[Expired] First Tech Federal Credit Union $300 Checking Bonus

Deal has ended, view more bank account bonuses by clicking here.

Update 6/18/24: Extended until August 31, 2024

Offer at a glance

The Offer

Direct link to offer

  • First Tech Federal Credit Union is offering a bonus $300 when you open a new checking account and complete the following requirements:
    • Set up a new payroll direct deposit to your First Tech Rewards Checking of $1,000+ per month for a minimum of three months

The Fine Print

  • Offer valid for enrollment between February 26, 2024 and June 30, 2024 for members without an existing direct deposit.
  • Members with existing direct deposits or who are already enrolled in a First Tech direct deposit campaign are not eligible.
  • Participant is defined as 18 years of age or older and the primary account owner on a First Tech Rewards Checking (FTRC) account.
  • Direct deposits are considered new if there has been no direct deposit activity in the Participant’s share accounts on which they are the Primary Owner within the previous 18 months.
  • New Direct Deposit Offer: New direct deposit must occur at least on New Direct Deposit Offer: New direct deposit must occur at least once per calendar month from the Participant’s employer payroll into the First Tech Rewards Checking (FTRC) account of which the Participant is the primary account owner. Direct deposits from a non-employer payroll source do not qualify. The monthly aggregate amount of all qualifying direct deposits must equal to at least $1,000 to earn the $300 bonus. Enrollment is the date of the initial direct deposit transaction. During the period of time commencing with Enrollment and ending 120 calendar days after Enrollment (“Enrollment Period”), at least one direct deposit transaction must occur each calendar month starting with the initial direct deposit transaction. A minimum of three direct deposit transactions must be received during the Enrollment Period. (EXAMPLE: If a member’s initial direct deposit is March 1, 2024, additional required direct deposits must occur at least once in each subsequent calendar month following the month in which the initial direct deposit is made, the last direct deposit must be received by June 29, 2024.) Only the Participant will receive credit for the direct deposits. Any qualifying bonus will be deposited to the Participant’s Membership Savings account the first week following the Enrollment Period. Bonuses will be considered dividends and may be reported on IRS form 1099-INT.
  • 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

No early account termination fee. They have a $5 inactivity fee after 6 months. Need to have transactions or more than $500 in deposits.

Our Verdict

Previously there was a $350 bonus, but this required $1,500 in spend in three categories to get $150 of the bonus. I think this flat $300 bonus is much better and worth doing and we will add this to our list of the best bank account bonuses.

Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:
    William Charles
  • On March 4, 2024, 11:00
Tags: direct deposit requirednationwide bank bonusesno credit card fundingsoft pull

View Comments (1186)

  • Pushed $1001 from Wise on 8/27, 9/3, and 10/2 with payroll reference. Received a congratulation email today for $300 bonus. I didn't get confirmation email for any of the DD.

  • just received the following email:

    I am pleased to report that the Board of Directors of First Tech and Digital Federal Credit Union (DCU) have unanimously approved a merger of equals uniting the nation’s two leading technology focused credit unions. This combination will benefit our members, employees and the communities we serve.

    At First Tech, we place the interests of our members first. In this regard, you should see little to no change in the systems and processes that many of you have come to know and love.

  • First tech
    -July 23, 2024: Opened
    -July 30, 2024: Wise personal push $1001, forgot to put "Payroll" in memo showed ACH Deposit WISE US INC ******** - wise P Jul From Firstname Lastname Via WISE
    -Aug 8, 2024: WIse personal push $1001, put "Payroll" in memo, showed ACH Deposit WISE US INC ******** - Payroll From Firstname Lastname Via WISE
    -Sep 9, 2024: WIse personal push $1001, put "payroll" in memo, showed ACH Deposit WISE US INC ******** - payroll From Firstname Lastname Via WISE
    -Sep 26, 2024: WIse personal push $1001, put "Payroll" in memo, showed ACH Deposit WISE US INC ******** - Payroll From Firstname Lastname Via WISE
    Until now sep 30, 2024: no email, no nothing, will try one more push in Oct to see any luck for me.

    • There is a way to check whether your met the DD requirements for each statement cycle.

      From your Dashboard, hover over the "Services" menu option and select "Rewards Checking". The third table down lists your DD/ACH transactions. The default is "Current Cycle", but on the right hand side of the page there is a list of previous cycles.

      Note that their CYCLES are not EXACTLY calendar months. That kind of bit me because not pay dates for my VA benefits fell within their 8/31 - 9/29 cycle dates. I had to switch my secondary part time income DD over to this account to get a DD within those dates. I also had to have a fourth DD because my 7/31 Real DD actually credited to the cycle that encompassed most of August.

      6/14/24 - Opened
      Cycle 1: 7/31 - 8/30:
      7/31/24 - Real DD > $1k
      8/29/24 - Read DD > $1k
      Cycle 2: 8/31 - 9/29
      9/12/24 - Read DD > $1k
      Cycle 3: 9/30 - 10/30
      9/30/24 - Read DD > $1k

      No e-mail so far, but...my last DD was only yesterday.

      • 10/2/24 - Received "Congratulations" e-mail!

        The e-mail says the bonus should be credited within a week.

      • Thank you so much for your input, I also see that the section 2 in each statement: Total Number of Debit & Credit Card Purchases 0/20 and Total Amount of Debit & Credit Card Purchases 0/$500. Do you think we must finish all that requirement to get the reward? Otherwise, I've already finished 3 ACH/DD in the last three statements. TIA

        • No. The debit/credit requirements are only required to get the high interest (4% right now?) on the account.

          I didn't meet the debit/credit requirements in any of the cycles and I just got my "Congratulations" email on 10/2/24. The bonus hasn't credited yet, but the email says it will.

          The only thing I can think of is that your 7/30/24 deposit might not have counted for July. It's possible that arrival time or actual posting date put it on 7/31/24 (kind of like what happened to me). If that's the case, you would need to do the October deposit to get a "third month". Your deposits on 9/9 and 9/26 would both be considered part of the September cycle.

          The good news is that it's now October, so....you don't have to wait long to find out. :D

  • It's so weird, I signed up in early July and I could have sworn the terms included a $10 X 10 debit card in addition to the $1000 DD, but that's not included in the bonus terms they emailed me a week later. I got bit recently by a similar change in terms vs. what was listed on DoC from 1st United, so I didn't really think twice about it. Now it's three months later and I've made 2 X $500 real DD each month in addition to the debit card transactions and I'm seemingly the only one on the board who hasn't received the bonus. They couldn't seriously be manually checking these (maybe they lost the DD in the sea of debit card transactions), right? I guess wish me luck in October?

    • I chatted with them and they confirmed my direct deposits are from my company and then told me 120 days from the first deposit. I guess I'm cool....

      • And.... next day received the bonus. I did paper statements still turned on if that had anything to do with it (the previous version required them off).

  • Odd DP

    Opened 6/28
    Real DD 7/31 $1000
    Real DD 8/30 $1000
    $300 bonus deposited 9/20

    Yep, you read that right. I only did DDs for 2 months and they paid the bonus.

  • Closing the Checking Account online and keeping the membership savings open to maintain relationship.

    Services > Account Change Request > Account Closure Form (I think it just sends a Secure message when you submit, but gives them everything they need)

    • Just curious, what is the point of keeping savings account? Is it for easier churning opportunity in the future?

  • 06/28: Acct opened
    07/26: Real DD
    08/09: Real DD
    08/23: Real DD
    09/06: Real DD
    09/09: Received congrats, you've earned a bonus email
    09/13: Bonus posted to savings account

    (DDs all >1000. I didn't receive any emails about the bonus until the final congrats.)

  • 07/23: acct opened. previous received bonus June 2022. closed acct in June 2023 after no activity all of 2023
    07/30: Wise ACH with "payroll" over $1k
    08/14: Wise ACH with "payroll" over $1k
    09/11: Wise ACH with "payroll" over $1k
    09/12: Received email congratulation on earning bonus
    09/13: $300 bonus credited into savings acct

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