[PA Only] Clearview Credit Union $400 Checking Bonus + $100 Savings Bonus

Don’t see any new end date?

Update 11/2/20: Extended until December 31, 2020.

Update 7/19/20: Extended until October 31, 2020

Offer at a glance

  • Maximum bonus amount: $500
  • Availability: Membership is open to individuals who live, work, volunteer, worship, attend school or have immediate family in Southwestern Pennsylvania which includes Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington and Westmoreland Counties
  • Direct deposit required: Yes, $500+
  • Additional requirements: eStatements and promo code
  • Hard/soft pull: Soft
  • ChexSystems: Yes
  • Credit card funding: Up to $500, Visa or Mastercard only
  • Monthly fees: $10, avoidable
  • Early account termination fee: $10, 90 days
  • Household limit: None listed
  • Expiration date: May 31st, 2020 July 18th August 31st, 2020 December 31, 2020

The Offer

Direct link to offer

  • Clearview Federal Credit Union is offering a bonus of up to $500. You must use the promo code SWITCH
    • Open an absolute checking account and make a recurring direct deposit of $500 or more within the first 60 days, sign up for eStatements and receive a $300 bonus (can get a smaller bonus of $200 by opening a simple checking account)
    • Open one of the above checking accounts and open a savings account money market account, OR a certificate with a 12 month or greater term within 7 business days of checking account opening, deposit $15,000 in new money and maintain that balance for 90 days and receive a $100 bonus
    • Get a further $100 bonus on the anniversary date of your checking account opening, as long as a recurring electronic deposit of at least $500 or more is made

The Fine Print

  • To receive the $200 bonus: Open a Basic or Simple checking account, make a recurring deposit of $500 or more within the first 60 days of account opening, and sign up for eStatements. You’ll receive your bonus once the criteria are met.
  • B). To receive the $300 bonus: Open an Absolute Checking® account, make a recurring deposit of $500 or more within the first 60 days of account opening, and sign up for eStatements.You’ll receive your bonus once the criteria are met.
  • C). To receive the additional $100 bonus: Open one of the above checking accounts AND open a Clearview Savings OR Money Market OR a Certificate with a 12 month or greater term within 7 business days of checking account opening, and deposit a total of $15,000 or more in new money. Must maintain a $15,000 average daily balance for 90 days.
  • You’ll receive your bonus after the 90 day period is over.
  • D). Get an automatic additional $100 bonus on the anniversary date of your checking account opening, as long as you maintain a recurring electronic deposit of at least $500 or more.
  • The bonus(es) will be reported to the IRS for tax purposes. Use promo code: switch
  • Offer is only valid for new members age 18 and older with a savings account and Basic, Simple, or Absolute Checking account.
  • This offer is available online. You may take advantage of this offer at a financial center by appointment only.
  • All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them

Avoiding Fees

Monthly Fees

Absolute Checking

The absolute checking account has a $10 monthly fee. This is waived if you do one of the following

  • Maintain a $10,000 combined balance among all your Clearview deposits (savings, checking, IRAs and certificates)
  • a $20,000 combined balance of your deposits and loans or
  • deposit $5,000 or more in total direct deposits during the month

Simple Checking

This account has a $3 monthly fee. This is waived with $500 in monthly direct deposits or five monthly transactions

Early Account Termination Fee

There is an early account termination fee of $10 if the account is closed within 90 days

Our Verdict

Money market account earns 0.85%. If you deposit the $15,000 required into the savings account for 90 days this works out to be an additional ~2.7% for a total of 3.55%. Not bad, but not fantastic either. For most people it’ll make sense to just focus on the $400 in checking bonuses that are available. The main issue is keeping the absolute checking account fee free, especially when you need to keep the account open for the full year to get the bonus. It might make sense to just do the simple checking account for a smaller bonus or forgetting about the anniversary bonus entirely. Previously Clearview has offered a $200 bonus. I’ll be adding this to our list of the best checking account bonuses.

Hat tip to reader JL

Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:

Post history:

  • Update 7/19/20: Extended until August 31st, 2020.

View Comments (59)

  • @chuck
    The money market is now paying 4.15% and there is a 7month CD at 4.75%, so the extra $100 savings bonus is probably worth it now, without doing having done the effective APY calculations for 90days.

  • Are they sensitive to Chex (especially for out of state applicants)? Any recent data points?

  • Applied from OOS. I responded to their inquires in the application, they ghosted me. Called in and they said they need proof I or relatives live in PA.

      • From the website:

        "You're eligible to join Clearview if you meet one of these requirements:

        You live, work, worship, attend school, or volunteer in one of these counties: Allegheny, Armstrong, Beaver, Butler, Fayette, Greene, Indiana, Lawrence, Washington, or Westmoreland.

        You're an immediate family member (spouse, parent, child, sibling, grandparent, or grandchild) of a current or potential Clearview member.

        You live with a current Clearview member and share the same household expenses (considered a single economic unit). "

        • Thanks for the copy/paste I guess but I already read and know all that. I don't qualify based on that however the person I was replying to, even though the post is a bit older, only said "in PA" so just wondering if they were cool with approving them if they lived in *any* part of PA since they said OOS? Or did it still have to be those select counties but they didn't type out that specific detail. If they are willing to accept any part of PA then I could get in.

  • This promo is still active, but (according to the people on the phone) there is a glitch for "some people" that the section to enter the promo code isn't visible. It should be on the last page under the questions like "Where did you hear about Clearview" etc. If you can't find the promo code section you can have them manually apply it. Just call them before you submit it.

    Also if you read the fine print, the required deposit is NOT a direct deposit. It's for any deposit that's not done by an employee or ATM. There's no need to try to trick the system, you can use Zelle or any bank to bank transfers.

    Another note - even if you live in their coverage area, you may still need to talk to them before it gets approved. My friend, who lives within 5 miles of a branch, submitted an application and was told he'd hear from an employee within a few business days.

    • Update - My friend opened a Simple account. No one ever actually called him in 2-3 days to confirm his info (but he lives very close to a branch). He got his welcome letter about a week later but had to call to get his account number to sign up for online banking. He had someone send him a Zelle for $501, Clearview deposited the $200 within 24 hours.

      @KT - Nah sorry. CFU is my main bank and they've been good to me. I don't want to put my name out for someone I don't know and that I'm not related to. Also as to your other post, as far as I know, you either get the offer mentioned in this article or the referral bonus (50 for you and the person who referred you) I don't think you can get both.

  • I don't see box to enter promo code. I am at the "I agree" page (last page I think) and do not see any place to enter promo code SWITCH. Anyone tried it recently? Promo still seems alive.