This is an important sentimentality to reflect on. Banks and other businesses count on emotion and habit to keep our business even when their quality suffers. Does the BofA you see today reflect the values of Seafirst? Would your parents still recommend that you do business there? If you are feeling sentimental, frame your debit card after you close the account.

Many credit unions are part of the CU Service Center and share ATMs and even teller services. My CU is in Seattle and I have deposited checks at CUs in Minnesota. Not true for all CUs, but many are part of this system.

This is an excellent option with one exception. You become the guy that is never around because he is using his special time off, or the guy that never takes his time off. Also most accounting rules require that you book time off as a expense just as if they had paid you.

The telecommuting could work if you value that, but then you have the 'special' problem every week as opposed to every couple of months.

If they can't fix their problems then they probably are going to have problems paying you real quick.

Give them a rate 1.5 to 2X your new hourly rate (translated from your new jobs salary if needed). Otherwise you are working for less than it cost to keep you on. Also realize that this can turn into the long tail from hell and result in loss of that loyalty you value when (not if) there is a miscommunication in what you offered vs what they THINK you offered.

This is an important distinction. Organizations cannot return loyalty. People can. People who care about you will want what is best for you and not only think about the companies needs. Those people may work to keep you, but it is the people not the organization that make the effort.

Talk to your manager. If his/her first response is about the company and not about you, leave. You have made a simple attribution error in assuming extended proximity and a friendly work environment equates to loyalty.

If your manager's first response is about you then talk it out. Tell them why this is better for you. Communicate your concerns about asking for a counter-offer (well defined above). Most every day at a job is about the company, with the exception of when your paycheck arrives, when you get a raise or are disciplined, and days like this. If they cannot make an effort then you know where you stand.

Do not take this over your bosses head. If he/she is competent and cares/returns your loyalty, then he/she will do that for you. If not, then the senior managers you feel loyalty for have not filled their side of the implicit contract and anything you do will undermine your boss who you will have to work for afterwards. If you give notice and they go around your boss to try to keep you, then that is a problem too. I cannot cover every edge case, but you see where I am going.

Oh, and you are eminently replaceable. They may have to spend more money to get someone who can do your job (sometimes hiring two people to cover your duties). They may have to move deadlines or change scope on their project to get it out without you. If it is true that "You can't leave, the company will fail" then someone has not done basic risk mitigation and that isn't a company that will be around for you to be loyal to in a year. I have worked for companies that saw 100% turnover in developers and survived just fine.

So the Force has a multitouch interface? Cool!