The Cornerstone Bank (MO) Has Competitive Rewards Checking/Savings
DA began tracking the Kasasa brand products offered by The Cornerstone Bank about six months ago. The Kasasa Cash Checking currently earns 3.00% APY on qualifying balances up to $25k. Qualifying balances greater than $25k earn 0.60% APY (an usually high second-tier rate), with non-qualifying balances earning 0.05% APY.
| APY | MIN | MAX | INSTITUTION | PRODUCT | DETAILS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.00*% | - | $25k | The Cornerstone Bank | Kasasa Cash Checking | |
| OTHER TIERS: 0.60% → $25k+ | |||||
The monthly qualification requirements are easily met and do not include a direct deposit or ACH transaction.
- At least 12 debit card purchases (minimum $5 each)
- Be enrolled in and agree to receive eStatements
- Be enrolled in and log into online banking
The Kasasa Cash account has no minimum balance requirement or monthly service fee, but does require a minimum $100 opening deposit. Unlimited check writing is available and a free Mastercard® debit card will be issued after account opening. Unlimited nationwide ATM fees up to a monthly aggregate of $25 will be reimbursed, if qualifications are met. There is a limit of one account per Social Security number and may not be used for commercial purposes. A Kasasa Cash Checking/Kasasa Cash Back account is required to have a linked Kasasa Saver account.
Kasasa Saver
The Kasasa Saver account currently earns 1.00% APY on qualifying balances up to $100k. Qualifying balances over $100k earn 0.25% APY, with non-qualifying balances earning 0.05% APY.
| APY | MIN | MAX | INSTITUTION | PRODUCT | DETAILS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.00*% | - | $100k | The Cornerstone Bank | Kasasa Saver | |
| OTHER TIERS: 0.50% → $100k+ | |||||
Kasasa Cash Checking/Kasasa Cash Back earned rewards and ATM reimbursements are automatically transferred into a linked Kasasa Saver account each statement cycle. The Kasasa Saver account has no minimum balance requirement or monthly service fee and requires a minimum $50 opening deposit. There is a limited of one Kasasa Saver account per Social Security number and a Kasasa Saver may not be used as a commercial account.
Annual Earnings of Combined Kasasa Cash Checking/Kasasa Saver Accounts
The potential combined annual earnings of a Kasasa Cash Checking account (3.00% APY/$25k) and a Kasasa Saver account (1.00% APY/$100k) is approximately $1,750 (1.40% APY/$125k). Maintaining a $50k balance in a Kasasa Saver would generate annual earnings of approximately $1,250 (1.67% APY/$75k).
Kasasa Cash Back
The Kasasa Cash Back account offered by The Cornerstone Bank currently earns 4.00% cash back on debit card purchases, limited to $200 of monthly purchases. If you are planning on maintaining a balance of less than $3,200, 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 South West City, Missouri, The Cornerstone Bank has a brick-and-mortar presence in McDonald County in the southwest corner of the state, bordering on Arkansas and Oklahoma. According to CSR, anyone who can come into a branch location is welcome to apply for a Kasasa brand product.
Opening a Kasasa Cash Checking, Kasasa Cash Back, and/or Kasasa Saver account(s) can be done at of the five Missouri branches, located in Goodman, Lanagan, Pineville, the aptly-named South West City, and Tiff City. Appointments are available and can be scheduled by calling 417.762.3527.
Bank Overview
The Cornerstone Bank has an overall heath grade of "B+" at DepositAccounts.com, with a Texas Ratio of 15.42% (above average) based on December 31, 2020 data. In the past year, the Bank has increased its total non-brokered deposits by $26.7 million, an excellent annual growth rate of 24.37%. Please refer to our financial overview of The Cornerstone Bank (FDIC Certificate # 9388) for more details.
Within the span of eight years, three banks were established in the southwest corner of McDonald County in southwest Missouri: The Cornerstone Bank (1898), Southwest City Bank (1903), and The Peoples Bank of Southwest City (1906). In 1904, Southwest City Bank and The Cornerstone Bank merged, operating under The Cornerstone Bank name. The Peoples Bank of Southwest City was liquidated in 1927 and purchased by The Cornerstone Bank. As a self-described community bank, The Cornerstone Bank is the 147th largest bank headquartered in Missouri, with assets in excess of $162 million.
How the Kasasa Cash Checking Compares
When compared to the High Yield Rewards Checking Accounts tracked by DepositAccounts.com that are available within the market area and have maximum qualifying balances of at least $25k, The Cornerstone Bank’s Kasasa Cash Checking APY currently ranks first.
The above information and rates are accurate as of 5/26/2021.
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.