your PIN when accessing your account online.
• Quick Logon: uses advanced technology for two-factor authentication, so you'll log in to your account using your PIN, and your mobile device with Symantec VIP (a one-time security code will be generated during the login, so no one, even if they have your PIN, will be able to access your account but you with your mobile device).
• CyberCode token: works by generating a unique code every 30 seconds, so you will always sign in using a different password.
• Browser Recognition: lets you tell USAA which devices to trust, and, while you'll be using your online ID and password, if you want to access your USAA bank account from an untrusted device, you'll be asked to either answer a security question, previously set up by you, or enter a security code that you'll receive to your mobile phone.
• Biometrics: will allow you to access your USAA bank account using your fingerprint, face or voice for identification.

You should also know that, as a USAA member, you're automatically enrolled in USAA's security and fraud alerts program, which means your account is monitored for suspicious activities 24/7. If there's something fishy going on, USAA will send you an alert.

However, if anything goes wrong, in case of identity theft, debit or credit card loss or suspicious emails, calls or messages, do report it to USAA immediately.

USAA's Financial Readiness Score is a free financial tool you can use to get more insight into your financial health, by answering a set of questions about your financial goals, and current situation. Once your Financial Readiness Score has been determined, you'll receive a personalized action plan that will help you see how you can improve your financial situation.

To complete the assessment, you'll need to provide information about all your investment, bank accounts, and debts at other financial institutions, your average annual income and monthly expenses, your information on non-USAA insurance, and any other external savings accounts you may have. This is required in order for USAA to be able to assess your financial health as accurately as possible, as well as to provide you with a detailed action plan fully tailored to your financial habits and goals. 

Your score and action plan will be automatically updated as you progress, so it's recommended that you check back once a month to make sure you're on track and that there aren't any new plans.

With the USAA Mobile App, you can complete many banking tasks, whenever, wherever! You can download and use it to:

• pay bills for free using USAA Pay Bills,
• make mobile deposits using USAA Mobile Deposits,
• send money to anyone with a U.S. bank account using Zelle,
• add your card to a digital wallet using Apple Pay, Google Pay or Samsung Pay,
• quickly and safely check your balance using Quick Balance Widget,
• track your spending and recent transaction activity using USAA Money Manager.

If you're interested in USAA insurance or other services, you should know that you can also use the USAA Mobile App to:

• get an Auto ID card,
• request roadside assistance,
• report claims,
• review accident checklist,
• buy or sell a car,
• access travel deals, online shopping discounts, and home solutions,
• use USAA's real estate services, and more!

USAA routing number is 314074269.