Kansas Banking Rates and News

Pinnacle Bank is again offering a $100 bonus for opening its PinnCheck Free checking account online. If you missed the one last year, this is another chance. Like last year, the bonus doesn’t require much work. The only requirements listed in the bank's promotions page are:

• Web-exclusive offer for new Pinnacle Bank customers only
• Minimum amount to open an account is $100
• Account must be maintained in good standing for the first 90 days
• Offer valid for PinnCheck Free applicants only

Offer expires April 30, 2013. According to the terms, it's only available to residents of Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Wyoming and...

Bank of the West has recently brought back its $150 checking account promotion. It looks like the same promotion they were offering last summer. Just like the last one, there's also a $200 bonus, but that requires a checking account with high monthly service fees that can't be easily waived. These promotions are listed on Bank of the West's home page.

Details for the $150 bonus are listed in this Bank of the West promotions page. The checking account must be opened by 3/8/2013.

To qualify for the full $150 requires the following:

• Must open a new Easy...

In today's interest rate environment, it's nice to have a rate guarantee on a liquid account. That gives you the rate lock of a CD but without locking in your money until maturity. I found one nice rate guarantee on a money market account special at CrossFirst Bank. The bank is guaranteeing 1.00% APY on the CrossFirst Money Market Account until December 31, 2013 (over a year from now). This is being advertised in an 11/14/2012 edition of a Kansas City newspaper. The ad is available online here. It's a limited time special.

This rate guarantee applies...

Liberty Bank is offering a bonus of up to $125 for opening its Free Checking account online. The details along with a link to the online application are provided at this Liberty Bank promotions page. No expiration date is listed, so I emailed the bank today (8/13/2012), and I confirmed that it's still available. Below are the requirements to receive the full $125:

• Open a Free Checking account with a minimum opening balance of $25
• $25 when you sign up for e-statements
• $25 when you sign up and receive a direct deposit
• $25 when you sign up for Online Bill...

Mid American Credit Union is offering a competitive rate on its 5-year CD and IRA CD. It has a 2.10% APY for a minimum deposit of $1,000. The 3-year CD rate is also competitive with a 1.55% APY. These rates are listed in the credit union's dividend rates page as of 8/9/2012.

Credit union membership is open to those who live, work or worship in one of many counties in Kansas. Also eligible are members of Consumers United Program. I don't see any details of this program, so I recommend contacting the credit union about this program...

Bank of the West has just started a new checking account promotion with a bonus of up to $150. There's also a $200 bonus, but to qualify you must open a checking account that requires a large balance to avoid a high monthly service charge. These promotions are listed on Bank of the West's home page.

Details for the $150 bonus are listed in this Bank of the West promotions page. The checking account must be opened by 8/31/2012.

To qualify for the full $150 requires the following:

• Must open a new Easy Checking, Choice Interest Checking, or 55...

Last Friday when I was updating my weekly survey of the best CD rates, I noticed the big rate increases at National Bank of Kansas City. The bank's long-term CDs are now very competitive. Minimum deposit is $5,000. Below are the list of the most competitive CD rates listed at the bank's rates page as of 7/24/2012:

• 2.02% APY 60 month CD
• 1.76% APY 48-59 month CD
• 1.51% APY 36-47 month CD

Nationally Available - But Currently No Online Application

The last time National Bank of KC had been offering competitive rates was in 2008. Back then they had a working...

It has been almost 3 years since my first review of the reward checking account at Centera Bank in Kansas. Rates have fallen, but the rates have remained very competitive. Below is a summary of the rates and features if certain monthly requirements are met (as of 6/28/2012):

• 3.01% APY for balances up to $25,000
• 0.55% APY for portion of balance over $25,000
• 0.10% APY base rate if requirements are not met
• Reimburses all ATM fees nationwide if requirements are met

The monthly requirements include:

• 10 debit card purchases
• 1 Automatic Payment or Direct Deposit
• Receive your account statement electronically

This is a free checking account with...

Pinnacle Bank is again offering a $100 bonus for opening its PinnCheck Free checking account online. If you missed the one last year, this is another chance. Like last year, the bonus doesn’t require much work. The only requirements listed in the bank's promotions page are:

• Web-exclusive offer for new Pinnacle Bank customers only
• Minimum amount to open an account is $100
• Account must be maintained in good standing for the first 90 days
• Offer valid for PinnCheck Free applicants only

Offer expires April 30, 2013. According to the terms, it's only available to residents of Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Wyoming and...

Update 6/26/2012: The promotion is now available until July 31, 2012. Also, the direct deposit now requires a $150 minimum.

The seven banking divisions of BOK Financial Corporation are offering a cash bonus for opening a new checking account. Four of the divisions are offering a $100 bonus, and the other three are offering a $50 bonus. To qualify for the bonus, the customer must either activate direct deposit OR make 10 debit card purchases ($10 minimum per transaction). The promotion is scheduled to end on May 31, 2012. Below are the links to the promotion pages of the seven divisions:

Update 5/25/2012: The 5-year Premium Money Market CD rate has fallen. According to the CSR, it's now 1.65% APY (down from 1.80% APY on 5/11). This is for California. Rates may vary for other states.

It's not common to find competitive CD rates at large brick-and-mortar banks, but I found one at Bank of the West. It's offering a 2.00% APY 5-year CD. This is the bank's Premium Money Market CD which requires a $2,500 minimum deposit. The rate isn't listed online, and it may vary by state. I called the bank yesterday (3/27/2012) and verified it for the bank's...

Bank of the West has just started a new checking account promotion with a bonus of up to $100. In addition, the bank will donate $25 to local schools. You can also earn another $25 by opening a credit card with the checking account. I didn't include this in the total bonus since there are many credit card bonuses that are over $25.

Bonus Details are listed in this Bank of the West promotions page. The checking account must be opened by 4/27/2012.

If you decide to give this promotion a try, don't forget Bank of the West...