When was the last time you changed your bank account?

If it’s been a while, you may be missing out on savings, better interest rates and sign-up perks. A report from Bankrate shows that Americans tend to stay loyal to their banks far longer than experts recommend — holding on to checking accounts for an average of 19 years and savings accounts for 17 years.

"Switching banks is not at the top of everybody’s to-do list," said Ted Rossman, a senior industry analyst at Bankrate. "A lot of times, people keep the same account just because they’ve always had it, and it just kind of is what it is."

Rossman advises consumers to shop around for new accounts every year or two. "If you don’t shop around, you might not know that there’s something better out there, particularly if you’re being char

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