Switching banks or cards: checklist
How to switch without losing anything: open the new account, list a year of connections, move payments in and out, run both for a month and close formally.

[ ] Decide what you want from the new bank
    Fees, limits, the app, support, transfers, working abroad. Otherwise a year later you will be switching back.
[ ] Open the new account without closing the old one
    Running both is a required part of the switch. Nothing gets closed before the connections are moved.
[ ] List every connection from a year of statements
    Twelve months, so annual and rare payments appear. From memory this list is never complete.
[ ] Move the incoming payments
    Salary, benefits, refunds, transfers from family. Check the timing: changing details is not always instant.
[ ] Move utilities and compulsory payments
    Housing, phone, internet, school, clubs, insurance. Each has its own method and its own lead time.
[ ] Confirm the change of details for any loans
    Confirm the process in advance and get it in writing. A missed payment here damages your credit record.
[ ] Re-link subscriptions and services
    Streaming, cloud storage, deliveries, taxis, shops. Cancel what you do not use while you are there.
[ ] Update the card in your phone wallet and browser
    Cards saved in the browser and in wallets are what you discover at the till after the old one closes.
[ ] Check scheduled transfers
    Standing transfers to yourself, to family, to savings. Usually set up once and forgotten.
[ ] Run both accounts for a month
    Leave a small balance on the old one and watch what arrives. Something forgotten almost always appears.
[ ] Download the statements and documents you need
    After closure the history may become unavailable. Statements are needed for taxes, visas and disputes.
[ ] Empty the balance and check for holds
    Pending transactions, holds, accrued fees. An account with a few pennies will not close, and nobody will tell you.
[ ] Close the old account formally
    Not just \u201cstop using it\u201d: a dormant account can keep charging fees. Get a closure confirmation.
[ ] Keep the closure confirmation
    It matters if a debt appears on the \u201cclosed\u201d account a year later. That happens more often than people expect.

Checklist from Unload: https://unloads.me/c/bank-change