Town & Country Credit Union Has Competitive Reward Checking Account
Town & Country Credit Union's (TCCU) Star Rewards Checking account is a reward checking account (RCA) that is structured slightly different than the ubiquitous Kasasa model. Rather than having two separate accounts (a traditional RCA and a Cash Back account that earn different rates), TCCU offers a single account that can either earn 3.00% APY on qualifying balances up to $20k, OR earn 3% Cash Back (up to $7 month) on debit card purchases. You decide the reward option when you apply.
If you are planning on maintaining a balance of less than $2,800, the Cash Back option would probably be a better choice: the maximum annual earnings for the Cash Back account is $84 ($7 per month).
The monthly qualification requirements include,
- At least 12 debit card purchases
- At least one direct deposit or ACH transaction
- Receive eStatements
The Star Rewards account has no minimum balance requirement, no monthly service fee, and no minimum opening deposit. Unlimited check writing is available and a free Visa®debit card will be issued following account opening. Nationwide ATM fees will be reimbursed up to $25 per month, if qualification requirements are met. (TCCU participates in the MoneyPass ATM network, providing members with access to more than 33,000 surcharge free ATMs.) There is a limit of one Star Rewards account per Social Security number.
Availability
Headquartered in Minot, North Dakota, Town & Country Credit Union’s field of membership (FOM) is residency-based, with those who live within 75 miles of Minot, North Dakota; 50 miles of Kenmare or Fargo, North Dakota, or Moorhead, Minnesota, eligible to join.
Anyone who is related to a current TCCU member also qualifies for membership, regardless of where they live.
Joining TCCU and/or opening a Star Rewards Checking account can be done online, or at any of eleven North Dakota branches, located in Fargo (4), Kenmare, Minot (3), Stanley, and West Fargo (2).
New accounts automatically come with a Town & Country savings account. This savings account makes you an official member of Town & Country Credit Union and allows you to take advantage of our great rates, products and services. The first $5 that you deposit at Town & Country will be deposited into your new savings account.
Credit Union Overview
Town & Country Credit Union has an overall health grade of "A+" at DepositAccounts.com, with a Texas Ratio of 3.90% (excellent) based on September 30, 2020 data. In the past year, Town & County CU has increased its total non-brokered deposits by $67.58 million, an excellent annual growth rate of 16.83%. Please refer to our financial overview of Town & Country Credit Union (NCUA Charter # 60790) for more details.
Established in 1939, Town & Country Credit Union is currently the third largest credit union in North Dakota, with nearly 23,000 members and assets in excess of $543 million. TCCU’s website is unique in an unusual way: you won’t find the verb bank/banking anywhere on the website. More than 18 years ago, TCCU ran afoul of a 1920s statue that does not allow any financial institution other than a bank to use the word bank, banker or banking. TCCU had recently expanded into the Fargo area and as Marketing Director Patty Prezter stated, “suddenly the bankers pointed out there was this old statute and made a huge issue out of it for credit unions.” According to a Credit Union Times article, Prezter further stated,
“Our position was that banking is a generic verb used by people everyday, but in the end that didn’t matter. So it has been challenging for us.” In addition to finding new ways to describe services such as online banking, the credit union had to do a complete overhaul of its brand position and tapped California-based marketing firm Michael’s Corporation for help. Pretzer says it took about a year to create the new tagline “Celebrate the Spirit”, change all the verbiage and make the switch. “Everything from our Web site and billboards to our signage, marketing materials and every single promotional item had to be changed,” said Pretzer. “It was very expensive but we did it and now because the tagline is so versatile it has actually worked in our favor.”
How Star Rewards Checking Compares
When compared to the High Yield Reward Checking Accounts tracked by DepositAccounts.com that are available within the FOM and have maximum qualifying balances of at least $20k, Town & Country Credit Union’s Star Rewards Checking APY currently ranks second.
The above information and rates are accurate as of 3/1/2021.
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.
