It can pay to have a checking account. But a new survey out this morning from Bankrate shows low-income consumers end up paying more in monthly bank fees than other customers. The survey found that consumers with annual household incomes under $30,000 pay an average of $31 in monthly fees compared to $9 for people in higher income brackets. Bankrate analyst Amanda Dixon points out more than a third of all financial institutions offer free checking options, and urges customers to shop around. On average, checking account holders stay with the same bank for 16 years.

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