What you can do to lower fees.

Banks have been raising fees or instituting new ones for several years. Over a four-year period, fees on checking and savings accounts rose 50%. What can you do to lower such charges? The Institute of Certified Financial Planners recommends:

Pay attention. Banks do not announce new fees or hikes in red letters. Often, they come in fine print stuck in with your bank statement. Take the time to read it. Look at the fees charged on your monthly statement. For example, bounced-check charges now average $20, up from $15 a few years ago. Few customers noticed the increase, or objected if they did.

Complain. Banks don't like losing business. Some will waive a bounced-check fee for valued customers who complain, or allow time to cover the shortfall. Ask the bank that issues your credit card to waive its annual fee, lower the interest rate, or both -- or hint you'll go elsewhere.

Shop around. Some financial institutions, particularly smaller banks and credit unions, charge lower fees. Smaller institutions are more apt to listen to complaints or even call you in the event of an overdraft. Of course, you must weigh the issue of fees with other factors. For example, larger banks tend to offer more services than smaller ones. Convenience, financial stability, and quality of service are issues to consider along with fees.

Consolidate accounts and services. The more types of banking you do at one institution, the more likely you'll receive discounts or special deals. For instance, if you keep minimum checking and savings balances, you might get loan...