Help Center: Interest Checking

Other FAQs

• Are Ally Perks® Current Offers ready to use right away?

  Yes. You can use current offers as soon as they appear on the Current Offers page. There's no need to activate them or opt in.

• Can all joint account owners take advantage of Ally Perks®?

  Any account holder with an Ally Checking Debit Card can earn Ally Perks with qualifying purchases.

• Can I choose the Ally account which money back from Ally Perks® goes into?

  Yes, you can. Boost your savings by having your Ally Perks deposited into any Ally checking, savings or money market account.

• Can I have one debit card for all of my Ally accounts?

  No, you should have a separate debit card for each Interest Checking Account or Money Market Account you have with Ally. If you link more than one type of account (such as two Interest Checking accounts) to the same card, you will have to choose one account as the primary account. That primary account is the only account you will be able to access with your debit card. That's why you should have a separate debit card for each account.

  To open an account or request a debit card for an existing account, call us at 1-877-247-ALLY (2559).

• Can I set bills up to be paid automatically?

  Yes, Ally Bill Pay offers 2 types of automatic payments that let you easily customize Scheduled Delivery Dates, amounts, or cancel scheduled automatic payments at any time.

  Automatic fixed payment

  You can set up an automatic payment for a fixed amount on a regular basis. This is helpful for recurring bills with due dates and amounts that don’t change – such as:

  • Car
  • Mortgage
  • Rent
  • Student loan

  Automatic eBill payment

  Set up an automatic payment for the minimum amount or full amount due, based on the receipt of an eBill. This is helpful for recurring bills where the amount varies month to month – such as:

  • Credit card
  • Electricity
  • Water
  • Phone

• Can I set up recurring and scheduled transfers?

  Yes. You can set up a scheduled or recurring transfer. Simply log in at allybank.com and go to Transfer Funds. Specify the amount of the transfer, the date range, and the frequency of transfer. We'll take care of the rest.

  You can also schedule one-time transfers between your Ally Bank accounts from your web-enabled smartphone, either by logging into our Mobile Banking site—m.allybank.com—or downloading our Mobile Banking app for iPhone® or Android^TM.

  You'll be able to review all your transfers online or from your mobile phone.

• Do I have to keep a large balance to get Sleeping Money alerts?

  No. If you have a Money Market or Online Savings account, we'll send you Sleeping Money alerts no matter the size of your balance. We want to help you get the most you can out of your Ally account, regardless of your balance. This means recommending ways to help your money grow. We think it's just the right thing to do.

• Do you need a signature card for each account I have with you?

  We only need one signature card for each customer no matter how many accounts the customer has with us.

• How can I find my account number?

  Log in to your online bank account. Choose the name of the account that you'd like to view. Next to Account Number select unhide. Select hide to mask it again.

• How do I activate my debit card?

  Once you receive your card, just dial the number on the front of the card to activate.

• How do I find current rate information?

  Visit our rates page or select the Rates tab on any of our product pages.

• How do I get started with Ally Bill Pay?

  Ally Bill Pay is free with an Ally Interest Checking Account. To get started with Ally Bill Pay, set up who you'd like to pay (payees):

  1. Gather your bills so you’ll have payee names, account numbers, and addresses handy
  2. Log in to your bank account
  3. Select pay bills, from the navigation on the left-hand side
  4. Type in the name of anyone you want to pay in the add payee entry box
  5. Type in an amount, pick a date, and choose the Ally account you’d like to use to pay your bills

  Once you set up payees you'll find that it's simple to schedule and make payments, set up bill alerts, and view bill details online.

• How do I order checks?

  1. Log in to your account
  2. Select your Interest Checking or Money Market Account from your Account List
  3. Select Order Checks/Debit Card from the right hand side
  4. Choose an account from the dropdown menu
  5. Enter a starting check number, then select submit

  We’ll send you a secure email asking you to confirm your address before we mail the ordered checks. Once your address is confirmed, your checks should arrive in 10 business days.

• How do I order deposit slips or envelopes?

  To order deposit slips and envelopes online, you need to have an Interest Checking Account, an Online Savings Account, or a Money Market Account.

  To submit your request:

  1. Log in to online banking.
  2. Select your Interest Checking, Online Savings or Money Market account.
  3. From the right-hand side of the page, select the Order deposit slips/envelopes link.
  4. Check the items you wish to order, and select submit.

  For your security, we'll send you a secure email asking you to confirm your address before we mail the ordered items. Once your address is confirmed, your items should arrive within 3 to 5 business days.

• How do I protect myself from an overdraft?

  You can link your Interest Checking Account to an Ally Online Savings Account or Money Market Account by calling us at 1-877-247-ALLY (2559). If you don’t have an Online Savings Account or Money Market Account, you can open one online or call us.

• How do I see Ally Perks® offers?

  When a new offer has been added to your account, you can view it when you log in at allybank.com. You can also sign up to receive the Offer Notifications and Reminders email alert letting you know which new Ally Perks offers are available.

• How does Ally Perks® work?

  It's easy. When you use your Ally Checking Debit Card to make a qualifying purchase at an Ally Perks retailer, we will automatically deposit the Ally Perks money back into your account. New offers are added every week. There's no need to sign up, no points to track and no coupons to clip.

• How will I know that an Ally Perks® offer was redeemed successfully?

  You will see the money back in your account after you redeem your Ally Perks offer. Simply log in to your account online and view your transaction history.

• Is Ally Bill Pay free?

  Yes, Ally Bill Pay is free with your Interest Checking Account.

• What are Ally's ATM fees?

  Ally doesn't charge fees to use ATMs nationwide. And, if you are charged ATM fees by other banks in the U.S., we'll automatically reimburse you at the end of your monthly statement period. To find a nearby ATM, use the Ally ATM & Cash Locator.

• What happens if I return a purchase that earned Ally Perks®?

  Money you got back through Ally Perks may be taken back from your Ally account if you return a qualifying purchase.

  If you make multiple returns on purchases that earned Ally Perks, you may lose your access to Ally Perks.

• What is the Ally Ten Day Best Rate Guarantee?

  The Ally Ten Day Best Rate Guarantee gets you the best rate we offer for your CD when you fund your CD within 10 days of opening or renewing your Ally account, including open or maturity date. It's just one more way we're making sure your money works hard and earns more.

• What is the minimum deposit for opening an account?

  It's always $0 to open. There are also no monthly service fees.

• What kind of account do I need to take advantage of Ally Perks®?

  You'll need an Ally Interest Checking Account. Ally Perks are available once you've funded your account and received your Ally Checking Debit Card.

• What kind of retailers offer Ally Perks®?

  Ally Perks are offered at local and national retailers and restaurants. There are Perks for everything from family dining and fast food to clothing and sports supplies. Ally Perks offer a variety of shopping options from online to in-store.

• What should I do if my card is lost or stolen?

  Call us at 877-247-Ally (2559) as soon as you discover your card is missing. We'll immediately cancel your card and issue a replacement. You can also write to us at:

  Ally Bank Customer Care
  P.O. Box 951
  Horsham, PA 19044

• When is interest posted, and how do I receive it?

  Interest is typically posted on the maturity date. It can, however, also be posted monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or annually. You can request to receive it in one of three ways:

  • By official check
  • By internal transfer to another Ally Bank account
  • By external transfer to a registered non-Ally bank account

  To make your request, just call us at 877-247-Ally (2559) or write to us at:
  
  Ally Bank Customer Care
  P.O. Box 951
  Horsham, PA 19044
  

• When will I receive my 1099-INT tax forms?

  We mail our forms on or before January 31 to the primary account holder's mailing address. You'll receive a 1099-INT if the total interest paid on all of your accounts during the previous year was at least $10.

  The forms will be available online for 18 months starting with the 2010 tax year. To see your current 1099-INT form:

  1. Log in to your Ally account
  2. Under the Account header, select statements from the left-hand navigation
  3. Under the 1099 statements header, select the Form 1099-INT for the most recent tax year

  Please call us at 1-877-247-ALLY (2559) if you have questions or if you expect to receive a 1099 form but don't by February 14.

• When will I start earning interest?

  No later than the business day we receive your opening deposit.

• When will transfers between internal Ally Bank accounts be credited?

  Immediately.

• Where can I find out how much interest I earned on my account?

  From allybank.com:

  1. Log in to your Ally account
  2. Choose an account from the my accounts page
  3. Select the More Details link in the right hand column on your account details page

  The Interest YTD information is displayed on the right on your account details page. If you earned interest on the account in the previous year, the Interest Prior Year information will be displayed below the YTD information.

  From Ally Mobile Banking:

  1. Log in to your Ally Mobile Banking app or m.allybank.com from your web-enabled smartphone
  2. Choose an account from the dashboard

  The Interest YTD information is displayed in the screen's header. If you earned interest on the account in the previous year, the Interest Prior Year information will be displayed by swiping the header to the left.

• Which accounts allow transfers?

  You can make transfers to and from our:

  • Online Savings Account
  • Money Market Account
  • NOW Account
  • Interest Checking Account
  • CMG Accounts

  Note: Money cannot be transferred to or from a certificate of deposit.

• Which accounts can I see and access online or on my web-enabled mobile phone?

  All of them:

  • High Yield Certificate of Deposit

  • No Penalty Certificate of Deposit

  • Online Savings Account

  • Money Market Account

  • NOW Account

  • Interest Checking Account

• Which accounts can I see and access online or on my web-enabled smartphone?

  All of them:

  • Certificates of Deposit: High Yield CD, Raise Your Rate CD, and No Penalty CD

  • IRAs: High Yield IRA CD, Raise Your Rate IRA CD, and Online Savings IRA

  • Online Savings Account

  • Money Market Account

  • NOW Account

  • Interest Checking Account