summersavings - Patelco Credit Union | Personalized Banking and Financial Services (2024)

To qualify for the rates below, you must either be a Patelco member with 10 or more years of tenure, as of 12/31/2024, OR you must have a Patelco checking account and make a monthly deposit of $500 or more into your Patelco checking² account. To open a Patelco checking account, click here.

Free Checking with Patelco

Open Account Free Checking with Patelco

Frequently Asked Questions

• Are there monthly fees on the Free Checking account or the Certificate?

  No. We don’t charge a monthly fee or require a minimum balance to waive the monthly fee.

  Do I need to open a Patelco checking account to earn the premium rates on the Certificate promotion?

  If you’ve been a Patelco member for at least 10 years as of December 31, 2024, then you don’t need to have a Patelco checking account in order to earn the premium rates on this Certificate promotion. Thank you for being a long term member and trusting us on your financial journey!
  If you have been a member for less than 10 years as of December 31, 2024, then you need to have an open Patelco checking account (under the same membership number) and deposit a minimum of $500 total each month to that checking account to qualify for the premium Certificate rate. The checking account must be open prior to opening your Certificate. The deposit requirement must be met by the end of the 2nd calendar month following the opening of your Certificate. For example, if you open your Certificate on March 15, 2024, you must be depositing a total of $500 monthly by May 31, 2024, and in every month thereafter while your Certificate is open.
  If you fail to have an open Patelco checking account and/or don’t meet the monthly $500 minimum deposit requirement, your Certificate APY will be reduced to the lower standard rate and will not be reinstated thereafter.
  More details may be found in the Certificate Account Overview.

  Is my Certificate insured?

  Yes. Your Certificate is insured by NCUA for up to $250,000.00 (or $500,000.00 in a joint account for two people).
  Like the FDIC, NCUA provides federal insurance for credit union accounts, while the FDIC provides insurance for bank accounts.

  How do I find a no-fee ATM near me?

  You can find one of the 30,000+ fee-free ATMs at patelco.org/locations or on your Mobile App.

  How does it work to get paid up to 2 days early?

  ALL Members who set up direct deposits into their Patelco checking, savings, or money market accounts can get paid up to 2 days early³ — so you can access your funds faster.

  What are the benefits of becoming a Patelco member?

  Patelco is a member owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative. When you join Patelco, you become a member and a shareholder. That’s why we’ll also open a Regular Savings account and deposit one share ($1) in your account when you join.
  Our mission is to help members achieve lifelong financial wellbeing so you can live happier, fuller lives.
  Unlike the big banks or other for-profit financial institutions, we invest our profits back in our members with better rates and low to no fees.
  We also offer free financial advice to anyone who wants to improve their financial situation. Members have told us that they feel seen, heard, informed, and supported to make more confident financial choices.
  Membership is free and comes with great benefits. You become a member when you open an account with us.

Prefer talking to someone?

Make an appointment to visit a Patelco branch near you. Or meet on video with our Virtual Branch — where you can schedule an appointment to meet virtually from the comfort of your home or office.

Schedule Appointment Prefer talking to someone?

¹APY=Annual Percentage Yield. Rates are effective as of 06/14/2024. Rates may vary at the time of maturity or renewal. 

² Certificate promotion interest rates vary depending on qualifications. 9-Month Certificate promotion has a premium rate of 5.00% APY and standard rate of 4.50% APY (Dividends paid monthly); 14-Month Certificate promotion has a premium rate of 4.90% APY and standard rate of 4.60% APY (Dividends paid monthly); 23-Month Certificate promotion has a premium rate of 4.60% APY and standard rate of 4.10% APY (Dividends paid monthly). In order to obtain the high premium rate for either Certificate promotional term, you must meet at least one of the following criteria: Tenure of 10+ years as of 12/31/2024, OR a checking account (under the same membership) prior to Certificate opening with a total recurring monthly deposit of $500 or more. If the checking account criteria is not met at any time, the rate will be reduced to the lower standard rate and will not be reinstated thereafter. Qualifying deposit transactions include: Payroll direct deposits, Social Security (or other government benefit) direct deposits, ACH transfers, Zelle®, Venmo, PayPal or other similar deposits, cash deposits, check deposits (except checks written from another Patelco account), wire transfers, multiple deposits (of the types listed here) that add up to at least $500 in a calendar month. Qualifying deposit transactions do not include Patelco account-to-Patelco account transfers, chargebacks or promotional incentive payments from Patelco. All certificates are subject to an early withdrawal penalty. For IRA Certificates, the early withdrawal penalty is waived if the IRA owner is age 59½ years or older. Fees could reduce earnings. Please see the Certificate Accounts section in the Patelco Member Handbook. For more details, read our Certificates Account Overview

³ Early access to direct deposit funds depends on the timing of the receipt of the payment file from the payer. We generally make these funds available on the day the payment file is received up to 2 days earlier than the scheduled payment date.

⁴ Source: over 22,000 five-star reviews on the App Store.

⁵ You must enroll in Instant BackUp on your checking account to receive overdraft coverage up to $500. You’ll pay interest only on the amount you borrowed for the amount of time it’s outstanding. Talk to our Patelco team for assistance and learn more here. No overdraft fees applies to checking accounts opened after 04/05/23.