Checking Accounts

Our Member Service staff is ready to assist you with your financial needs at one of our seven locations. All deposits in the Credit Union are insured to at least $250,000 by the National Credit Union Administration, a U.S. Government Agency. Also, through our affiliation with Excess Share Insurance Corporation (ESI) an additional $250,000 of deposit insurance is provided.

1st Rate Checking

Want to earn more for your money without giving up the flexibility of a checking account? Sign up for our 1st Rate Checking Account and receive all of the benefits of a regular checking account plus much, much more!

  • FREE Online Banking, Bill Pay and Mobile Money.
    *Mobile rates and wireless carrier charges may apply.
  • Early Pay Checking
  • 1st Gateway Credit Union Debit Card
  • Identity Theft Protection: click here to learn more.

Members' Choice Checking

High convenience and low cost are just two of the reasons to open a share draft (checking) account at 1ST Gateway Credit Union. Our account even pays money market type rates to those members who maintain higher balances. Cost saving features include:

  • No minimum balance requirements
  • No per-check charges or check limit
  • A competitive interest rate structure
  • Identity Theft Protection, click here to learn more.

Your monthly statement lists every transaction you've made and is presented in an easy to understand format. The Member's Choice account even features automatic overdraft protection which authorizes the Credit Union to transfer funds from your share account (under the same account number) to pay for drafts being presented.

Other Checking Account Holder Benefits:

1st Gateway Debit Card

Our 1st Gateway Debit Card works like a credit card, but all transactions come from your checking account and are on your monthly statement. Your card will allow you to get cash back at the point-of-sale where allowed when you are making purchases, as well as ATMs everywhere. You have access to your funds immediately once it’s deposited. Checkout lines will go much faster as the 1st Gateway Debit Card eliminates the need to write a check or hassle with identification. And since the money comes directly from your checking account, there are no interest charges or transaction fees. Using your new card is safer than carrying cash, plus you’ll have $0 liability for any unauthorized purchases, which means greater peace of mind.

1ST Gateway is part of the Shazam® Privileged Status program. This allows you to use your debit card at the ATMs of other Privileged Status financial institutions without getting a surcharge fee. Just look for ATMs that have the Privileged Status logo! To locate one of these ATMs, click here

Early Pay Checking

Have your payroll or government agency payment directly deposited into your checking account and you may receive your payment up to two days early.* Many companies and government agencies send funds using direct deposit before the “official” payday. With Early Pay Checking you will get the funds when we receive them.

*Must have direct deposit of payroll into a 1ST Gateway checking account to qualify. Early Pay Checking offers immediate credit of your direct deposit of net pay to your 1ST Gateway Checking account up to two (2) days early based upon when we receive your payroll from your employer or government agency. 1ST Gateway cannot assume any liability for not depositing these funds to your account early.

**APY is Annual Percentage Yield. Effective March 1, 2021 $500 minimum balance, 12 debit card transactions (at a minimum of $5.00 per transaction), eStatements, and Direct Deposit totaling $250 for the month required for 1st Rate Checking Account. If all of the qualifications are not met, the rate will be 0.01%. Rate subject to change.