Offer at a glance
- Interest Rate: 7% APY
- Minimum Balance: $25,000
- Maximum Balance: None
- Availability: TX, might be nationwide with a $5 donation to Star Savers Education Foundation
- Direct deposit required: None
- Additional requirements: 15 debit card purchases
- Hard/soft pull: Unknown
- ChexSystems: Unknown
- Credit card funding: Unknown
- Monthly fees: None
- Insured: NCUA
The Offer
- Las Colinas Federal Credit Union offers a Premier Checking Account. This account earns 7% APY on balances up to $25,000 when the following requirements are met:
- Make 15 point-of-sale purchases with your debit card
The Fine Print
- All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them
Avoiding Fees
This account has no monthly fees to worry about.
Our Verdict
Seems like the requirements are very easy to meet. If it is possible to open nationwide this will get slammed and get closed down quickly.
Down to 5% effective 1/1/25
I had tried to apply online around December 29th, but could not verify my identity online, so I gave up. While I was on vacation last week, I received a voice mail from Elias, wanting to help me get my account open. I called today and spoke to Elias. He’s going to email me the paperwork to sign to get my account opened. Minimum deposits of $30 for savings and $25 for checking to open the accounts. I’m an Independent Mary Kay Beauty Consultant, so met the membership requirements with that.
Received email with papers to virtually sign and instructions to fund account. My account was successfully opened. Debit card should arrive by mail in 7-10 days.
Just chatted with a rep for location eligibility. Here’s his answer:
“I appreciate your patience, I have checked and by that Zip code you would not apply to become a member. Please review below our full membership eligibility criteria. Membership Criteria:
Individuals who live, work, or worship in the following communities are eligible to join Las Colinas Federal Credit Union:
*Valley Ranch Homeowners
*Community near Zales Corporation (anyone who lives, works, worships or attends school in the geographic area bordered by Walnut Hill Ln, Belt Line and 114 in Irving)
*Regal (anyone who lives, works, worships or attends school in the 75247 zip code)
*Anyone Contributing to Star Savers Education Foundation
*Anyone employed on our Select Employer
Group list SEG LIST HERE: https://www.lascolinasfcu.com/sponsor-companies
*$25 is required to establish a Savings account for Membership”
Must be Chex Sensitive. First time ever refused by a bank. How do you find out your Chex score other then requesting a free report? They have to mail it to me–
Lol, top of the linked webpage for this CU says sth among the lines of: “our xx branch hours are Tue-Thu from 9 to 4:30pm, and closed for lunch 1:00 p.m. to 1:45 p.m”
Seems like they are ready for the DoC masses for sure 😀
Also
William Charles your title is wrong, it’s 25k not 20k max…
Would be interested to see if anyone outside of TX is successful. The website says that you can join their foundation but I was not able to apply online due to name not matching ID and had to call. They told me that I did not meet their characteristics for membership. I asked what those were and they said you had to live in TX. I asked them about the foundation option and they said you still needed to live in TX
I live in TX and they would not allow me to apply. They said you have to live in certain counties in TX
I called and this is what she said! You have to live in TX, POS looks like it means you have to do it at stores, starbucks etc or it won’t count. That is weird but I guess they could have it that way. I asked about paying electric and gas bills and she said that wouldn’t count. She checked with a manager. Would love to know someone that already has that account. It’s been there but at a lower rate. I’ll dig a little bit more and see if I can find the terms of the checking account–but 15 transactions at a store is difficult–especially with all the people in stores the month of Dec. I would hate to hold up a line at the grocery store doing that many separate transactions.
who did you speak to SV? i tried applying and they said you have to live in certain counties in TX. I live in Houston, TX and they wouldn’t allow me to apply.
Still waiting for a call back to answer more of my questions. I’m in Ft. Worth so we will see if that works. I asked if it was nationwide and they just said you have to live in TX nothing specific about where in Tx. Will try and get more clarification on it today.
Hard Pull
Asked the live chat about Amazon being coded as POS.
” I appreciate your patience collectivefish, I have checked and the online purchases at major retailers as Amazon, Walmart, Target, etc; would be coded as a Point of Sal purchase. “
“online purchases at major retailers as “…sounds like they’re guessing. Did you specifically ask about “major retailers”?
I did not. Did not know that difference, care to explain?