First Financial Bank Kasasa Cash Available In AR and MS
First Financial Bank’s (FFB) Kasasa Cash currently earns 4.07% APY on qualifying balances up to $15k. Qualifying balances over $15k earn 0.50% APY, with non-qualifying balances earning 0.05% APY.
APY | MIN | MAX | INSTITUTION | PRODUCT | DETAILS |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
6.00*% | $0 | $15k | First Financial Bank (AR) | Kasasa Cash | |
OTHER TIERS: 1.43% → $15k+ |
I first wrote about FFB’s Kasasa Cash account more than seven years ago. At that time, the newly added Kasasa Cash account earned 3.00% APY on qualifying balances up to $15k and was available nationwide. The national availability only lasted three months, but the initial 3.00% APY held for two years. At the beginning of 2015, the APY dropped to 2.00%, but more than doubled in November 2017. The 4.07% APY has been in effect ever since.
The Monthly Qualification Requirements are easily met and do not include a direct deposit or ACH transaction.>
- Minimum of 12 debit card purchases
- Be enrolled in and receive eStatements
- Be enrolled in and log into online banking
The Kasasa Cash has no monthly maintenance fees or minimum balance requirements, but does require a minimum $50 opening deposit. Unlimited nationwide ATM fees will be reimbursed, if the qualifying requirements are met. Unlimited checking writing is available and a Visa® debit card will be issued following account opening. There is a limit of one Kasasa Cash account per Social Security number.
Kasasa Saver
When linked to the Kasasa Cash account, FFB’s Kasasa Saver earns 1.00% APY on qualifying balances up to $50k; qualifying balances over $100k earn 0.50% APY and non-qualifying balances earn 0.05% APY.
Earned rewards from the Kasasa Cash account are automatically transferred to the Kasasa Saver each month. Like the Kasasa Cash Checking account, the Kasasa Saver has no monthly maintenance fee or minimum balance requirement and can be opened with a $50 minimum deposit. There is a limit of one Kasasa Cash account per Social Security number.
Annual Earnings of Combined Kasasa Cash/Kasasa Saver Accounts
The potential combined annual earnings of the Kasasa Cash (4.07% APY/$15k) and the Kasasa Saver (1.00% APY/$50k) is approximately $1,110 (1.71% APY/$65k).
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 El Dorado, Arkansas, First Financial Bank offers its Kasasa brand product line to the residents of Arkansas and Mississippi.
Opening a Kasasa Cash/Kasasa Saver account(s) can be done online, or at any of 15 Arkansas branches located in Cherry Valley, El Dorado (5), Forrest City, Harrisburg, (2), Little Rock, McCrory, Mena, Smackover, and Wynne (2), or at either of the two Mississippi branches located in Carthage and Senatobia. The Branch Update page details which branch lobbies are opened to walk-in traffic (limited capacity) or are accessible by appointment only.
Bank Overview
First Financial Bank has an overall health grade of "A" at DepositAccounts.com, with a Texas Ratio of 8.68% (excellent) based on June 30, 2020 data. In the past year, the Bank has increased its total non-brokered deposits by $428.14 million, an excellent annual growth rate of 56.53%. Please refer to our financial overview of First Financial Bank (FDIC Certificate # 28905) for more details.
Originally established in 1934 as the First Federal Savings and Loan Association, First Financial Bank re-branded three times and changed its organizational status twice between 1984 and 1999. The Bank expanded its market area beyond Arkansas’s border in 2006, when it acquired Cornerstone Bank in Senatobia, Mississippi. The November 2019 acquisition of The First National Bank of Wynne (AR) extended FFB’s footprint into northeast Arkansas. First Financial Bank is currently the twelfth largest bank headquartered in Arkansas, with assets in excess of $1.5 billion and more than 51,000 customer accounts.
How the Kasasa Cash Compares
When compared to the High Yield Reward Checking Accounts tracked by DepositAccounts.com that have maximum qualifying balances of at least $15k and are available in Arkansas, First Financial Bank’s Kasasa Cash APY currently ranks first.
The above rates are accurate as of 9/5/2020.
To look for the best Reward Checking Account rates, both nationwide and state specific, please refer to our High Yield Reward Checking Account Rates Table page.