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CAREFREE CHECKING

Carefree Checking

Simple, Easy Account for Everyday Banking

Enjoy all our free features and bank with ease.

Open in Minutes

Why Choose Carefree Checking?

  • No opening deposit required1
  • 0.25% discounts on loans2
  • Special perks for students (under 25)3:
    • No monthly maintenance fee
    • Free paper statements

Free When You:

  • Make one transaction per month4, OR
  • Maintain $100 minimum combined personal deposit balances
  • Otherwise, $5 monthly maintenance fee

Everyday Banking Made Easy:


Open in Minutes
    Check out the full list of features and fee information.

Benefits of Banking with a Best Bank9

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1 Make a deposit within 60 days to avoid account closure or maintenance fees. Other service fees may apply. Please see our Banking Fees.

2 With automatic payments from a First Merchants checking account. Subject to credit approval, excludes first mortgage real estate loans and lines of credit, offer valid for consumer purpose installment loans only.

3 Students under age 25. At age 25, must meet account requirements to avoid monthly maintenance fee.

4 Excludes bank service fees and charges, transaction must post during statement cycle.

5 Zelle® and the Zelle® related marks are wholly owned by Early Warning Services, LLC and are used herein under license. To send or receive money with Zelle®, both parties must have an eligible checking or savings account.

6 No overdraft fees if you’re overdrawn by $50 or less at the end of the business day and no daily fee until day 5. Overdraft Helper™ does not require enrollment and comes with most First Merchants Personal Checking accounts. It does not apply if an account is set up for overdraft protection transfers from another account or for Simple Access accounts, which do not permit overdrafts.

7 To help you avoid overdraft fees, we recommend calling or coming into a branch to link another First Merchants account for overdraft protection transfers. If you overdraft, we’ll automatically transfer funds in $50 increments from your linked deposit account—with no transfer fee. Linked account balance must cover the overdraft, and standard account fees may still apply.

8 Certain restrictions, terms, and conditions apply.

9 See details on our ‘Best bank’ awards at firstmerchants.com/awards-accolades

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