Generations of a family sitting in a row outside on a dock

Certificates Specials

Term

Min. Balance

APY1

Rate

Dividends Paid

9 Month Promo* $250.00 4.25% 4.17% Monthly
14 Month Promo* $250.00 4.15% 4.08% Monthly
23 Month Promo* $250.00 3.75% 3.69% Monthly

Grow faster, access anytime

If you need access to your money for an upcoming purchase, open our federally insured Money Market Plus account instead and earn more when you save more. To qualify for our premium Money Market Plus rates, a Patelco Checking account with a $500 month deposit is required.

Money Market Plus Rates

APY2

Rate

Minimum Balance

Patelco Checking account

4.50% 4.41% $250,000.00 Yes
4.00% 3.93% $100,000.00 Yes
3.51% 3.45% $50,000.00 Yes
3.00% 2.96% $1.00 Yes
0.05% 0.05% $1.00 No

More than just high-yield savings options

Safety and Security

NCUA insured up to $250,000 for individuals ($500,000 for joint owners)

Set Up Alerts

Stay on top of your accounts, such as certificate renewals

30,000+ Fee-free ATMs

Find one near you on our top-rated Mobile App3

Free Checking account

Qualify for higher rates on Money Market Plus and Certificate promotions with a monthly deposit of $500 or more into your Patelco checking account

Free Checking with Patelco
Qualify for the promo Certificate rates when you make a monthly deposit of $500 or more into your Patelco checking account.

  • No monthly fees
  • No overdraft fees4
  • No minimum balance requirement
  • Add the debit card to your digital wallet and pay with confidence with zero liability protection
Open Account Free Checking with Patelco

Frequently Asked Questions

  • No. We don’t charge a monthly fee or require a minimum balance to waive the monthly fee on our Certificates, Money Market Plus or Free Checking accounts.

    If you’ve been a Patelco member for at least 10 years as of December 31, 2024, then you don’t need to have a Patelco checking account in order to earn the premium rates on this Certificate promotion. Thank you for being a long-term member and trusting us on your financial journey!

     

    If you have been a member for less than 10 years as of December 31, 2024, then you need to have an open Patelco checking account (under the same membership number) and deposit a minimum of $500 total each month to that checking account to qualify for the premium Certificate rate. The checking account must be open prior to opening your Certificate. The deposit requirement must be met by the end of the 2nd calendar month following the opening of your Certificate. For example, if you open your Certificate on March 15, 2024, you must be depositing a total of $500 monthly by May 31, 2024, and in every month thereafter while your Certificate is open.

     

    If you fail to have an open Patelco checking account and/or don’t meet the monthly $500 deposit requirement at any time, your Certificate APY will be reduced to the lower standard rate and will not be reinstated thereafter.

     

    More details may be found in the Certificate Account Overview.

    Yes. Your money is insured by the National Credit Union Administration for up to $250,000.00 (or $500,000.00 in a joint account for two people).
     
    Like the FDIC, NCUA provides federal insurance for credit union accounts, while the FDIC provides insurance for bank accounts.

    Yes. You need to have a Patelco checking account and deposit a minimum of $500 total each month to the checking account to qualify for the higher rate in your Money Market Plus account. Upon opening your Money Market Plus account, you’ll have up to 3 months to meet this requirement.
     
    You’ll automatically enjoy the higher APY based on the deposit tier you maintain during those 3 months.
     
    If you don’t have a Patelco checking account or if you have a Patelco checking account but don’t meet the monthly $500 minimum deposit requirement, your Money Market Plus account will earn the Regular Savings interest rate currently at 0.05% APY.
     
    The good news is once you establish the $500 deposit during a month, you will receive the higher interest rate the following month, based on the deposit balance you maintain.
     
    More details may be found in our Account Overview.

    The Money Market Plus account offers a tiered rate based on your daily account balance in the account. Plus, you must have a Patelco checking account that meets the monthly recurring deposit requirement of $500 or more.
     
    The following variable interest rates will apply to your account balance: 4.50% APY on balances of $250,000.00 or greater, 4.00% APY on balances between $100,000.00 and $249,999.99, 3.51% APY on balances between $50,000.00 and $99,999.99, 3.00% APY on balances up to $49,999.99.
     
    You’ll automatically earn the tiered rate listed above based on the daily account balance maintained when you open the account and for the 3 months following. If you want to continue earning higher interest rate after that, you’ll need to have a Patelco checking account (under the same membership) with monthly recurring deposits of $500 or more into the checking account.
     
    If you do not meet the qualifying checking account requirements by the 3rd calendar month after the account is open, you’ll earn the Regular Savings interest rate, which is currently at 0.05% APY, regardless of the balance you maintain.
     
    Once you meet the requirements, you’ll start earning the higher interest rate in the applicable balance tier the following month.
     
    Keep in mind the APY (Annual Percentage Yield) is a variable rate and may go up or down depending on the rate environment.
     
    More details may be found in our Account Overview.

    You have several options. Once you’ve opened your Money Market Plus account, you can open your Free Checking in minutes with Patelco Mobile App or online banking. Or, if you prefer, you can learn more about the features and benefits of Free Checking before applying online.

    You can find one of the 30,000+ fee-free ATMs at patelco.org/locations or on your Mobile App.

    Patelco is a member owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative. When you join Patelco, you become a member and a shareholder. That’s why we’ll also open a Regular Savings account and deposit one share ($1) in your account when you join.
     
    Our mission is to help members achieve lifelong financial wellbeing so you can live happier, fuller lives.
     
    Unlike the big banks or other for-profit financial institutions, we invest our profits back in our members with better rates and low to no fees.
     
    We also offer free financial advice to anyone who wants to improve their financial situation. Members have told us that they feel seen, heard, informed, and supported to make more confident financial choices.
     
    Membership is free and comes with great benefits. You become a member when you open an account with us.

Prefer talking to someone?

Make an appointment to visit a Patelco branch near you. Or meet on video with our Virtual Branch — where you can schedule an appointment to meet virtually from the comfort of your home or office.

Schedule Appointment Prefer talking to someone?

1 APY = Annual Percentage Yield. Rates are effective as of 10/05/2024. Rates may vary at the time of maturity or renewal. Certificate promotion interest rates vary depending on qualifications. 9-Month Certificate promotion has a premium rate of 4.25% APY and standard rate of 3.75% APY (Dividends paid monthly); 14-Month Certificate promotion has a premium rate of 4.15% APY and standard rate of 3.65% APY (Dividends paid monthly); 23-Month Certificate promotion has a premium rate of 3.75% APY and standard rate of 3.25% APY (Dividends paid monthly). In order to obtain the high premium rate for either Certificate promotional term, you must meet at least one of the following criteria: Tenure of 10+ years as of 12/31/2024, OR a checking account (under the same membership) prior to Certificate opening with a total recurring monthly deposit of $500 or more. If the checking account criteria is not met at any time, the rate will be reduced to the lower standard rate and will not be reinstated thereafter. Qualifying deposit transactions include: Payroll direct deposits, Social Security (or other government benefit) direct deposits, ACH transfers, Zelle®, Venmo, PayPal or other similar deposits, cash deposits, check deposits (except checks written from another Patelco account), wire transfers, multiple deposits (of the types listed here) that add up to at least $500 in a calendar month. Qualifying deposit transactions do not include Patelco account-to-Patelco account transfers, chargebacks or promotional incentive payments from Patelco. All certificates are subject to an early withdrawal penalty. For IRA Certificates, the early withdrawal penalty is waived if the IRA owner is age 59½ years or older. Fees could reduce earnings. Please see the Certificate Accounts section in the Patelco Member Handbook.

2 APY=Annual Percentage Yield. Rates are effective as of 08/01/2023 and are subject to change before or after account opening without notice. Rates vary by tier and apply to the full balance. The following variable interest rates will apply to your account balance: 4.50% APY on balances of $250,000.00 or greater, 4.00% APY on balances between $100,000.00 and $249,999.99, 3.51% APY on balances between $50,000.00 and $99,999.99, 3.00% APY on balances up to $49,999.99. In order to attain high interest rates, the account must meet the eligibility requirements, that is a Patelco checking account (opened under the same Member Number) with a total monthly deposit of $500 or more. If the account fails to meet eligibility, the lower interest rate of 0.05% will be defaulted for that month. Qualifying deposit transactions include: Payroll direct deposits, Social Security (or other government benefit) direct deposits, ACH transfers, Zelle®, Venmo, PayPal or other similar deposits, cash deposits, check deposits (except checks written from another Patelco account), wire transfers, multiple deposits (of the types listed above) that add up to at least $500 in a calendar month. Qualifying deposit transactions do not include Patelco account to Patelco account transfers, chargebacks, or promotional incentive payments from Patelco.

3 Source: over 22,000 five-star reviews on the App Store.

4 You must enroll in Instant BackUp on your checking account to receive overdraft coverage up to $500. You’ll pay interest only on the amount you borrowed for the amount of time it’s outstanding. Talk to our Patelco team for assistance and learn more here. No overdraft fees applies to checking accounts opened after 04/05/23.

Compare

Up Arrow