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3.51% APY Reward Checking Account -MidWest America Federal Credit Union -Nation's highest yield reward checking account in: Subjects › Deal

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Do they use cibng.ibanking-services.com like First Banking Center (one of the 6.01% places for rural Wisconsin)? I wish MoneyCenter.Yodlee.com would get on the ball with adding these smaller institutions!


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OK. So I signed up about 3 weeks ago (via claiming membership rights through the ASPCA), and everything went smooth, and already received my debit card. So, I then have my wife sign up since 1) it's one account per person, and she can get in for free through me now that I'm a member.

Strangely, she gets the application sent back with a form letter stating that a few things need to be done before she can be a member. They have highlighted a couple: namely that the Membership Application and Truth-in-Savings statements need to be signed and notarized-- despite nothing indicating they needed to be (I didn't notarize mine, and apprently went through). What might be of interest to some though is that they also have a membership section stating requirements INCLUDING one specifically that states at the end "Make a one-time donation of $20 to the Allen County ASPCA"! This section was not highlighted, presumably because my wife already met the requirement since they could easily look up me.

It does appear that they are perfectly fine with the ASPCA route, although you will likely need to prove this. Also, if you've already received your forms and can get notariziation done easily, then might want to proactively do so. They do seem to be scrutinizing things a bit more now, although nothing that difficult.

Message edited by: teammjs on 2008-08-04 20:49:34 CDT
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teammjs said:OK. So I signed up about 3 weeks ago (via claiming membership rights through the ASPCA), and everything went smooth, and already received my debit card. So, I then have my wife sign up since 1) it's one account per person, and she can get in for free through me now that I'm a member.

Strangely, she gets the application sent back with a form letter stating that a few things need to be done before she can be a member. They have highlighted a couple: namely that the Membership Application and Truth-in-Savings statements need to be signed and notarized-- despite nothing indicating they needed to be (I didn't notarize mine, and apprently went through). What might be of interest to some though is that they also have a membership section stating requirements INCLUDING one specifically that states at the end "Make a one-time donation of $20 to the Allen County ASPCA"! This section was not highlighted, presumably because my wife already met the requirement since they could easily look up me.

It does appear that they are perfectly fine with the ASPCA route, although you will likely need to prove this. Also, if you've already received your forms and can get notariziation done easily, then might want to proactively do so. They do seem to be scrutinizing things a bit more now, although nothing that difficult.

I'm surprised that you didn't have a notarization requirement. I did, and I thought it was the normal procedure. My wife had her signature notarized for her application as well.

Rather than applying on-line, I had all the forms mailed to me, and included with those forms was one for the Allen County SPCA. That was completed, and the amount included on my funding check, IIRC. So there was no issue of proving my membership with the ASPCA. My wife's application was sent along with mine; her eligibility for membership in the CU was assured based on my application.


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My wife and I just got our stuff last week and haven't gone to get it notarized yet. Our packages did NOT include a mechanism for applying for the ASPCA, but we did get the note about how making a donation would qualify, and it did include the notarization requirement. It did not explain what the big deal is about getting the truth in lending statement notarized.

I got the ASPCA application off the ASPCA website and mailed it in, signing us up for a family membership. I made copies of the application and the check I used and will send it in if we get our stuff for the CU organized before the SPCA stuff comes, and see how that works. I didn't pay attention and didn't realize that only one of us has to be a member, but my attitude about that is, who cares, I'm glad to do it and I hope that the ASPCA gets tons of money from this.

Message edited by: GroveStreetOG on 2008-08-04 23:34:15 CDT
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GroveStreetOG said:My wife and I just got our stuff last week and haven't gone to get it notarized yet. Our packages did NOT include a mechanism for applying for the ASPCA, but we did get the note about how making a donation would qualify, and it did include the notarization requirement. It did not explain what the big deal is about getting the truth in lending statement notarized.

I got the ASPCA application off the ASPCA website and mailed it in, signing us up for a family membership. I made copies of the application and the check I used and will send it in if we get our stuff for the CU organized before the SPCA stuff comes, and see how that works. I didn't pay attention and didn't realize that only one of us has to be a member, but my attitude about that is, who cares, I'm glad to do it and I hope that the ASPCA gets tons of money from this.

Perhaps because I asked the CU to mail me the relevant forms, the form for the ASPCA membership was included. When I called, I had asked about the ASPCA membership and was told that the credit union would process the application for me, so receiving the form from them wasn't a surprise.

I paid for a family membership in the ASPCA. Good cause. For the notarization, my notary didn't directly notarize one of the CU's forms, but used a separate attachment, which was included with the returned forms and documentation. So it wasn't a big deal to have a particular form notarized -- at least for me.

Message edited by: glxpass on 2008-08-05 03:31:21 CDT
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just to clarify, i signed up early in this deal and did it online (filled out the membership ID with copies of ID and a check). when they sent my sig car, they didn't have the letter, that either a) now seems to be included, or b) sent if you didn't contact them first. that's how i assumed a notarization wasn't required in my case, as i would have thought it would have been on the membership application that you can access online.

except for that letter my wife got, i still don't see how anyone would know they require notarization. no big deal, as they were prompt in sending the forms back to my wife and didn't decline the application, but good idea to send initially.


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glxpass said:Rather than applying on-line, I had all the forms mailed to me, and included with those forms was one for the Allen County SPCA. That was completed, and the amount included on my funding check, IIRC. So there was no issue of proving my membership with the ASPCA. My wife's application was sent along with mine; her eligibility for membership in the CU was assured based on my application.

Would you mind expanding on this a bit? Which number did you call, and did you specifically ask for the SPCA app to be mailed to you along with the CU and account paperwork? I'd be interested in going this route if I can get all of the paperwork done in one fell swoop.


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linglingfool said:glxpass said:Rather than applying on-line, I had all the forms mailed to me, and included with those forms was one for the Allen County SPCA. That was completed, and the amount included on my funding check, IIRC. So there was no issue of proving my membership with the ASPCA. My wife's application was sent along with mine; her eligibility for membership in the CU was assured based on my application.

Would you mind expanding on this a bit? Which number did you call, and did you specifically ask for the SPCA app to be mailed to you along with the CU and account paperwork? I'd be interested in going this route if I can get all of the paperwork done in one fell swoop.

I called the main number on the contact page on their web site: 1-800-348-4738. Use the membership services option or ask for a membership services representative. The CSR I worked with was named Amber, and she was great. But so has everyone else been who I've talked with at the CU.

Say that you'd like to join the credit union by becoming a member of the Allen County ASPCA, and ask if they can process the application to ASPCA on your behalf. If so, ask them to include the ASPCA form with the all the application forms you'll need to join the CU and apply for their Reward Checking Account.

The CU should state the details in the introductory letter they'll send with the forms, but I recommend that you find out exactly what forms of ID they will require you to submit along with the forms, as well as the notarization requirements.

I can't remember if I wrote a single check or put the ASPCA membership on a separate check. I think it would be best to do the latter.

Edit: I see that I put the Allen County SPCA membership on a separate check, and made out one check per membership, using MidWest America Federal C.U. as the payee, and the membership name on the memo line.

Message edited by: glxpass on 2008-08-07 07:07:16 CDT
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When I send in the check for the initial deposit, do I make it to myself? Thanks.


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cli168 said:When I send in the check for the initial deposit, do I make it to myself? Thanks.
I made out my deposit checks to MidWest America Federal C.U., and put the account name (e.g. my account, my wife's account) in the memo line of the checks. I made a separate check out to Allen County SPCA and included that with the information I mailed to MidWest.


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klm123 said:Gman476 said:How would you rate their online banking? Is ACH available to other institutions?

yes, they have ACH Push and Pull! (ie send, receive and take)

I don't see the option on their website to setup external accounts for transfers. Have you done this? If so, how?


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Aside from the inevitable FW effect. The 7% rate just doesn't seem sustainable from an economic standpoint. Makes me a bit nervous.


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Zon said:klm123 said:Gman476 said:How would you rate their online banking? Is ACH available to other institutions?

yes, they have ACH Push and Pull! (ie send, receive and take)


I don't see the option on their website to setup external accounts for transfers. Have you done this? If so, how?

I was told MWAFCU can’t do ad-hoc one-time ACH transfers. The only ACH service they provide is recurring ACH transfers upon completing their ACH Transfer form for each external institution.

ACH transfers initiated by external accounts are fine.

Also, no free starter checks.


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Where is the link for online application?
Or Do I need to contact them and ask to send the papers in mail?
Also I applied for ASPCA membership thru online (using paypal) but yet to receive any membership number..
What are the experiences of others?


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Don't know whether this information is already there:

1. No hard credit pull
2. A/c and SCPA membership can be opened together (you send the check for fees and they take care of the memebership)

Message edited by: DreamR2I on 2008-08-12 13:43:53 CDT
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Has anybody tried their bill payment system.
If the bill payment initialed on 12th but paid on 14th, will the money be withdrawn on 12th or 14th?


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shalein said:Where is the link for online application?
Or Do I need to contact them and ask to send the papers in mail?
Also I applied for ASPCA membership thru online (using paypal) but yet to receive any membership number..
What are the experiences of others?

Be sure to contact them somehow. I joined the ACSPCA online, too, and then sent MWAFCU a $25 check for the opening share deposit. MWAFCU kindly wrote a check on my behalf for $20 to the ACSPCA and deposited $5 in my account.

So I ended up joining twice. Not a huge deal if the interest rate stays at 7%, but I'd prefer to have kept my $20.

Those puppies better find really good homes!


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I applied for checking a/c online. I forgot to put the driver's license no. The application still was submitted. I wanted to call them today, but couldn't.

How long do they take to call you after the online submission?


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This is the hardest part for me on these high yield rewards checking accounts: 10 Debit Card transaction

Do you guys just start using the debit card all the time instead of your credit cards? I personally use my AMEX for everything I can and that would be a hard habit to break. I'm not a fan of debit cards at all. I guess you could stand there at the gas station and pump 10 x $5 worth of gas or less but that seems like a hassel That's why I'm stuck rate chasing for 3.75 to 4% APY.

What about when you're out of the country for a month, then the interest drops down to nothing?

Thanks for any feedback!

Message edited by: bas2000 on 2008-08-13 18:50:26 CDT
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I have a lot of <$10 purchases per month so I just charge those on there -- I also pay my AT&T phone/DSL bill online in multiple payments


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