About Us
America
First is one of the largest, most stable, and most progressive credit unions in the country, and has remained a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative financial institution since its inception over seven decades ago. From low-rate loans and free online services, to mortgages and free checking accounts, America First offers a vast array of tools allowing you to manage your money, in the manner you desire.
Our mission is to provide personal financial services of a superior quality to the members/owners; our chief concern being their financial well-being.
We desire to be the primary financial institution of our members. We will use automation and technology to support a highly trained group of volunteers and staff.
Professional managers will be accountable for the quality of service and will be given sufficient flexibility in implementing policy to ensure that the member perceives the highest degree of excellence in every contact.
Professional marketing will provide aggressive programs to sustain and increase growth. We will seek our growth both from new members and by serving the financial needs of present members in a more complete manner. We will not sacrifice quality of present services to seek growth.
In order to provide quality member services, the credit union must remain financially sound and secure. Adequate operating controls, capital reserves and liquidity will be maintained at all times.
We will be sales oriented in our approach to members, and traditional credit union philosophy will remain our guiding principle. Among financial institutions, this credit union is a unique organization with deep and abiding human values. Our goal is to maintain those qualities.
Insider's experts choose the best products and services to help make smart decisions with your money (here’s how). In some cases, we receive a commission from our our partners, however, our opinions are our own. Terms apply to offers listed on this page.
Overall credit union rating
Pros and cons
America First Credit Union Share Savings Account
America First Credit Union Share Savings Account
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.05% APY
Minimum Deposit Amount
$1
America First Credit Union Share Savings Account
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.05% APY
Minimum Deposit Amount
$1
On America First Credit Union's website
America First Credit Union Share Savings Account from America First Credit Union
On America First Credit Union's website
Deposit Details
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.05% APY
Minimum Deposit Amount
$1
Pros & Cons
Chevron iconIt indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.Check mark iconA check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction.
$1 minimum opening deposit
Check mark iconA check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction.
No monthly service fees
Dash iconA dash. It often indicates an interaction to shrink a section.
Low interest rate
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Interest compounded monthly, not daily
Highlights
Chevron iconIt indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.- Membership restricted to certain parts of the West
- 128 branches in Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah
- 5,600 shared branches and 60,000 surcharge-free ATMs through the CO-OP Shared Network
- Must keep at least $1 in account to maintain membership and earn interest
- Interest compounded and deposited monthly
- Federally insured by the NCUA
You'll have to open the America First Credit Union Share Savings Account to become a member at America First. The account doesn't charge any monthly fees and only requires $1 to open and maintain membership.
America First Credit Union Classic Checking Account
America First Credit Union Classic Checking Account
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.00% to 0.05% APY
Minimum Deposit Amount
$0
America First Credit Union Classic Checking Account
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.00% to 0.05% APY
Minimum Deposit Amount
$0
On America First Credit Union Checking Account's website
America First Credit Union Classic Checking Account from America First Credit Union Checking Account
On America First Credit Union Checking Account's website
Deposit Details
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.00% to 0.05% APY
Minimum Deposit Amount
$0
Pros & Cons
Chevron iconIt indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.Check mark iconA check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction.
No minimum opening deposit
Check mark iconA check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction.
No monthly service fees
Check mark iconA check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction.
Overdraft protection available
Dash iconA dash. It often indicates an interaction to shrink a section.
$25 overdraft fee
Dash iconA dash. It often indicates an interaction to shrink a section.
$1.50 out-of-network ATM fee
Dash iconA dash. It often indicates an interaction to shrink a section.
Must have at least $500 in account to earn interest
Dash iconA dash. It often indicates an interaction to shrink a section.
Low interest rate
Highlights
Chevron iconIt indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.- Membership restricted to certain parts of the West
- 128 branches in Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah
- 5,600 shared branches and 60,000 surcharge-free ATMs through the CO-OP Shared Network
- Must have at least $500 in account to earn interest
- If you use overdraft protection, America First provides a line of credit for a $25 charge
- Interest compounded and deposited monthly
- Federally insured by the NCUA
The America First Credit Union Classic Checking Account is a decent choice if you are looking for a free checking account.
Be mindful of overdrawing, though. America First provides a line of credit when you use overdraft protection but still charges a $25 fee.
America First Credit Union Certificate
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
1.50% to 3.50% APY
Minimum Deposit Amount
$500
America First Credit Union Certificate
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
1.50% to 3.50% APY
Minimum Deposit Amount
$500
On America First Credit Union's website
America First Credit Union Certificate from America First Credit Union
On America First Credit Union's website
Deposit Details
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
1.50% to 3.50% APY
Minimum Deposit Amount
$500
Pros & Cons
Chevron iconIt indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.Check mark iconA check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction.
Competitive APY
Check mark iconA check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction.
$500 opening deposit
Check mark iconA check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction.
Low early withdrawal penalties
Dash iconA dash. It often indicates an interaction to shrink a section.
No terms over 5 years
Dash iconA dash. It often indicates an interaction to shrink a section.
Interest compounded monthly, not daily
Dash iconA dash. It often indicates an interaction to shrink a section.
Membership restricted to certain counties in the West
Highlights
Chevron iconIt indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.- Membership restricted to certain parts of the West
- Term lengths ranging from 3 months to 5 years
- Early withdrawal penalty of 60 days interest for terms of 12 months or less; 180 days interest for terms over 12 months
- Interest compounded monthly and paid monthly
- Federally insured by the NCUA
America First offers high CD rates. It has several share CD options, including flexible certificates that let you deposit and withdraw money after you've opened one. Regardless of which term choose, you'll also earn a good interest rate.
America First Credit Union Money Market Savings Account
America First Credit Union Money Market Savings Account
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.40% to 0.75% APY
Minimum Deposit Amount
$0
America First Credit Union Money Market Savings Account
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.40% to 0.75% APY
Minimum Deposit Amount
$0
On America First Credit Union's website
America First Credit Union Money Market Savings Account from America First Credit Union
On America First Credit Union's website
Deposit Details
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.40% to 0.75% APY
Minimum Deposit Amount
$0
Pros & Cons
Chevron iconIt indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.Check mark iconA check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction.
No minimum opening deposit
Check mark iconA check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction.
No monthly service fees
Dash iconA dash. It often indicates an interaction to shrink a section.
Low interest rate
Dash iconA dash. It often indicates an interaction to shrink a section.
No debit card
Highlights
Chevron iconIt indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.- Membership restricted to certain parts of the West
- 128 branches in Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah
- 5,600 shared branches and 60,000 surcharge-free ATMs through the CO-OP Shared Network
- Earn 0.40% APY if you have an account balance between $0 and $4,999.99
- Earn 0.45% APY if you have an account balance between $5,000 and $249,999.99
- Earn 0.75% APY if you have an account balance over $250,000
- Interest compounded monthly and paid monthly
- Federally insured by the NCUA
The America First Credit Union Money Market Savings Account may be ideal if you're able to maintain a high balance on your account. Account balances over $5,000 earn higher interest than the credit union's savings account, but it's still lower than what online banks might offer.
America First also has a money market checking account which comes with a debit card — but you'll need to deposit at least $10,000 to open an account.
How America First Credit Union works
America First Credit Union has 128 branches in Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, and Utah. Members also have access to over 5,600 shared branches and 60,000 surcharge-free ATMs through the CO-OP Shared Network.
Customer support is available over the phone, through email, or via live chat. Contact a customer service representative from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. MT on weekdays or 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. MT on Saturdays.
The America First mobile app has 4.7 out of 5 stars in the Google Play Store. In the Apple Store, it received 4.9 out of 5 stars.
America First is federally insured by the NCUA, so up to $250,000 is secure in your bank account.
How to join America First Credit Union
You're eligible for membership at America First Credit Union if you live, work, worship, or volunteer in an Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, or Utah county mentioned on this list. If you have a family member or spouse that's a current member, you're also able to join.
To become a member, you must open a share savings account.
America First Credit Union trustworthiness and BBB rating
America First Credit Union hasn't been involved in any recent public controversies.
We also include ratings from the Better Business Bureau to provide information on how financial institutions deal with customer issues and handle transparency practices. The BBB gave America First Credit Union an A+ rating.
A good BBB rating doesn't necessarily mean that you will have a similar experience as others. You'll want to talk to current members or read online customer reviews to get a better understanding of whether America First will be a good fit for you.
America First Credit Union vs. Ally
We compared America First Credit Union to two other financial institutions from our best CD rates guide: Ally Bank and CIT Bank.
Both financial institutions offer strong CDs. Ally is one of the few banks that doesn't require a minimum opening deposit, so it'll be the best option if you have less than $500 to start with.
If you prefer to deposit $500 or more into a CD, you'll want to review the CD early withdrawal penalties and interest rates to see which institution has the better option for you.
America First Credit Union vs. CIT Bank
CIT Bank might be a good choice if you are planning on getting a jumbo CD. If you're strictly looking for the highest interest rate though, you may prefer America First Credit Union.
Your decision between these institutions may also boil down to your preferences between online banks and brick-and-mortar banks. CIT Bank is an online-only institution, so you'll have to be comfortable with online and mobile banking. If you find it hard to manage your account that way, you might prefer banking with America First since it has physical branch locations.
Sophia Acevedo, CEPF
Junior Banking Reporter
Sophia Acevedo is a junior banking reporter at Insider who covers banking and savings for Personal Finance Insider. She is also a Certified Educator in Personal Finance (CEPF). She joined Insider in July 2021 as a fellow for the Personal Finance Insider Reviews team. Before joining the Insider team, she was a freelancer based in Los Angeles and worked briefly in publishing. She also graduated from California State University Fullerton in 2020. You can reach out to her on Twitter at @sophieacvdo or send a quick email at . Read more about how Personal Finance Insider chooses, rates, and covers financial products and services >>
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