[DC, DE, PA, VA, WV, MD] SECU $350 Checking Bonus

Update 11/13/24: Deal is back until 3/31/25. Now for $350. Anti-churn language increased from 12 months to 24 months this time around Hat tip to reader L

Update 2/21/24: Extended until 3/31/24

Update 11/13/23: Extended until 12/31/23.

Offer at a glance

  • Maximum bonus amount: $350
  • Availability: DC, DE, PA, VA, WV, MD
  • Direct deposit required: Yes, two direct deposits
  • Additional requirements:
  • Hard/soft pull: Soft Pull
  • ChexSystems: Unknown
  • Credit card funding: None
  • Monthly fees: None
  • Early account termination fee: None listed
  • Household limit: None
  • Expiration date: 10/31/23

The Offer

Direct link to offer

  • SECU is offering a $250 checking bonus when you open a new checking account and complete the following requirements:
    • Must set up e-statements and have at least 2 qualifying payroll Direct Deposits within 90 days of opening the account

 

The Fine Print

  • $250 offer valid from 7/17/23 – 10/31/23 for new or existing SECU members that open a new SECU Total™ Checking & Rewards account and meet the following criteria.
  • New SECU Members: 1) Join SECU and open a checking account during the promo period; 2) Within 90 days of opening checking: Set up e-statements and have qualifying payroll Direct Deposits totaling at least $500/month and at least 2 separate direct deposits post to your checking account*.
  • Existing SECU Members that do not already have a checking account: 1) Open a checking account during the promo period; 2) Within 90 days of opening checking: Set up e-statements and have at least 2 qualifying payroll Direct Deposits totaling at least $500/month post to your checking account*. Members that already have a checking account or had a checking account after 1/17/23 are not eligible for this offer.
  • Offer is only available to Maryland residents and residents of surrounding states (DC, DE, PA, VA, WV), as well as University of Maryland College Park students. Residents of other states not listed are not eligible.
  • Qualifying direct deposits include recurring electronic deposits of payroll, pension or Social Security. Person to person, bank transfers or other electronic money transfers, such as those made through internet payment services, do not qualify.
  • All criteria must be met within 90 days of opening checking.
  • SECU will credit one cash bonus of $250 to the primary owner of the new SECU checking account within 60 days of meeting the requirements.
  • Membership and accounts must be in good standing to receive the bonus.
  • Promotional period and offer are subject to change at any time without notice.
  • The promotional bonus is limited to one per member.
  • If you received a bonus for a SECU checking promo in the last 12 months, you are not eligible for this offer.
  • Advertised bonus cannot be combined with any other offer.
  • Membership eligibility required.
  • Bonuses are considered miscellaneous income, and may be reported as income to the IRS on Form 1099-MISC. SECU’s determination of offer eligibility is final. Federally insured by NCUA.
  • 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 to worry about

Early Account Termination Fee

There is no EATF in the fee schedule.

Our Verdict

Last time SECU offered a bonus it was available nationwide with a donation, but terms have specific states listed this time unfortunately. This is an extra $50 and requirements are roughly the same. Worth doing and we will add it to the best bank bonuses.

Hat tip to jd

Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:
    William Charles
  • On November 13, 2024, 13:00
Tags: dc bank bonusesde bank bonusesdirect deposit requiredmd bank bonusesno credit card fundingpa bank bonusessoft pullva bank bonuseswv bank bonuses

View Comments (207)

  • Fully met requirements by 12/12/24, got payment on 1/23/25. Kept weekly <$50 deposits flowing in.

    No referral bonus posted yet though.

  • Opened 10/19/24 and had three employee DD over $50, Terms i signed up with said at least two deposits, did not specify amount. Looks like others are doing a $500 minimum deposit one

    messaged support and will post an update

  • Did 2 employer direct deposits on 12/13/2024 of $25 and on 12/31/2024 of $25, still have yet to receive bonus. Should the direct deposits have been larger?

    • I have 3x $250 work dd from Nov to Jan but no bonus. Reading from others all receive bonus very fast. SM says :The funds will be deposited within 60-90 days for the account opening as long as you are meeting the account requirements.

      • The past offers said you had to have $500 of DD's per month...

        Notice the ones who are getting the bonus are meeting that criteria. I highly suggest hitting that mark.

        When you don't meet the criteria they continue to push it out till the end of the validation period. @guest_1662196 @guest_1982323

          • Awesome, but you did contact SECU and possible that got them to fix the issue or push your bonus thru manually. That's great it worked with such a small DD.

        • I did a secure message and the rep noted that there is no minimum direct deposit needed, may just be slower than normal

        • FWIW support told me I qualified and pointed to the exact date of my second DD and I have been DDing only 10-20 per deposit. It's only been 1 month since meeting the requirements and they have 2 months. Worst case after 2 months I'll just open a complaint.

          • Then how do you explain the quickness in which some are being paid?

            And, instead your having meaningful chats with support that says keep waiting?

          • I have no idea how to explain the quickness of some others being paid nor am I trying to. I am just giving my DP. I clearly met the requirements of their offer, so I am not sweating.

            I also have not received the $50 referral for signing up, which means you probably haven't either since I signed up under you.

  • P1 (referred during $50 period):
    11/19/24 - open with required deposit
    11/29/24 - $250 real DD
    12/13/24 - 2x $250 real DD
    12/19/24 - $350 bonus posted
    12/20/24 - $50 referral posted in savings

    P2 (referred by P1 during $100 period):
    12/5/24 - opened with required deposit
    12/13/24 - 2x$250 real DD
    12/19/24 - $350 bonus posted

    No sign of $100 referral for P2. Will report back if and when that happens.

    • Interesting, P2 opened 11/13/24 and second DD hit 12/5/24 yet no bonus. Didn't get a referral bonus either. There was no requirement for the amount the DD needs to be was there?

    • The referral bonuses have been posting about a month after signup, just like your P1 DP. I'd bet the $100's from your P2's sign-up will arrive late next week, or the following week.

      On 12/20 & 12/23, I got $50 bonuses, that would have been from mid-November sign-ups. No $100's yet. They post as "Interest Adjustment Refer A Member Promo".

      Per terms, "*$100 referral bonus is only available for referrals submitted between 11/25/24 – 2/28/25."

  • I work for one of the employers associated with SECU. Indicated that when the account was opened and was approved immediately.

  • Applied online, got a pending review, the next day they asked for a utility bill to verify address, and then a few hours later I was denied.

    Chex was pulled. I was at 1/3, 3/3, 11/6, 14/12, 21/24

    • applied for membership online oos (was just trying for membership referral bonus, not the checking one), they pulled chex when i submitted the application (forgot it was thawed). they made me do a video banking session a few days later, where they made me thaw and pulled chex again (even though i told them it was already pulled), was then declined due to chex but they couldn't give me any further info like what count in what timeframe was the problem. they've fought me on removing the duplicate pull, super annoying. stats at the time i initially applied (before they double-pulled my report) was 4-5/1 (one would've aged out between their first and second pull), 9/3, 16/6, 33/12, 46/24, 47/36. there was an inquiry the day before their first pull on my report, possibly that's what spooked them (i'd heard they weren't sensitive but reading these data points it sounds like they are and i never stood a chance)

    • It's good to know that they are still Chex sensitive so I made the right decision not trying again.

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