[CA] USC Credit Union $400

Update 4/19/26: Bonus now $400. Hat tip to reader Bockrr

Update 10/6/25: Now $125 and a tshirt

Update 6/16/24: Extended until June 30, 2024.

Offer at a glance

• Maximum bonus amount: $250
• Availability: CA
• Direct deposit required: Yes, $1,000+
• Additional requirements: See below
• Hard/soft pull: Soft pull
• ChexSystems: Unknown, sensitive
• Credit card funding: Unknown
• Monthly fees: None
• Early account termination fee: Unknown
• Household limit: None listed
• Expiration date: June 4, 2024

The Offer

Direct link to offer

• USC Credit Union is offering a $400 bonus when you open a new checking account and complete the following requirements:
  • Earn $150 after 60 days of maintaining at least $2,000 in qualifying direct deposits every calendar month into a personal checking account.
  • Earn $100 when you use your USC Credit Union debit card and make 30 point-of-sale transactions within 60 days of activating your card (minimum of $10 per transaction)
  • Earn an additional $150 after six consecutive calendar months of maintaining at least $2,000 in qualifying direct deposits every calendar month

The Fine Print

• Offer is available to members who have not owned a USC Credit Union personal checking account within the last twelve (12) months or closed with a negative balance within the last 3 years. You can receive only one new checking account opening-related bonus per account. To receive the checking bonus all requirements must be met:
  • Open a new USC Credit Union personal checking account using promotional code: SPRING24 at account opening, which is subject to membership eligibility (membership fee may apply; please call 1-877-670-5860 or visit www.USCcreditunion.org to confirm eligibility). Business checking accounts are not eligible.
  • Have qualifying direct deposits totaling $1,000 or more every 30 days for the first 90 days of checking account opening. Your direct deposit needs to be an electronic deposit of your paycheck, pension, or government benefits (such as Social Security) from your employer or the government. Person to Person payments (such as Zelle®, Bill Pay, Cash Apps, ACH transfers between external bank accounts, etc.) are not considered a direct deposit. Micro-deposits do not qualify as a direct deposit for the bonus. Micro-deposits are small deposits, typically less than $1, that are sent to your account to verify it is the correct account;
  • Make a minimum of ten (10) debit card transactions or more every 30 days for the first 90 days of checking account opening.
• After you have completed all the above requirements, we’ll deposit the bonus in your new account within 15 days. To receive this bonus, the enrolled account must not be closed or restricted at the time of payout. The bonus is considered interest and will be reported on IRS Form 1099-INT (or Form 1042-S, if applicable). Offer subject to change without notice. Offer valid for new checking accounts opened from 5/6/2024 to 6/4/2024 and cannot be combined with any other offers. All credit union programs, terms and conditions are subject to change without notice.
• All bank account bonuses are treated as income/interest and as such you have to pay taxes on them

Avoiding Fees

Monthly Fees

The cardinal checking account has no monthly fees to worry about.

Early Account Termination Fee

I wasn’t able to find the fee schedule so unsure if there is any EATF.

Our Verdict

Offer seems OK but we need more datapoints.

Hat tip to reader Bockrr

Useful posts regarding bank bonuses:

• A Beginners Guide To Bank Account Bonuses
• Bank Account Quick Reference Table (Spreadsheet) (very useful for sorting bonuses by different parameters)
• PSA: Don’t Call The Bank
• Introduction To ChexSystems
• Banks & Credit Unions That Are ChexSystems Inquiry Sensitive
• What Banks & Credit Unions Do/Don’t Pull ChexSystems?
• How To Use Our Direct Deposit Page For Bank Bonuses Page
• Common Bank Bonus Misconceptions + Why You Should Give Them A Go
• How Many Bank Accounts Can I Safely Open Within A Year For Bank Bonus Purposes?
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