Analysts have speculated that free checking may disappear from many national banks. However, Bankrate, Inc.'s first annual 2010 Credit Union Study shows that free checking accounts are alive and well at many of the nation's top credit unions. The study also takes a look at fees, account balance minimums, and the cost of ATM usage at the 50 largest credit unions in the country.

Among the findings:

- Of the 50 largest credit unions in the country, free checking accounts were available at 39 of them;

- Forty-one of the credit unions have no balance requirement or monthly fee on their checking accounts;

- Among the nine credit unions that charge monthly service fees, the highest fee was $10 while the lowest was $1;

- Almost all of the credit unions, 47 out of 50, allow unlimited monthly transactions;

- Just over half of the credit unions surveyed, 27 out of 50, do not require a minimum opening balance on their free checking accounts;

- Of those requiring a minimum balance for free checking, the average minimum opening balance required for a non-interest account is $16;

- In keeping with current checking trends, 19 of the credit unions surveyed have interest-bearing checking accounts.

"With free checking accounts becoming less prevalent in national banks, credit unions can be an invaluable resource for the average consumer," said Greg McBride, CFA, senior financial analyst for Bankrate.com. "Credit unions offer many of the same services as most large banks. They just happen to be not-for-profit organizations that are owned by and in operation for the benefit of their members."