Boost Your Financial Confidence
Your goals, your money, your well-being — powered by better banking.
Financial confidence isn’t just a goal — it’s a lifestyle. PowerPlus™ Checking gives you more of what matters: rewards for everyday spending, early access to your paycheck, and personalized financial well-being tools to help you thrive.
Join the Credit Union for free using promo code BOOST and earn a $500 cash bonus*!
Offer ends 5/15/2026
Join Today
1) Join for free using promo code Boost
2) Open a PowerPlus™ Checking Account
3) Deposit $3k via direct deposit or recurring transfers + make 30 transactions within 60 days
4) Earn a $500 cash bonus to jumpstart your financial goals!
FREE checking and nearly 100,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide
Rewards that add up – Earn up to $7451 in interest during your first year with PowerPlus Checking
Create a Budget
A simple budget helps you track spending, save more, and reach your goals faster or Schedule an appointment with a Free Financial Coach
Understand Your Credit Score
Empower your decisions and turn your credit into an engine for financial achievement
Access to Free Digital Content
Subscribe to Life. Money. You.®, the Credit Union’s financial well-being program, and receive the newsletter and invites to live events
Explore More Benefits
See all the exclusive financial benefits and well-being resources available to you and your family
Frequently Asked Questions
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What is a Credit Union?
A credit union is a not-for-profit, cooperative financial institution owned by its members. Credit unions offer the same services as banks, but the profit cycles back to members instead of stockholders. As a result, members benefit from higher earnings on deposit accounts, lower rates on loan products that typically have lower to no fees—bringing savings to the entire membership.
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Who can join?
US and Puerto Rico employees, contractors, temps of partner companies and their extended families nationwide are eligible for credit union membership. See if you qualify based on one or more of the following criteria:
Employment-based eligibility: You are a permanent, temporary or contract employee of one of the several elite employer groups offering the Credit Union’s services as a valuable employee benefit.
Community-based eligibility: You live or work in one of six local community charter counties: Lake, McHenry, DuPage, Kane or Cook (north of 95th Street on the south side of Chicago) County in Illinois, or Kenosha County in Wisconsin.
Family-based eligibility: You are the immediate or extended qualifying family of an existing member related by blood, marriage, fostering or adoption. Eligible family members include: spouses, parents, children, siblings, domestic partners, grandchildren, grandparents, aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, and cousins.
Life. Money. You.® eligibility: You are a subscriber of the Life. Money. You.® Financial Well-Being program. -
How do I join the Credit Union?
The easiest way is online and completing the 10-minute online membership application. Be assured that this process is safe and secure. You can also contact us if you have any problems in the process. Click the Join Today button at the top of the page to begin.
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What if I open an account and then move or leave my company?
Once a member, always a member! Benefits of Credit Union membership will always be available to you and your family, no matter where life takes you. Relocating to a new area? No problem! Changing jobs? The Credit Union goes with you. Retiring? We're Here Today For Your Tomorrow. Our commitment to your financial well-being is truly a lifelong promise. We’re accessible 24 hours a day in all 50 states and abroad using our digital banking services and have many members who never set foot in a branch.
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What benefits come with Credit Union membership?
Our members are the reason we exist and is why we help our members maximize their benefits with products and services like:
- Access to your payroll funds up to two days ahead of your scheduled payday
- High-interest Checking with ATM fee reimbursement
- Low rate loans for homes, vehicles, college tuition and more
- Easy access to your free online credit score with SavvyMoney®
- Complimentary financial education resources provided by Life. Money. You.®
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Will my employer have access to my financial standing or account details?
No. Although we share a common interest in each employee’s Financial Well-being, your company and BCU are separate business entities. Furthermore, as your financial institution, BCU protects your private financial data and complies with stringent security standards.
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What if I have limited access to a branch location?
At the Credit Union, we're always looking to make it easier for you to Connect Your Way, so you can bank when and where you want through Digital Banking. Plus, once you’re a member, you’ll have access to thousands of surcharge-free ATMs.
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When will I receive my payout?
New members will receive the $500 as a deposit into their PowerPlus Checking account by 7/31/2026 with transaction comment "CHECKPROMOREBATE".
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Disclosure
*Offer available to eligible non-members who are legal U.S. residents 18 years of age or older unless prohibited by law. Offer valid 4/1/2026 – 5/15/2026 (Offer Period). Non-members joining with promo code BOOST, receive a $500 deposit for opening a new Credit Union membership with PowerPlus™ Checking, minimum qualifying direct deposit totaling at least $3,000 and at least 30 qualifying transactions into the PowerPlus Checking account within the first 60 days of membership opening. A qualifying direct deposit is a recurring monthly deposit like regular monthly income, such as your salary, pension or Social Security benefit or other eligible regular monthly income, electronically deposited by an employer or other third-party payer into your checking account and BCU Zelle deposits. A transfer completed by ATM, online or teller, paper check deposits, and wire deposits are not a qualifying direct deposit. Qualifying transactions include any combination of the following: BCU Debit and Credit card transactions (purchases and payments), Online Bill Pay or ACH payments, BCU Zelle transactions, paper and electronic check payments, and BCU loan payments (credit card, loan, and mortgage) which will apply toward the monthly requirements in the month they post to your account. Credit card transactions that are posted on the last day of the month will be applied toward the following month’s transaction total. A person seeking Credit Union membership must meet at least one of the criteria found at BCU.org/Membership-Eligibility. New Credit Union membership and PowerPlus Checking must be opened by 5/15/2026 to be eligible for offer. New members will receive the $500 as a deposit into their PowerPlus Checking account by 7/31/2026 with transaction comment ”CHECKPROMOREBATE“. The incentive deposit to the new member is considered a bonus and may be reportable to the IRS on Form 1099-MISC (or Form 1042-S, if applicable). The new membership must be in good standing to receive the cash deposit. To be in good standing requires at a minimum: You are not in default of any loan or other obligation to BCU, you are not subject to any legal or administrative order or levy, and you have not caused a loss to BCU as stated in our Expulsion Policy found at BCU.org/Legal-Terms-of-Use. Existing members are not eligible for the offer. No substitutions for deposit allowed. Offer limited to one (1) deposit per membership. Void where prohibited. BCU's decisions are final and binding on all matters relating to this offer. BCU, at its sole discretion, may terminate, in whole or part, and or modify, amend, or suspend this promotion in any way, at any time, for any reason without prior notice. BCU employees and immediate family members are not eligible to participate in this offer. Sponsored by BCU, 340 N Milwaukee Ave, Vernon Hills, IL 60061.
1The promotion rate will be applied to memberships opened by 12/31/2026. The 3-month introductory period begins the month the membership is opened and ends on the last calendar day of the 4th month. During the introductory period, Level 1 will earn 4.00% APY and Level 2 will earn 8.00% APY. After the introductory period, balances up to $15,000 will earn the state higher rate and the portion of the balance over $15,000 will earn the stated lower rate. See rate sheet or BCU.org/Legal/Rates for current rates. Rates are accurate as of 4/1/2026. PowerPlus Checking is available as a personal account only and is limited to one account per member. To earn monthly dividends and reimbursements of other banks’ ATM surcharge fees up to $20.00 per month, your account must meet all three of these requirements to qualify for Level 1 or Level 2. Please note, Level 1 ATM surcharge fees are covered up to $10.00 per month and Level 2 ATM surcharge fees are covered up to $20.00 per month For complete details see the Product Feature, Service Charge and Fee Disclosure in the Consumer Member Service Agreement. PowerPlus Checking is a trademark of BCU.
To earn monthly dividends and reimbursements of other banks’ ATM surcharge fees up to $20.00 per month, your account must meet all three of these requirements to qualify for Level 1 or Level 2. Please note, Level 1 ATM surcharge fees are covered up to $10.00 per month and Level 2 ATM surcharge fees are covered up to $20.00 per month.
To achieve Level 1, you must have monthly direct deposits totaling at least $1,000 into your PowerPlus Checking account on an ongoing monthly basis, enrollment in eStatements and completion of at least fifteen (15) qualified transactions.
To achieve Level 2, you must have direct deposits totaling at least $3,000 into your PowerPlus Checking account on an ongoing monthly bases, enrollment in eStatements and completion of at least thirty (30) qualified transactions.
Qualified transactions include any combination of the following: BCU Debit Card PIN, Debit Card Signature, credit card purchases, Online Bill Pay or ACH payments, which will apply toward the monthly requirements in the month they post to your account. Credit card transactions that post on the last day of the month will be applied toward the following month’s transaction total. Accounts not meeting all monthly requirements will not earn dividends and will not receive reimbursements of other banks’ ATM surcharge fees and will not be eligible for the increased APY offer during the introductory period.
Rate accurate as of 4/1/2026. The dividend rate and annual percentage yield (APY) may change at any time. Balances up to $15,000 will earn the stated higher rate and the portion of the balance over $15,000 will earn the stated lower rate. See rate sheet or website for current rates. There is no minimum balance required to earn dividends. Dividends are paid monthly and calculated based on the average daily balance method. Fees may reduce earnings.
PowerPlus Checking is available as a personal account only and is limited to one account per member. When Opted In, if you do not have sufficient available funds in your checking account to clear a presented item, funds may automatically transfer from your savings or money market share and may count towards withdrawal limitations for that savings or money market share (Electronic funds transfers from savings and money market shares, which include overdraft transfers are limited to six per month). Each electronic funds transfer in excess of six per month is subject to a $3 excessive withdrawal fee. See Service Charge and Fee Schedule in Consumer Member Service Agreement for further details. PowerPlus Checking is a trademark of BCU.
2Direct deposit allows you to receive payroll and other electronic deposits up to two days ahead of your scheduled payday. It’s important to note, funds are not AVAILABLE for you to spend until they are reflected in the AVAILABLE BALANCE. Please be sure to confirm available funds in your account before withdrawing against this deposit. While BCU will try wherever possible to advance payroll direct deposits by up to 2 days, availability of funds ahead of the original scheduled pay date is not guaranteed. You should not rely on direct deposit to satisfy the needs of scheduled bill or loan payments, or any other date-sensitive financial obligations.