High-Yield Reward Checking Account at CoreFirst Bank & Trust - Local Only

Update: The rate has fallen. Please refer to the bottom of the post for the rate history.

CoreFirst Bank & Trust is offering a high-yield reward checking account with the following rates and features if certain monthly requirements are met:

• 2.22% APY on balances up to $25,000
• 0.10% on portion of balance over $25,000
• 0.10% on all balances if requirements are not met
• 5 non-CoreFirst ATM withdrawal fees refunded each cycle

The monthly requirements include:

• 10 signed Visa Check Card purchases
• One direct deposit
• 2 internet banking bill payments
• Receive e-statements

Additional features of the account regardless of the monthly requirements include:

• $100 minimum initial deposit
• No minimum balance requirement
• No monthly service charge

A branch visit appears to be required to open an account. Branches are located in the Kansas cities of Topeka, Emporia, Manhattan and Kansas City, and in Denver, Colorado.

The bank's ratings for safety and soundness are fair: 3½ stars (good) at BauerFinancial and 3 stars (performing) at Bankrate.com. Both ratings are based on 6/30/09 financial data. The bank has been a FDIC member since 1959 (FDIC Certificate # 18100).

Note, the reward checking account rates aren't listed at the bank's website as of 10/18/09. The 3.04% APY was advertised in the 10/18/09 edition of the Denver Post and in the 10/14/09 edition of the Kansas City Star.

Other Reward Checking Accounts

To find reward checking accounts in other areas of the nation or to learn more about these accounts, please refer to my High Yield Checking website.

Account History:
10/15/10: 2.22% APY up to $25K
05/04/10: 2.53% APY up to $25K
10/18/09: 3.04% APY up to $25K; 0.10% over; 0.10% base

Tags: Kansas, CoreFirst Bank & Trust, Colorado, checking account, reward checking account