Top 5 Reasons to Have an Arkansas Federal Checking Account

Whether you already have a checking account and want to switch to Arkansas Federal Credit Union or have never had one, choosing the right one is crucial to keeping more money in your pocket. From saving on fees to earning on your balance, as well as being able to open a checking account online quickly and easily, here are the top five reasons why a checking account with us is a great idea!  

1. Choices, Choices, Choices. 

We offer several checking account options to fit any lifestyle: Everyday Checking, Premium Checking, and Elite Checking. Here’s a quick overview: 

• With Everyday Checking, you can enjoy $0 minimum balance requirements, $0 monthly fees, $0 fraud liability,Certain restrictions apply. See www.mastercard.us/zero-liability for details. and tons of free extras (more on that below);  
• Premium Checking allows you to earn as high as 4.00% APY APY is Annual Percentage Yield. Premium Checking is a tiered rate variable product. Rate is effective as of 5/31/2023. To qualify for the 4.00% APY, member must be in good standing and complete 10 monthly transactions of at least $1 each, defined as ACH, direct deposit, bill pay, debit card (used as debit or credit), and checks. Zelle® transactions currently do not count as a qualified transaction. Current inactive accounts qualify for offer by meeting same criteria. 4.00% APY applies to balances $0–$10,000. Balances $10,000.01 or more earn 0.05% APY. Fees could reduce earnings. $15 monthly fee applies if daily balance drops below $2,500. Offer and rates subject to change. Exclusions may apply. Refer to rate sheet for full details. Membership with Arkansas Federal Credit Union is required. on your balance when monthly requirements are met, such as completing 10 monthly transactions of at least $1 or more each; and 
• Elite Checking is our highest yield checking account, allowing you to earn as high as 6.00% APY APY is the Annual Percentage Yield. Elite Checking is a tiered rate variable product. The rate is effective as of 09/01/2023. To qualify for the 6.00% APY, member must have a monthly direct deposit of at least $1,000 going to their Elite Checking, be enrolled in eStatements, be in good standing, and complete 15 monthly transactions of at least $10 each by using their debit card tied to the account. The 15 required transactions must post to the account within the calendar month to receive earnings. 6.00% APY applies to balances up to $10,000.00. Balances $10,000.01 or more earn 0.05% APY. Fees could reduce earnings. A $15 monthly fee applies if the daily balance drops below $2,500.00. Only one Elite Checking or Premium Checking account per member is allowed. Offer and rate are subject to change. Exclusions may apply. Refer to rate sheet for full details. Membership with Arkansas Federal Credit Union is required. on your balance when monthly requirements are met, such as completing 15 monthly debit card transactions of at least $10 each.  

2. $0 Monthly Maintenance Fees“No Monthly Maintenance Fee” means there are no monthly fees to have the checking account. However, there is a monthly fee to receive a paper-mailed statement. Enrolling in eStatements will eliminate the paper statement fee. Standard fees such as non-sufficient funds, overdrafts, stop-payments, and wire fees do apply. Please view our Consumer Fee Schedule for a complete list. Everyday Checking does not have a minimum balance requirement, but Elite and Premium have a minimum average daily balance requirement of $2,500, or a fee will be applied.  

Enjoy $0 monthly maintenance fees“No Monthly Maintenance Fee” means there are no monthly fees to have the checking account. However, there is a monthly fee to receive a paper-mailed statement. Enrolling in eStatements will eliminate the paper statement fee. Standard fees such as non-sufficient funds, overdrafts, stop-payments, and wire fees do apply. Please view our Consumer Fee Schedule for a complete list. Everyday Checking does not have a minimum balance requirement, but Elite and Premium have a minimum average daily balance requirement of $2,500, or a fee will be applied. regardless of which checking account you choose. That’s right—zero, zip, nada. That’s more money in your pocket! With the average big bank monthly checking maintenance fee of a little over $10 a month, that’s a savings of more than $100 a year.“No Monthly Maintenance Fee” means there are no monthly fees to have the checking account. However, there is a monthly fee to receive a paper-mailed statement. Enrolling in eStatements will eliminate the paper statement fee. Standard fees such as non-sufficient funds, overdrafts, stop-payments, and wire fees do apply. Please view our Consumer Fee Schedule for a complete list. Everyday Checking does not have a minimum balance requirement, but Elite and Premium have a minimum average daily balance requirement of $2,500, or a fee will be applied.  

3. Little or No Minimum Balance Requirements 

At Arkansas Federal, our Everyday Checking account has no minimum balance requirements! So, there’s no need to worry about a low balance fee. If you tend to carry a higher balance, though, consider our Elite or Premium checking instead. You’ll need to maintain a balance of $2,500 to avoid a fee, but it’s a great option if you want to earn a high yield on your balance.  

4. Easy to Open & Switch

You can open your account online yourself in minutes! You can also visit your nearest branch or call us at 800.456.3000.  It may sound like a lot of work, but it’s probably less hassle than you think. Check out our hassle-free guide to learn more.  

5. Free Extras!

All Arkansas Federal checking accounts give you the features you need with plenty of fee-free extras.  

• Free Early Paycheck. Get your paycheck up to two days early with Early Pay when you set up direct deposit with your checking account.Direct deposit and earlier availability of funds in your Arkansas Federal account are subject to your employer/payer, or benefit provider’s funding. Actual payment dates may vary.  
• Free Digital Banking. Enjoy convenient, secure 24/7 access to your accounts right from your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Control your card 24/7 monitor your credit score with Credit IQ, pay bills, send secure messages, make digital payments, and so much more. 
• Free Bill Pay. Whether at home or on the go, pay all your bills on one screen with Online Bill Pay. It’s convenient and, of course, free to use.  
• Free Mobile Deposit. Save yourself a trip to the branch and deposit your check using your smartphone with Mobile Deposit.  
• Free Account Alerts. Account alerts make it easy to stay on top of your finances. Choose the alerts you want to receive and get notified of important activity on your accounts. 
• Free Digital Wallet. Instead of carrying your debit card around, securely store it in your phone’s digital wallet for quick checkouts in-store or online.   
• Free eStatements. Enjoy the convenience of eStatements that contain all the same information and looks just like your printed, paper statements.  
• Free Access to 30,000+ ATMs. Find a surcharge-free ATM near you! With 30,000+ ATMs to choose from, there’s always one near you.  
• Free Debit Card – with Tap to Pay. Pay in seconds with a tap of your card at a contactless-enabled terminal.   
• Free ID Theft Protection™. Should you become the victim of Identity Theft, Mastercard will assist you with credit bureau notification and debit card replacement and provide you with an ID Theft Affidavit.Certain restrictions apply. See www.mastercard.us/zero-liability for details.
• Free Extended Warranty Insurance When you use your debit card, you’ll enjoy double the time period and duplicate the coverage of the original manufacturer’s or U.S. store brand warranty for a maximum of one year.Certain restrictions apply. See www.mastercard.us/zero-liability for details.
• $0 Fraud Liability. You won’t be held responsible for unauthorized charges made with your account or account information.Certain restrictions apply. See www.mastercard.us/zero-liability for details.

Ready to get started? Open your account online in minutes. It’s easy.