Military Checking Account

Developed with the needs of our National Guard, Active Duty, and Reserve Military members in mind, an AFCU Military Checking Account offers all the features of our Free Checking Account:

• No monthly service charges
• No per-check charges
• No minimum balance requirements
• Free Visa® Check Card
• Free Online Account Access
• Member to Member Account Transfers
• Free Internet Bill Payment
• Automatic Overdraft Protection

Plus…Military Checking offers these great features as well:

• Free AFCU checks
• No AFCU out of network ATM fees*
• $500 Overdraft Privilege
• An additional 0.25% discount on all AFCU Loans (excluding VHELOC, Mortgage, and Credit Cards)

* The ATM owner may charge a surcharge. Direct Deposit is required for Military Checking.

Overdraft Privilege

In the event that you write checks in excess of your Military Checking balance fund will automatically be transferred from your $500 Overdraft Privilege to your Military Checking Account.

STOP USING PAYDAY LENDERS…if you need some extra cash to get you to your next payday, simply use your overdraft privilege from your AFCU Military Checking account by writing checks up to $500. Your overdrafts will be paid from your Overdraft Privilege account at an Annual Percentage Rate of 18.00% APR. Compare that to the expense of using a payday lender…see chart below.

Cost for a $500 14-Day Loan	Traditional Payday Lender Loan	AFCU Military Checking Overdraft
Loan Amount	$500	$500
Fee	$100	0
Interest	N/A	$3.45
Total Cost	$100	$3.45
Annual Percentage Rate (APR)	521.08%	18.00%
Fee for each additional 14-Days	$100	$3.45

Visa® Check Card with Rewards

Arkansas Federal's Visa® Check Card is a safe, simple, and convenient alternative to carrying a checkbook or cash. Present your AFCU Visa® Check Card and your purchase will be deducted directly from your Checking Account. There's no interest to pay, and you will enjoy immediate approval at the register. In addition, for cash-on-the-run, your Visa® Check Card also serves as your ATM card.

AFCU Debit Rewards Program

Want a flat-screen TV or a nifty new DVD player? How about a roundtrip plane ticket to just about anywhere in the world or just cash? Then the AFCU Debit Reward Program is for you. Your debit card will automatically earn points toward free merchandise, travel, shopping, entertainment, airline miles, or cash back. To receive cash back debit, members must have a cash back Platinum Rewards MasterCard.

The best thing is that your debit rewards points will be combined with your credit rewards points from our Platinum Rewards MasterCard so your points and/or miles will grow faster! Debit rewards can only be earned on signature purchases using your debit card. No rewards are earned on PIN transactions, ATM withdrawals or for receiving cash back from a grocer or another merchant.

Earn one (1) point for every $2.00 when signing for purchases or selecting the “credit” option (PIN transactions not included). Earn one-quarter of one percent (0.25%) cash back for every purchase when signing for purchases or selecting the “credit” option (PIN transactions not included)

You will receive a monthly statement showing your cash back or points earned. Redeem points for free merchandise, travel, shopping, entertainment, or airline miles. Reward points expire after 48 months. Cash back option will be paid out annually in October of each year. For more information on how you can redeem your points visit www.scorecardrewards.com.

The Difference Between "Debit" and "Credit"

Debit - If you choose "debit" at the register, the transaction is processed through the ATM network, you must use a personal identification number (PIN).

Credit - If you choose credit at the register, the transaction is processed through the Visa® network. When you choose credit and sign for the purchase, it actually helps your credit union and other AFCU members because Visa® transactions are more efficient and less costly to AFCU than ATM transactions.

Falcon Alert helps Prevent Debit and Credit Card Fraud

Arkansas Federal Credit Union subscribes to a state-of-the-art technology called Falcon, to help prevent potential debit and credit card fraud. Based on previous card usage, if a debit or credit card purchase looks suspicious, we’ll try to contact you at your primary, secondary or alternate phone numbers to verify if the card was used by its rightful owner—or determine if the account has fallen into the wrong hands. If the account is being used fraudulently, we can prevent additional activity from occurring.

For Falcon to work, you may receive a call from an AFCU representative asking you about the purchase made with your AFCU Visa® Check Card (also known as a debit card), VISA® Classic, Visa® Secured Credit or Platinum Rewards MasterCard®. We'll ask you to take a moment to verify your debit card or credit card account activity.  Note:  AFCU will not ask you any debit or credit card number specifics or AFCU account specifics.

What You Can Do to Help

Because the Falcon system relies heavily on accurate contact information, it’s important for members to keep that information current. Please keep AFCU informed of your current address and phone numbers. If you move or change your phone, you can complete a change of address form to update your address or phone numbers or add any additional contact phone numbers.

Traveling Out of the Area?

If you are planning to travel and use your AFCU debit or credit card in an area where you don’t usually use your card, please take note of the following information. Contact AFCU that you are planning on traveling outside your area and provide us with the dates and locations that you plan on traveling to so that we can notify Falcon.  It's best to have more than one method for spending and payments. Besides your AFCU debit or credit card, take an additional form of payment, such as travelers cheques. Our Card Services Department may not be able to contact you if you are in a foreign country for instance, and you want to make sure you have another method of payment if your card is temporarily blocked due to unusual activity. For more information, call 501.982.1000 or 800.456.3000 for more details.

Free Real-Time Online Account Access

The Arkansas Federal Internet Branch puts you in control of your Checking Account from the comfort of your home or office, 24-hours a day. Simply access our Internet Branch from your personal computer to receive up-to-the-minute balance information on your credit union savings, investment, and loan accounts, or to perform account transactions, including Internet Bill Payment.

With our Internet Branch, you are instantly connected to a wealth of up-to-the-minute credit union information. What's more, as a member you have direct access to your account to pay bills, transfer funds, make loan payments, stop payment on a check, review cleared check images, review your previous 5-years statements. It's just one more innovative feature designed to make Arkansas Federal's services more flexible and convenient.

Using the Money Export, you can transform your credit union account information into a file to download to your computer. Once downloaded onto your hard drive, this file can then be imported into your personal financial management software such as Microsoft Money™.

Signing up for Account Access can be done quickly and easily online. Just have your member number and access code (your secret, four-digit number) handy when you log on to the Internet Branch. From our homepage, enter your member number and access code, and complete the step-by-step registration process.

Once your registration is processed, you will be able to start managing your accounts online immediately. When you are finished accessing your accounts the Sign Off button returns you to the Home page.

When you need credit union information at a glance and access to your accounts at your fingertips, there is no better tool than Arkansas Federal's Internet Branch. Your personal computer is your direct, anytime link to credit union services-from home, the office, or anywhere in the world.

Member to Member Account Transfers

Arkansas Federal Credit Union recognizes the fact that members need the ability to transfer funds from accounts under one member number to accounts under another member number.

With member-to-member transfer that is now possible! If you are listed jointly on ANY AFCU membership, you may now transfer money from one member number to another through Account Access. First, you will need to contact the Call Center and request that member to member transfers be enabled on any accounts that you are listed jointly. Once this has been enabled, you will login to Account Access and select the Account Transfers tab. Select what membership/account you would like to transfer money FROM. Then select the membership/account that you would like to transfer money TO. AFCU members may also schedule recurring transfers through Account Access with the Scheduled Account Transfers tab.

To request member-to-member transfer, simply contact our Call Center at 501.982.1000 in central Arkansas or 800.456.3000 outside central Arkansas and speak with one of our Call Center Representatives during normal business hours.

Free Unlimited Internet Bill Payment

Use Internet Bill Payment, in conjunction with your AFCU Checking Account, to pay your bills electronically rather than by writing and mailing paper checks. You can set up any individual or company you choose to receive a check. You can also schedule recurring payments and verify past payments.

To sign up, simply log on to Account Access and click on the Bill Payment button. Follow the prompts, fill in the proper information, and submit your request. Your Internet Bill payment account should be operational within 3-5 business days.

Secure Internet Transactions

Arkansas Federal recognizes the importance of safe and secure transmissions of your personal financial information via the Internet or any other communication medium.

Our Account Access and Bill Payment services are designed with state-of-the-art security safeguards that allow you to access your account via the Internet in a way that does not expose your primary member records. To protect your privacy, Account Access and Bill Payment utilize Netscape's Secure Socket Layer (SSL) 128-bit encryption and authentication systems.

To determine if your browser supports 128-bit encryption, click on "Help" in the toolbar of your Internet browser and click on "About browser name". A pop-up box or window will display. For Internet Explorer - Next to "Cipher strength" you should see "128-bit". For Netscape - the following text should appear: "This version supports high-grade (128-bit) security with RSA Public Key Cryptography". If your browser does not support 128-bit encryption, you will need to upgrade to a browser that does in order to continue to access secure pages of the website. Recommended browsers include: Netscape Navigator 4.75 or higher, Internet Explorer 5.0 or higher, and AOL 6 or higher, but other browsers that support 128-bit encryption may also work.

Free E-Statements

If you sign up for AFCU Internet Account Access, you are automatically enrolled in e-Statements. E-Statements offer more security and convenience than mailing paper statements. Each month you will receive an e-mail reminder that your statement is available for viewing. Then simply log into Account Access and click on the e-Statement tab to view your statement. You may also elect to print a paper copy or save your statement to your computers hard drive for future reference.

Electronic Check Images

After your check has cleared our system, your check number will appear as a link on the Account Summary page of Account Access. Simply click on the check number to see an image of the front and back of your check.

Direct Deposit

Safe and hassle-free, Direct Deposit enables you to have your entire paycheck automatically deposited into your AFCU Account each payday. Tell us how you would like the funds distributed and we can automatically transfer whatever amount you choose to your AFCU Loan or Savings account as well. You can even arrange to have tax refund automatically deposited to your AFCU Account.

Pre-Authorized Payments

Arkansas Federal allows you to make Pre-Authorized Payments from your checking account. Simply include a voided check or deposit slip with the paperwork you provide to your mortgage company, utility company, or any company that offers Pre-Authorized Payment from your account.

E-Z Mover Kit

Moving your checking account to Arkansas Federal could not be easier with the Checking Account E-Z Mover Kit. When you open your checking account, a Member Service Representative will print an E-Z Mover Kit for you. The kit includes form letters for you to move your direct deposit to your new AFCU Checking Account, change your pre-authorized payments, and close your old checking account with instructions to forward any remaining funds from your old checking account to your new AFCU Checking Account. Click here to print an E-Z Mover kit.

A Variety of Convenient Ways to Apply

It is easy and convenient to apply for a Checking Account from Arkansas Federal. Remember, an Arkansas Federal Checking Account can be opened without an initial deposit if you sign up for Direct Deposit or you can open your account with as little as $25.00...or as much as you would like to deposit.

Visit any Branch Location

Members may apply for an AFCU Checking Account in a variety of ways, including visiting with a Member Service Representative at any of our branch offices.

Contact The Call Center

Simply contact our Call Center and speak with one of our Call Center Representatives during normal business hours

In central Arkansas, call 501-982-1000
In the Bryant area, call 501-847-1695
In the Searcy area, call 501- 268-4762
In the Conway area, call 501-329-1000
In the Fort Smith area, call 479-782-1000
In the Cabot area, call 501-743-3000
Outside central Arkansas, call toll free at 800-456-3000

Apply via the Internet Branch

• Log in using your member number and password
• Click on Online Forms
• Click on Open a Checking Account
• Fill out the electronic application
• Click Submit