Extended to 6/30/25
Update 3/5/25: Terms now state ‘Offer is restricted to Colorado residents’
Offer at a glance
- Maximum bonus amount: $350
- Availability: CO
- Direct deposit required: Yes, $500+ per month for two months
- Additional requirements: See below
- Hard/soft pull: Soft
- ChexSystems: Unknown
- Credit card funding: Up to $2,500 (previously $10,000)
- Monthly fees: No
- Early account termination fee: 12 months, bonus forfeit
- Household limit: One
- Expiration date: May 31, 2025
Contents
The Offer
- Elevations Credit Union is offering a $350 bonus when you open a new checking account and complete the following requirements:
- Use promo code ECU350
- Enroll in online banking.
- Set up direct deposit with at least $500 per month for two month
The Fine Print
- Checking cash bonus is not available to existing members, Elevations Credit Union employees, Elevations Board Members, or consumers who have been closed with a negative balance.
- Limit one offer per New Membership and checking account.
- Limit one bonus per household, per lifetime. To receive the cash bonus, open a new Elevations Free Checking, Buff One Checking or Dividend Checking account. Forever Buffs checking does not qualify for this offer. Member must have direct deposit(s) totaling $500 per month for two consecutive months following the open date of the account. Direct deposit must be new to Elevations Credit Union and must be payroll, pension, Social Security or other recurring government benefits. Member must log into online banking. All requirements must be met within 90 days of account opening. The cash bonus will be deposited into the new checking account within 30 days of the final qualifying requirement if the account opened is in good standing (i.e., is not overdrawn or at a zero balance). We reserve the right to substitute the bonus offered at any time with an item of similar value. Limited time bonus. The $350 cash bonus is considered interest and is subject to IRS and other tax reporting.
- The cash bonus can be revoked if the account is closed within twelve (12) months of opening date.
- Offer expires May 31, 2025.
- Qualifying direct deposits: Qualifying deposits are regular, periodic automated clearing house (ACH) credits, which may include payroll, salary, pension or government payments (such as Social Security). Deposits that DO NOT QUALIFY are those through the Real-Time Payments (RTP) network, payments through peer-to-peer networks such as PayPal, Zelle, Venmo or others, transfers from another Elevations deposit account, voided transactions, dividends, loan funding, adjustments, and micro-deposits (deposits typically less than $1 sent to your account to verify it is the correct account).
- All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them
Avoiding Fees
Monthly Fees
This account has no monthly fees
Early Account Termination Fee
Bonus forfeit if closed within 12 months
Our Verdict
Previously there was a $100 bonus, but that was for University of Colorado students only. This is a much bigger bonus and open to more as well. Will add this to our list of the best bank account bonuses.
Hat tip to Lobster
Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:
- A Beginners Guide To Bank Account Bonuses
- Bank Account Quick Reference Table (Spreadsheet) (very useful for sorting bonuses by different parameters)
- PSA: Don’t Call The Bank
- Introduction To ChexSystems
- Banks & Credit Unions That Are ChexSystems Inquiry Sensitive
- What Banks & Credit Unions Do/Don’t Pull ChexSystems?
- How To Use Our Direct Deposit Page For Bank Bonuses Page
- Common Bank Bonus Misconceptions + Why You Should Give Them A Go
- How Many Bank Accounts Can I Safely Open Within A Year For Bank Bonus Purposes?
- Affiliate Links & Bank Bonuses – We Won’t Be Using Them
- Complete List Of Ways To Close Bank Accounts At Each Bank
- Banks That Allow/Don’t Allow Out Of State Checking Applications
- Bank Bonus Posting Times
4/24/25 Account Opened
5/2/25 $500+ Amex business checking DD
6/4/25 $500+ Amex business checking DD
6/5/25 Bonus Received
Notes: Happy to see the bonus was triggered by the employer DD via American Express Business checking direct deposits.
3/15/25 Opened
4/1/25 $505 real DD
5/1/25 $505 real DD
5/10/25 Bonus Received
Now I just need to let it sit around for the full 12 months and make sure it doesn’t go dormant….
4/14 Initial deposit of $20
4/16 Chase Biz $501
4/18 Chase Biz $502 (tried to get bonus early based on previous DP)
5/14 Chase Biz $501
5/15 PROMO ECU350 Checking Promo Bonus deposited to savings
Great bonus if eligible, good amount, fast posting, little work!!!
04/09/25: Account opened online w/ document verification
04/10/25: Chase Biz Payroll $501
05/06/25: Chase Biz Payroll $501
05//10/25: $350 Bonus posted
Do I really have to keep this account for 12 months?
Gadget 🕵️♂️ Bank Bonus Geek 🔗
Chances of that being enforced would be slim. But, do you want to risk it?
You could zero the account and ask if there is any fee to close. If they say “no”, close it. It’s highly unlikely they would bill you.
Since there is no activity required, I’d just leave it with zero balance.
3/8: Opened account, had to jump thru some hoops with additional verification and providing additional documents
3/15, 3/31, 4/15: $600 real DD posted, each time moving money out the next day
4/16: $350 posted to Savings account
3/4: Opened account as CO resident; $5 deposit to savings via Chase Freedom (coded as cash advance; larger deposit for checking account was declined via Chase
3/21: $500 deposit to Elevations checking from Fidelity CMA
4/1: Pushed back to Fidelity
4/16: $501 deposit to Elevations checking from Fidelity CMA
4/18: $350 bonus posted to savings
Thanks for the DP. Very useful.
Were you able to link Fidelity to checking immediately? Fincity is only recognizing the Savings account and of course Fidelity doesn’t really do trial deposits anymore. Wondering if I need to wait for debit card to arrive or something like that. Thanks!
Just tried to apply (my credit is frozen), and got an email saying I need to unfreeze my credit so they can check it, so looks like a hard pull
Not according to everyone else.
When applying for a new bank or credit union, often times they cannot soft pull your credit if it’s frozen, and they need it to verify your identity and screen you for additional products.
Shanegm
Why did you freeze your credit? To stop people from being able to open accounts? Well, it worked.
3/6/25 – Opened (Savings + Checking, $25 initial deposit in each)
3/14/25 – $510 real employer DD (withdrawn the following Monday)
3/28/25 – $510 real employer DD (withdrawn the following Monday)
4/12/25 – $350 bonus deposited to savings “PROMO ECU350 Checking Promo Bonus”
Approved in CO. Credit card bank didn’t approve my CC funding request, save for the $5 for the saving accounts.
Wondering if anyone has had success triggering the direct deposit? I transferred $500 from Fidelity CMA and it’s unclear how it coded. All it says is: “FID BKG SVC LLC TYPE: MONEYLINE ID: (10-digit number redacted) CO: FID BKG SVC LLC.”
Think I may be the guinea pig here. I might give Chase biz checking ACH for $2.50 fee a try as well.
My legit direct deposit says “(employer name) TYPE: DIRECT DEP ID: (10-digit number) CO: (employer name)”
Good to know. FWIW, I called in to play dumb a bit and they said Fidelity should quality. Just made second deposit so we’ll see what happens in the next couple of weeks.
cap one venture posted as cash advance FYI