Alliant CU

Thank you ahself. I better give them a call Monday. It's been 2 1/2 weeks
already.

fiveholetarget said: Does anyone know of a local PTA or PTO that I can join online that does not require PayPal?Check posts from a few days ago. I remember a post regarding TJ Science and Tech HS in Fairfax Co, VA, allowing PTA signup online for ~$15 (paypal,visa,mc,accepted. Post said paypal, but site accepts other forms.

gwu1986 said: fiveholetarget said: Does anyone know of a local PTA or PTO that I can join online that does not require PayPal?Check posts from a few days ago. I remember a post regarding TJ Science and Tech HS in Fairfax Co, VA, allowing PTA signup online for ~$15 (paypal,visa,mc,accepted. Post said paypal, but site accepts other forms.

Yeah, I should have been clearer...they use PayPal's web checkout service, which means you can pay with any credit card. link

Argyll said: Alliant has very good service. The only drawback I see, a very slight one, is that transfers seem to take at least two days and sometimes three.

my experience has been (with links to Bank of America and Schwab) it's 2 business days after the day you schedule....
for example, if you put the transfer in on Monday (before the cut off time of 11 pm) it would be in my BOA or Schwab account on Wednesday morning....(and the reverse also, on a "pull")...

So, it's 1 day more then the fastest ach transfer system (such as Fidelity or Schwab, for example) but one day less then a normal 3 day "Cash Edge" transfer which many banks use.....

Not the fastest...but not the slowest either (in-between)

And if you ever had accounts with WAMU (as i use to) and did a transfer with THEIR system....then Alliant is the "energizer bunny" in comparison to WAMU's "turtle slow" set-up....(lol)

I notice a lot in this thread are discussing cheap ways of becoming members of a PTA for qualifying purposes. I notice that Mileage Plus members are also qualifying. That's a FREE option.

Link to UA Mileage Plus enrollment

ahself said: BeerGood said: I notice a lot in this thread are discussing cheap ways of becoming members of a PTA for qualifying purposes. I notice that Mileage Plus members are also qualifying. That's a FREE option.

Link to UA Mileage Plus enrollment

That appears to be limited to Mileage Plus employees since it's listed in the pull-down for "employee of a qualifying organization", and not in the pull-down for "belong to the following qualifying association or organization".

My bad, didn't see the distinction on the Qualifying Organizations webpage. I do notice that Lifetime Fitness members do not need to be employees. Helps some.

craig10x said: by the way, Alliant deposits a free $5 into you share savings accounts (that's the share that is on hold as long as you are a member) so even if you pay the $25 for National PTA, it's not so bad.....i did....it goes to a good cause, so what the heck?....

You'll more then make up for it, with the nice interest on the savings account.... There was some chatter earlier in this thread that the "free" $5 was only if you applied online or beat a deadline... I applied by mail earlier this month and they gave me the $5. So it's still available.

(Besides which, you can get miles, Cash Back or other brownie points for that $25)

I had accounts with Amboy, Emigrant, TRP,brokerages, etc. The last year or so they have been taking one business day to do ACH transfers.

Alliant takes at least two, so it is one of the slower ACH transfer systems I encounter.

It's just something to know and that one can lose some interest in transfer days if you do a lot of transfers.

I still keep most of my funds at Provident because the transfer to checking is nearly instantaneous and no lost interest days.

craig10x said: Argyll said: Alliant has very good service. The only drawback I see, a very slight one, is that transfers seem to take at least two days and sometimes three.

my experience has been (with links to Bank of America and Schwab) it's 2 business days after the day you schedule....
for example, if you put the transfer in on Monday (before the cut off time of 11 pm) it would be in my BOA or Schwab account on Wednesday morning....(and the reverse also, on a "pull")...

So, it's 1 day more then the fastest ach transfer system (such as Fidelity or Schwab, for example) but one day less then a normal 3 day "Cash Edge" transfer which many banks use.....

Not the fastest...but not the slowest either (in-between)

And if you ever had accounts with WAMU (as i use to) and did a transfer with THEIR system....then Alliant is the "energizer bunny" in comparison to WAMU's "turtle slow" set-up....(lol)

A brief addendum re Alliant:

They will allow splitting of accounts as re beneficiary designation. This eliminates the need to open a new membership. By splitting accounts beneath the same membership, and only assigning the beneficiary to one account and not another, and assuming you meet the pertinent NCUA rules, extra NCUA insurance becomes available.

To do this you must fill out and submit a beneficiary form. I did this so I could use my share savings account. It pays a high rate of interest for balances over $100.

HI,
I am searching for a good rate online bank and stumbled on this bank. What do they mean by --------Alliant membership is an exclusive benefit available to individuals who meet one of the following eligibility requirements:

* Any employee of a qualifying employer or its affiliates
* Any person belonging to a qualifying association or organization
* Any person related by blood or law to an existing member
* Any person who lives or works in a qualifying community
???

What is the restriction? FYI, My husband works for police department in FL.
Thank you.

actually, there is a very simple and inexpensive way to qualify for Alliant CU membership....you can either join you local PTA (if you are not already a member) or, as many have done here (including myself) join the National PTA on their website ($25) and that will qualify you automatically...You don't have to keep renewing your membership...the one time $25 will do it..once a member...always a member with a Credit Union....

National PTA has an online application, and you can pay with a credit/debit card....An immediate confirmation e-mail is sent to you, and you can get right on Alliant's website and sign up....

Alliant sponsors the National PTA, which is why they allow memberships through this "channel"......

skadoo323 said:

Don't forget the link one of the forum member's posted earlier which was to join their local PTA for $15. Either way you can't go wrong with which PTA you join.

OP here and just to reiterate:

I joined my local PTO for a cost of precisely $1. This qualified me fully to join Alliant.

Also FWIW, it has been a while now and so far no compliance check. Could it happen? Of course it could, and it might. But so far: nothing.

Regardless I did join the PTO locally so I will be OK no matter what. No cheating. It's always the better way.

jlkc said: For those that have used their billpay, when do they debit your account? When it's sent or when the check is actually cashed?

On the night you start the process...for example: if i schedule a bill pay for today, at 11 PM this evening the funds gets deducted...

If it is an electronic payment, it would go through tommorow and arrive at your payee tommorow....
If it is going by paper check, the check would get mailed to your payee tommorow morning........

And in the case of payments that go by paper check, you can see when the check cleared in your bill pay history, as well as bring up a pdf file of the actual cashed check!

If you never used their bill pay before, it works a little different then some others in that all your payees will go by check for the first payment you do...but then, all those that can go electronic will automatically switch over to that method when you schedule your SECOND payment to that payee....

Just letting you know so you won't be surprised! (lol)......
It's a really nice bill pay though....works quite well...i use it all the time....

golfview said: So if i have over $300k in my Alliant Savings Account and around $5k in their checking account and another $10k in their HSA account what would be the best way to assign beneficiaries. The savings and checking account is joint with my wife. I have one kid who i have put as the beneficiary on the joint accounts.

If you want $300k of coverage in a single account then you're going to have to add more qualifying beneficiaries:
http://www.fdic.gov/deposit/deposits/insuringdeposits/

Yep, still a good rate.

you're very welcome

they should probably be paying me a "commission"....just kidding....(lol)

yes, i very much enjoy the online banking as well...it is really nice to use....and the free atm access is excellent (especially now with the expanded coverage through Allpoint)....and well, as you said, the customer service speaks for itself....

oops, forgot to ask him about that....i'll check back with him and see what he says....

**update: no change on cd rates for now...those aren't updated monthly like savings is, those rates can change at any time, but for the present, they are staying the same....

online pta membership at $8

http://www.wakefieldhs.net/ptsa/

via mail $3.25

http://www.phpta.org/documents/PTA%20forms/Membership_Form.pdf

You don't need to have children to join.

Why Join PTA?
"Everyone—parents, educators, students and other citizens active in their schools and communities—are invited to join our not-for-profit organization."

Who can join a PTA?
"PTA is an inclusive organization that is open to all adults who care about children and schools..."

exactly...i have no children, but i had no problem joining the national pta......you don't have to have children to join either the national or your local ones.....

by the way, it's worth considering getting the checking as well as the savings at Alliant, even though the checking pays no interest (well, a very small amount if you keep over $1000 a month in it)....the reason i say this is because they make a great "combo" for doing "day to day banking" (i use it like that)...

It also doubles the amount of free withdrawals you can do a month with them (16 instead of 8) and that also applies to the number of balance checks and transfers you can do at atms (doubles it)....

Not that i do 16 withdrawals a month, but nice to know the reserve is there (lol)

This is because the 8 free transactions (as far as on their end) apply seperately for each account, even though linked to the same card.....

So two accounts means: 8 free withdrawals 8 free balance inquiries 8 free transfers PER ACCOUNT PER MONTH when you have both accounts....

And as far as a fee from the other atm...no fee there if you use one of the 75,000 COOP/ALLPOINT/CU24/ALLIANCE ONE atms nationwide.....