Gibsland Bank And Trust

This is my first small bank experience and I must say I was quite impressed. This summer I went on a research expedition to find the perfect high yield checking account. This is the one for me!
Here’s the checking account breakdown as of December 2014. I receive 4.11% interest of checking account balances below $ 15,000 provided I have a direct deposit OR ACH transfer, enroll in estatements, and have 15 debit card transactions in a statement cycle (starts over the second Wednesday of every month). What a deal! This bank has one of the highest interest rates you can find on one of the highest balance maximums. The downside is that you have to make a branch visit to open the account. They additionally offer a high yield savings account that the previous account qualifies you for with a 1.51% interest rate.
So this answers what I was doing here. Now, what about the bank itself? It’s FDIC insured. Upon my entrance, I got a warm welcome from the branch manager and did the account opening portion with a very nice woman named Cynthia. One thing that impressed me was how the employees treat each other. They definitely have a family type attitude towards each other and their customers. They tend to do things like put lunch on the grill out back :-). They were very polite and offered me beverages while I waited for the account opening to finish.
The building is very large with an ATM and a drive thru option to speak with an actual banker if you have a preference for what type of bills you want. The drive thru is even open on Saturdays. The interiors are a little rustic. The place definitely has the look and feel of an old school bank. It has high desks for the tellers. I think they look pretty regal because they are dark wood instead of a cheap counter top that you find at most national banks. Oh, and the clean bathrooms are a plus!
If you’re and out of stater like me, you’ll love their online banking options. You can do everything except the account opening online. There is free electronic bill pay (mailed checks and ETF). Check books cost around $ 18.