United Citizens Bank & Trust Co. (KY) Has New Kasasa Cash Checking
United Citizens Bank & Trust Co.’s (UCB&T) newly added Kasasa Cash earns 2.00% APY on qualifying balances up to $15k. Qualifying balances over $15k earn 0.25% APY, with non-qualifying balances earning 0.05% APY.
| APY | MIN | MAX | INSTITUTION | PRODUCT | DETAILS |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.00*% | $0 | $15k | United Citizens Bank & Trust Company | Kasasa Cash Checking | |
| OTHER TIERS: 0.25% → $15k+ | |||||
The monthly qualification requirements include,
- At least 12 debit card purchases
- At least one direct deposit or ACH transaction
- Be enrolled in and review e-Statements*
*This is the first time I’ve seen “review” in an e-Statement requirement. According to CSR, the e-Statement must be opened to meet the qualification requirement.
The Kasasa Cash account has no minimum balance requirement or monthly service fee and can be opened with a $100 minimum deposit. If qualifications are met, nationwide ATM fees will be reimbursed up to $25 per month. Unlimited checking writing is available and a free Mastercard® debit card will be issued following account opening. There is a limit of one Kasasa Cash account per Social Security number. A Kasasa Cash/Kasasa Cash Back account is required to have a Kasasa Saver account.
Kasasa Saver
The Kasasa Saver earns 1.25% APY on qualifying balances up to $85k; qualifying balances over $85k earn 0.23% APY, with non-qualifying balances earning 0.05% APY.
Earned rewards from a Kasasa Cash/Kasasa Cash Back account are automatically transferred to the Kasasa Saver each month. The Kasasa Saver has no monthly maintenance fee or minimum balance requirement, but does required a $100 minimum opening deposit. There is a limit of one Kasasa Saver account per Social Security number.
Annual Earnings of Combined Kasasa Cash/Kasasa Saver Accounts
The potential combined annual earnings of the Kasasa Cash (2.00% APY/$15k) and the Kasasa Saver (1.25% APY/$85k) is approximately $1,360 (1.36% APY/$100k), which is an unusually high combined annual earning on a large balance.
Kasasa Cash Back
The Kasasa Cash Back account offered by UCB&T earns 2.75% cash back on debit card purchases, limited to the first $300 of monthly purchases. If you are planning on maintaining a balance under $4,900, the Kasasa Cash Back account would probably be a better deal than the Kasasa Cash account; the maximum annual earnings for the Kasasa Cash Back account is $99 ($8.25 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 Campbellsburg, Kentucky, United Citizens Bank & Trust Co. is a community bank with a brick-and-mortar presence in Carroll and Henry Counties in Northern Kentucky. UCB&T has only offered the Kasasa brand for a couple of months. The Kasasa accounts are so new that UCB&T’s Checking page still reads, “Coming Soon!” According to CSR, the website hasn’t been updated to reflect the addition of the Kasasa products, but the Kasasa Cash, Kasasa Cash Back, and Kasasa Saver accounts can definitely be opened now by residents of Northern Kentucky.
CSR did not know if an online application (with an expanded market area) would be added to the website, but at this time, a Kasasa product can be opened over the phone (502.532.7392) or any of five Kentucky branch locations, located in Campbellsburg, Carrollton, Eminence, New Castle, and Smithfield. Appointments are recommended for in-branch transactions and can be made by calling a branch.
Bank Overview
United Citizens Bank & Trust Co. has an overall health grade of "B+" at DepositAccounts.com, with a Texas Ratio of 14.45% (excellent) based on December 31, 2020 data. In the past year, UCB&T has increased its total non-brokered deposits by $22.55 million, an excellent annual growth rate of 24.94%. Please refer to our financial overview of United Citizens Bank & Trust Co. (FDIC Certificate # 15249) for more details.
For a relatively small community bank ($134 million in assets), United Citizens Bank & Trust Co. has rather complex history with a variety of players.
- The Bank of New Castle (Henry County) was incorporated March 21, 1870 with capital of $100k.
- Citizens Bank (Port Royal, Henry County) was established in 1891 with $15k of capital. In 1935, Citizens Bank of New Castle merged into Citizens Bank.
- The Bank of Campbellsburg (established in 1889 in Henry County) joined with Farmers Bank of Turners Station (Henry County) in 1935 to become United Farmers Bank.
- In 1975, Citizens Bank and United Farmers Bank merged and became United Citizens Bank & Trust Co.
How the Kasasa Cash 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 $15k, United Citizens Bank & Trust Co.’s Kasasa Cash APY currently ranks eighth. While the APY and balance cap are not outstanding, the Kasasa Saver’s APY and $85k balance cap increases the Kasasa Cash overall value.
The above information and rates are accurate as of 2/22/2021.
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.