Note: This post is about discussing this bonus after they added “Non-Members Joining Through Life”. The money. You. (LMY) are are required to open their membership and flow account in person at a local BCU branch to earn the bonus. Online or remote account opening is not permitted for LMY eligible participants who wish to earn the bonus language. For discussion of the bonus before it was added, head over here.
Offer at a glance
- Maximum bonus amount: 500 dollars
- Availability: Branches are in CA, IL, WI, PR, MS, UT. Also eligible if family member is a member. (Location information here)
- Direct deposit required: Yes, $3,000+
- Additional requirements: See below
- Hard/soft pull: Soft withdrawal, requires TransUnion merger
- ChexSystems: Unknown
- Credit card financing: ANY
- Monthly fees: ANY
- Early account closure fee: ANY
- Family boundary: ANY
- Expiration date: 15.5.26
Offers
- BCU Credit Union offers a $500 checking bonus when you open a new PowerPlus checking account and meet the following requirements:
- Use promo code Boos
- Put $3,000 in direct deposits within 60 days
- Make 30 transactions within 60 days
- BCU debit and credit card transactions (purchases and payments), online or ACH bill payments, BCU Zelle transactions, paper and electronic check payments, and BCU loan payments (credit card, loan and mortgage)
Fine Press
- Offer available to eligible non-members who are legal US residents 18 years of age or older, unless prohibited by law.
- Offer valid 1/4/2026 – 15/5/2026 (Offer Period). Non-members who join with promo code BOOST receive a $500 deposit toward opening a new PowerPlus™ Checking Credit Union membership, minimum qualifying direct deposit totaling at least $3,000 and at least 30 qualifying PowerPlus checking account transactions within the first 60 days of membership opening.
- A qualified direct deposit is a recurring monthly deposit of regular monthly income, such as your salary, pension or Social Security benefit or other eligible regular monthly income, deposited electronically by an employer or other third-party payer into your BCU Zelle checking and deposit account.
- A transfer made by ATM, online or teller, paper check deposits and wire deposits are not a qualified direct deposit. Qualifying transactions include any combination of the following: BCU debit and credit card transactions (purchases and payments), online bill payments or ACH payments, BCU Zelle transactions, paper and electronic check payments, and BCU loan payments (credit card, loan and mortgage) which will be applied to monthly claims in the month they post to your account. Credit card transactions that are posted on the last day of the month will be applied to the following month’s transaction total.
- A person seeking membership in the Credit Union must meet at least one of the criteria found at BCU.org/Membership-Eligibility.
- New PowerPlus Credit Union Membership and Checkout must be opened by 5/15/2026 to qualify for offer.
- New members will receive $500 as a deposit to their PowerPlus Checking account by 7/31/2026 with the transaction comment “CHECKPROMOREBATE”.
- The new member incentive deposit is considered a bonus and can be reported to the IRS on Form 1099-MISC (or Form 1042-S, if applicable).
- New membership must be in good standing to receive cash deposit.
- To be in good standing requires as a minimum: You are not in default on any loan or other obligation to BCU, you are not subject to any legal or administrative order or levy, and you have not caused loss to BCU as stated in our Eviction Policy found at BCU.org/Legal-Terms-of-Use.
- Existing members are not eligible for the offer.
- No deposit substitutions 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 may, in its sole discretion, terminate, in whole or in part, and or modify, change or suspend this promotion in any manner, 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.
- All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you must pay tax on them
Avoidance of fees
Monthly fees
This account has no monthly fees to worry about.
Early account termination fee
No EATF according to fee schedule.
Our verdict
Obviously not as good now that you have to go to a physical branch to complete the application, but still worth it for some people, especially if you live near a physical branch. It will be added to our best bank account bonuses.
Useful posts about bank bonuses:
