Deal has ended, view more bank account bonuses by clicking here.
Offer at a glance
- Maximum bonus amount:Â $500
- Availability:Â You qualify if you are a consumer who lives, works, or worships in any of the following states: Massachusetts, Connecticut, New Hampshire, Vermont, New York, or Rhode Island.
- Direct deposit required:Â Yes, $2,000+
- Additional requirements:Â See below
- Hard/soft pull:Â Unknown
- ChexSystems: Unknown
- Credit card funding: Uo to $500
- Monthly fees:Â None
- Early account termination fee: Unknown
- Household limit:Â None listed
- Expiration date:Â None listed
Contents
The Offer
- Pioneer Valley Credit Union is offering a bonus of up to $500. Bonus is broken down as follows:
- Open a free checking account and get a $300 bonus with a $2,000 direct deposit
- Deposit $20,000+ and maintain the balance for 90+ days and get another $200 bonus
The Fine Print
- New Pioneer Free Checking Account members will receive up to $500.00 deposited into their new Pioneer Free Checking Account upon satisfying the following requirements:
- To qualify for Tier 1 of the offer, member must open Pioneer FREE Checking with Direct Deposit of $2,000 or more into this account within 60 calendar days of account open date.
- Pioneer Free Checking is 0.00% APY (Annual Percentage Yield).
- Direct Deposits need to be an electronic deposit of a paycheck, pension or government benefits from member’s employer or government.
- To qualify for Tier 2 of the offer, member must deposit at least $20,000 in New Money into to their Pioneer FREE Checking Account or Savings Account (CDs, IRAs, Investor Checking, Cash Back Checking, Business Checking and Money Market are ineligible for promotion) within 15 days of account opening and maintain the balance of at least $20,000 for 90 calendar days from the date of deposit. New money is defined as money not currently in a Pioneer Valley Credit Union account.
- Once criteria is met, member will receive cash bonus within 60 days deposited into their Pioneer FREE Checking Account.
- Offer subject to change without notice.
- Acceptance of the cash bonus deposit assumes that the recipient has read and understood these guidelines and accepts the deposit as offered and releases PVFCU from any and all liability of any kind arising out of the recipient’s participation in the Promotion and receipt and use of the deposit.
- The $500 Tiered Deposit is considered a bonus dividend under Truth in Savings and reported as such on the member’s 1099-INT. Employees, volunteers, or immediate family members of PVFCU are ineligible for Promotion. Membership required.
- 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
I wasn’t able to find a fee schedule so unsure if there is an early account termination fee or not.
Our Verdict
We don’t really know much about this credit union, but the checking requirement seems easy to meet. Doesn’t seem like the checking account earns a high rate. Funds need to be in the account for 90 days for the savings bonus.
Hat tip to Bockrr
Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:
- A Beginners Guide To Bank Account Bonuses
- Bank Account Quick Reference Table (Spreadsheet) (very useful for sorting bonuses by different parameters)
- PSA: Don’t Call The Bank
- Introduction To ChexSystems
- Banks & Credit Unions That Are ChexSystems Inquiry Sensitive
- What Banks & Credit Unions Do/Don’t Pull ChexSystems?
- How To Use Our Direct Deposit Page For Bank Bonuses Page
- Common Bank Bonus Misconceptions + Why You Should Give Them A Go
- How Many Bank Accounts Can I Safely Open Within A Year For Bank Bonus Purposes?
- Affiliate Links & Bank Bonuses – We Won’t Be Using Them
- Complete List Of Ways To Close Bank Accounts At Each Bank
- Banks That Allow/Don’t Allow Out Of State Checking Applications
- Bank Bonus Posting Times
They got the last laugh. They are requiring a notarized letter sent in to close the account. Not sure if it is worth going through the trouble to take out the final $25
bonus posted!
10/21 Open
10/27 DD
11/09 DD
11/21 $300 Deposit Tier 1 bonus
Was quick and easy after the initial problems. But hey at least 3 of us made it 😂
I tried Astra but it looked a bit weird in the account log (says “Type: Astra Inc.” instead of Dir Dep or Acctverify like some other transactions so I did real DD to be safe. Doesn’t seem to be a way to link external accounts from inside their own app.
Hard/soft pull: No, if declining overdraft
ChexSystems: Yes. Inquirer: PIONEER VALLEY FEDERAL CREDIT UNION; 246 BROOKDALE DRIVE, SPRINGFIELD, MA 01104 (sensitivity unknown)
Checking bonus received today with no trouble. I didn’t do the savings bonus.
finally got my account opened!
You are the chosen one.
9/22/22 – Applied, got message : get back in 1 -2 days.
9/23/22 – $500 CC funding charged to card
I have not heard anything since applying. No request for documents. Crickets.
Update: Declined
Got a secure message: We are unable to open account based on info. you provided on application. We have refunded your CC.
Ostrich Rider Peek AllenW
They emailed me to apologize and offered me the opportunity to open the account today. Maybe incoming for you as well, or could be because I filed a complaint.
Thanks Bockrr . I don’t see anything in my email. A form type email or was it custom to you? I didn’t complain, maybe I should have 😉
Looks like a form with my name plugged in, from the same rep who messaged me a month ago.
What kind of complaint. I would love to have received that email but haven’t. Bockrr
https://complaint.mycreditunion.gov/Complaint
Did your complaint indicate that they never contacted you with a “reason” for denial, or “unable to open your account at this time”- without explaining why?….
They had eventually sent me a message that they were refunding my CC and stated unable to open an account at this time. Usually I will get a response that states Chex as a reason for denial. I never contacted them after the message to ask the reason why I was denied. Also, they never requested proof of Identity or utility bill, etc.
The reason I was given by secure message was that my identity could not be verified and I should come in to branch. Was obviously suspect, since they had my name, address, ssn, DL and had run a chex inquiry. And the only thing they asked me to bring in branch was my DL. My ncua complaint was basically that they advertised a bonus available to consumers in X area via online application but then tried to make it in branch.
Thanks for explanation. Glad that worked for you, unfortunately I don’t think my message said that.
They denied me after charging my card, which they did refund. They said I wasn’t qualified due to employer and residence. I stated in my complaint that no where did it state a specific location or employer. I hope they contact me and offer the same terms. To bad I hadn’t had P2 try. Complaint is in, low hopes here but given such a crappy year of bonuses I would gladly take it. Thanks for the DP
Glad you got your account opened. I never heard anything from them after I applied. Also, I never contacted them about it. Maybe I should have complained too.
9-22 signed up. Got the pending email
9-27 sent follow up email
The charge for $500 went through. Based on prior dp probably denied.
I don’t see the offer anymore. Is it gone?
newguy William Charles Yep, seems to be gone. I don’t see it on the landing page or in the app anymore. They must’ve gotten tired of us 🙂
I hope that they don’t screw everyone. This reminds me of Teachers
Got an email saying they couldn’t verify my information, and to come into a branch with ID. They also emailed a receipt for my funding with CC. Checked my CC balance. Yep, has gone through. 45 minute drive, but worth it, so I’ll go in.
What state do you live? Is the 45 min drive really worth it? Thanks Sean.
Sean X
Bring your ssn card and license They won’t take picture of them. They are making up rules after the fact and tried to say they told us to on the e-mail. CFPB complaint will be filed.
What happened to you, Bmanamex? Did they ask you for SSC? Why?
What other rules did they make up?
Bmanamex
Man, you’re so damn dense, Jack