You can add a savings account to USAA through the mobile app, website, or by calling member services

USAA lets you open a savings account as a separate product within your membership, or link an external savings account from another bank. The process differs depending on which you choose. If you're opening a new USAA savings account, you can do it entirely online in about 10 minutes. If you're connecting a savings account you already have elsewhere, you'll need your routing number and account number, and the connection takes a few minutes to set up but may take one to two business days to verify.

The fastest route is the USAA mobile app or website. You can also call USAA Member Services at 1-800-531-8722 if you prefer to do it over the phone, though you'll still need to confirm some details online afterward.

Key Takeaways

  • Opening a new USAA savings account takes about 10 minutes and requires only your membership login and a few basic details.
  • Linking an external savings account requires your routing number and account number, and verification typically takes one to two business days.
  • You can add a savings account through the USAA app, website, or by phone, but the app and website are faster.
  • Once added, you can transfer money between your USAA checking and savings accounts when ready, but transfers to external accounts follow standard ACH timing.

Opening a new USAA savings account through the app or website

Log into the USAA mobile app or go to usaa.com and sign in with your membership number and password. On the app, tap the menu icon (three horizontal lines) and look for "Open an Account" or "Add a Product." On the website, you'll find a similar option in the main menu or under "Products and Services."

Select "Savings Account" from the account types shown. USAA will ask you to confirm your personal information — name, date of birth, address — and then show you the current interest rate and account features. Review the terms, then confirm that you want to open the account. The account opens when ready and you can begin using it right away.

You do not need to fund the account to open it. You can transfer money into it later from your USAA checking account or from an external bank account.

Linking a savings account from another bank

If you want to connect a savings account you already have at a different bank, log into USAA and look for "Link an Account" or "Add External Account." You'll be asked to enter the bank name, routing number, and account number of the savings account you want to link.

USAA will then initiate a verification process. Most banks verify by making two small deposits (usually under $1 each) to the external account within one to two business days. You'll need to log into that external account, find those deposits, and report the amounts back to USAA to confirm you own the account. Once verified, you can transfer money between your USAA account and the linked external account.

Do not close the external account or remove it from online banking while USAA is verifying it. If verification fails, you can try again, but the process will restart.

What information you need before you start

To open a new USAA savings account, you need only your USAA membership login. You do not need to have anything else ready.

To link an external savings account, gather the following before you begin: the name of the bank where the account is held, the routing number (a nine-digit code that identifies the bank), and the account number. You can find both the routing number and account number on the bottom left of a check from that account, or by logging into the external bank's website or app and looking at account details.

How long transfers take once the account is set up

Transfers between your USAA checking account and a newly opened USAA savings account are when ready. Money moves within minutes during business hours.

Transfers from your USAA account to an external linked savings account follow standard ACH (Automated Clearing House) timing. USAA processes the transfer the same business day if you initiate it before the cutoff time (usually 5 p.m. Central Time on a business day). The receiving bank then takes one to two additional business days to post the money. So a transfer initiated on a Monday morning typically arrives by Wednesday.

Transfers into your USAA account from an external bank follow the same timeline — one to two business days after the other bank sends it.

Managing multiple savings accounts within USAA

USAA allows you to open more than one savings account under your membership. This is useful if you want to separate savings for different goals — one for an emergency fund, one for a vacation, one for a down payment. Each account has its own balance and interest rate.

You can name each account in the app or website to keep them straight. When you transfer money, you select which savings account you're moving it to or from. You can also set up automatic transfers between your checking and any of your savings accounts on a schedule you choose.

What happens if you need to remove or close a savings account

If you no longer want a USAA savings account, you can close it through the app or website. USAA will ask you to move any remaining balance out first — either to another USAA account or to an external account. Once the balance is zero, you can request closure. The account closes within a few business days.

If you linked an external savings account and no longer want it connected, you can unlink it at any time without affecting the external account itself. The external account remains open at its own bank; you straightforward remove the connection from USAA.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I open a USAA savings account if I don't have a USAA checking account?

USAA requires you to be a member to open any account, but membership itself does not require a checking account. You can open a savings account as your first USAA product. However, most people open checking first because transfers between USAA accounts are when ready, while transfers to external accounts take one to two business days.

What if I enter the wrong routing number when linking an external account?

USAA will attempt to send the verification deposits to the account number at the routing number you provided. If the routing number is wrong, the deposits may go to the wrong bank or be rejected. You'll see an error message or the verification will fail. You can then unlink the account and try again with the correct routing number.

Do I have to keep a minimum balance in a USAA savings account?

USAA savings accounts do not require a minimum balance to open or maintain the account. You can open an account and leave it empty, or deposit and withdraw as you choose. However, some USAA savings products may have different terms — check the account details when you open it to confirm.

Can I transfer money from my USAA savings account to pay a bill?

You cannot pay bills directly from a USAA savings account. You can transfer money from savings to your USAA checking account (when ready), and then use checking to pay bills. Or you can transfer from savings to an external account and pay from there, though that takes one to two business days.

What if USAA's verification deposits don't show up in my external account?

Check the external account's transaction history or pending transactions — sometimes deposits take a day to appear. If they don't show within two business days, the routing number or account number may be incorrect. Unlink the account in USAA and try again with verified information from your external bank's website or a check.