Credit unions, community banks and any other financialinstitution that does not charge consumers to use a debit cardstand to benefit after Bank of America announced it would beginto charge customers $5 per month to use their debit cards to makepurchases at retailers.

Media outlets are reporting that the fee will not be levied atATMs and that even one use of the debit card at a point of saleterminal would be enough to trigger the fee.

On some accounts which already carry fees for not having minimummonthly balances of at least $1,500, the addition of the debit cardfee will increase monthly fees on those accounts to between $17 and$20.