<p>To: cadets, former cadets, or their parents</p>
<p>While at West Point, which bank did you use as your checking account, for your personal pay?
Has anyone banked with USAA or PFCU, and have an opinion of their services or any advice?</p>
<p>Both banks do not have banks at many posts, bases or stations. In almost 20 yrs I only remember 1 assignment that had a PFCU ...guess where...it was the puzzle palace :). we use USAA for insurance and credit cards. BA is a better choice for permanent banking (can't remember an assignment that didn't have BA there)</p>
<p>As a cadet, my son finds PFCU convenient for his checking account. There is a bank on post in Taylor Hall and an ATM in Grant Hall and under the Mess Hall. USAA is outside Thayer gate in Highland Falls. His credit card and property insurance is through USAA.</p>
<p>Our daughter uses PFCU and they have been great. However, once a cadet accepts the cow loan (I want one, too) they will need to have a checking account at USAA. Had we known that a few years ago, I think we would have opened the original account there. It would just save the trouble of changing banks later.</p>
<p>For now my plebe just has his hometown account. His pay is deposited there and he uses his debit card or checks. If he needs cash he can buy something with debit and get cash back. He can get cash from the ATM on post but there is a fee, so that is a last resort.</p>
<p>He will be opening an account with either PFCU or USAA when he has time. It has not been a priority during first semester.</p>
<p>My kids have banked with USAA for years. They are quite excellent to deal with and everything can be done online. Transferring money, paying bills and opening accounts is a piece of cake. You can even make deposits online or mail them into the bank.
Their debit cards are good nearly everywhere and they give you money back $15/month) for atm charges.
They like it that they have joint accounts with me and I can transfer money into their account with a few mouse clicks ;)</p>
<p>My son kept his home checking account (joint with me) and opened a PFCU checking and money market account (for his savings). I think he chose PFCU for the money market account and because it had the most convenient branch for plebes. He does not use the branch much, however - just the money machine and the online services. </p>
<p>One bit of advice - follow the timeline West Point recommends for opening an account and sending the proper forms. It does take as much time as they say...</p>