Firefighters & Company Credit Union (OH) Offers Rewards Checking/Savings
DA has been tracking the Kasasa brand products offered by Firefighters & Company Federal Credit Union (FFCOCU) for more than four years. FFCOCU’s Kasasa Cash Checking account is one of the very few rewards checking accounts to experience a rate increase in the recent past. In early 2020, the Kasasa Cash Checking APY was raised from 2.00% to 2.50% on qualifying balances up to $25k. Qualifying balances greater than $25k earn 0.25% APY, with non-qualifying balances earning 0.01% APY.
The monthly qualification requirements are easily fulfilled and do not included a direct deposit or ACH transaction.
- At least 12 debit card transactions
- Be enrolled in and agree to receive e-Statements
- Be enrolled in and log into online banking
The Kasasa Cash Checking account has no minimum balance requirement, no monthly service fee, and no minimum opening deposit requirement. Nationwide ATM fees will be reimbursed up to $25 per month (maximum $4.99 per single transaction), if qualifying requirements are met. Unlimited checking writing is available and a free debit card will be issued following account opening. There is a limit of one account per Social Security number and a Kasasa Cash Checking account may not be used as a commercial account. A Kasasa Cash Checking is required to have a linked Kasasa Saver account.
Kasasa Saver Account
FFCOCU also offers a Kasasa Saver account as a companion account to Kasasa Cash Checking and Kasasa Cash Back accounts. Earned rewards automatically sweep to this account each month. The Kasasa Saver account currently earns 0.75% APY on qualifying balances up to $100k; qualifying balances over $100k earn 0.25% APY, with non-qualifying balances earning 0.01% APY.
Like the Kasasa Cash Checking account, the Kasasa Saver has no monthly service charge, minimum balance requirement, or minimum opening deposit. There is a limit of one Kasasa Saver account per Social Security number and it may not be used for commercial purposes.
Annual Earnings of Combined Kasasa Cash Checking/Kasasa Saver Accounts
The potential combined annual earnings of a Kasasa Cash Checking account (2.50% APY/$25k) and a Kasasa Saver account (0.75% APY/$100k) is approximately $1,375 (1.10% APY/$125k), which is a very competitive APY for a such a large balance in a rewards checking/saver combo.
Kasasa Cash Back
FFCOCU’s Kasasa Cash Back account earns 2.00% cash back on up to $400 in monthly debit card purchases. If you are planning on maintaining a balance of less than $3,800, the Kasasa Cash Back account would probably be a better deal than the Kasasa Cash Checking account, as the maximum annual earnings for the Kasasa Cash Back account is $96 ($8 per month).
The Kasasa Brand
For those not familiar with the Kasasa brand, Kasasa Cash is a type of Reward Checking Account (RCA) developed by the Texas company, Kasasa, Ltd. According to the Kasasa website,
Kasasa: the free checking account that rewards each month for doing things you already do.
By performing certain actions valuable to your bank or credit union, like using your debit card or online banking, your institution makes more money, which they share with you in the form of rewards.
In case you were wondering, “Kasasa” is just a made-up word.
In a world where real-life people are too often taken for granted as account numbers,
we didn’t want to be the next [INSERT GENERIC NAME] checking account.
Availability
Headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, Firefighters & Company Federal Credit Union’s field of membership is community-based, with individuals who live, work, worship, or attend school in the Ohio counties of Montgomery, Green, and Miami, eligible to join.
Joining FFCOCU and/or opening a Kasasa brand product requires an in-person visit to either of two full-service Ohio branches located in Dayton and Miamisburg. FFCOCU also has a “Contact Me” form to help with the application process.
Establishing a FFCOCU membership requires an initial $5 deposit in a Regular Share Savings account. Within ten months of opening, the Regular Share Savings account must have a minimum $50 balance.
FFCOCU is a member of the CO-OP Shared Branch network and the AllianceOne and the MoneyPass surcharge-free ATM networks.
FFCOCU is a small credit union (6,600 members and assets of $92+ million), but the combined population of the three counties in the field of membership (FOM) is more than 820,000. With approximately 20% of the population under the age of 18, less than 1% of the membership-eligible adult population in the three counties has joined FFCOCU. The lack of an online application is definitely puts FFCOCU at a disadvantage, but the rates offered on the Kasasa brand products are well worth an in-branch visit.
Credit Union Overview
Firefighters & Company Federal Credit Union has an overall health grade of "A" at DepositAccounts.com, with a Texas Ratio of 3.26% (excellent) based on March 31, 2021 data. In the past year, FFCOCU has increased its total non-brokered deposits by $12.39 million, an excellent annual growth rate of 18.01%. Please refer to our financial overview of Firefighters & Company Federal Credit Union (NCUA Charter # 395) for more details.
Established in 1935, the original Dayton (Ohio) Firemen Federal Credit Union was organized by Dayton Fire Department employees. The original FOM (employees of the Dayton Fire Department and the Department of Telegraph and Signals) remained unchanged for 68 years. In 2003, membership was opened to all residents of Montgomery County, with the residents of Green and Miami Counties added to the FOM in 2016. The expanded FOM resulted in the 2018 Firefighters & Company rebrand.
How the Kasasa Cash Checking Compares
When compared to the High Yield Rewards Checking Accounts tracked by DepositAccounts.com that are available within the FOM and have maximum qualifying balances of at least $25k, Firefighters & Company Federal Credit Union’s Kansas Cash Checking APY currently ranks first.
The above rates are accurate as of 8/12/2021.
To search for the best Reward Checking Account rates, both nationwide and state specific, please refer to our High Yield Reward Checking Account Rates Table page.
