Banking Dilemmas

My big pet-peeve right now? ING Direct only allows a person to have one checking account, even if one is joint and the other individual.

I can have a million and one savings accounts with them, but only one checking account. Aside from the line-of-credit aspect to their overdraft, it’s unclear to me why that is.

I’m looking to open a set of individual bank accounts (checking and savings) by the end of the year, and am conflicted. Big brick-and-mortar banks still have both lousy returns and ethics. Ally has the best interest rates at the moment, but, well, it’s Ally. FDIC-insured, yes, but plenty of anecdotes of accounts locked for transfers that I wouldn’t call very large ($3000-$5000), and customer service issues across the board.

I love the idea of supporting more local business by going with a credit union, but their interest rates are just lying on the floor looking up at me sadly. It’s hard to mix a mercenary treatment of money with a desire to support local business.

I’d love ideas and recommendations.