It’s amazing to see these banks still paying 4% because you won’t find these kinds of returns with any top CDs, savings or money market accounts. It’s hard to find a better deal than with these reward checking accounts.

Most CD rates are paying significantly less than they were a year ago, September 2009 and yet these reward checking accounts have stayed the same or close to 4%.

If you are looking for the best rates then reward checking might be the way to go. The only problems you will face are their requirements for receiving the high interest rate.

These are banks paying 4% APY on balances up to:

• $25,000 from First Clover Leaf Bank. The My Great Rate Checking is easy to obtain by meeting a few of their requirements. First Clover Leaf Bank has three branches in Edwardsville, IL and one in Wood River.
• $25,000 from Danversbank. The Free Rewards checking account will pay 4.01% on balances up to $25,000. Be sure to read their monthly requirements for obtaining this great rate.
• $25,000 from Baltimore County Savings Bank.
• $10,000 from Capital Bank. Their Smart Checking account will pay you 4.01% and has 32 branches in North Carolina.
• $10,000 from AmericanNet Bank. Find their Reward Checking account to view the requirements for earning 4%.

All reward checking accounts require you to follow a few rules to earn their high interest. Usually they want you to actually use their services, instead of just opening an account and stashing your money there.

Most reward checking accounts will have you using your debit card at least 10 times a month, opt in for online banking and will require you to have a direct deposit set up on a monthly basis. For any month you do not meet the minimum requirements your earnings will drop to their average interest rate, some are as low as 0.10%.

Reward Checking accounts are different than Checking Account Promotions.

All of these banks offer great Reward Checking and are available to all US residents in any of the 50 states.