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Mellanie U., Property Master

Checking Accounts

Your money

your rules.

Open an Account

Open an account

Please choose one of the following options:

New member
Existing member

Questions?

Speak with a local Member Service Representative

Chat with us

Always stay on top of it with First Entertainment Checking.

Our checking accounts offer all the benefits of big bank checking, including Overdraft Protection, free eStatements, and access to Digital Banking anytime, anywhere.

Your money, your way.

Accessing funds when you need them should be quick and simple.

Mobile Banking

Bank on your own schedule

Whether on location, in the office, or at home, Digital Banking lets you easily deposit checks, transfer funds, and view your account 24/7.

Shield

Protect your balance

Avoid the setback and related bank and merchant fees of having a check returned or denied for insufficient funds with Overdraft Protection.

Computer with Dollar

Review your statements online

Free eStatements let you review your transaction history online without having to keep paper records.

We’ve got you covered with personalized checking.

We offer a variety of checking accounts, so you can find the one that’s perfect for your individual needs.

Value Checking

  • No minimum balance requirement
  • No monthly service fee (with eStatements1)
  • No foreign transaction fees
  • 24/7 mobile banking
  • Send and receive money2 in minutes with Zelle®
  • Mobile check deposits
  • Access to nearly 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs
  • Advanced pay to get your payroll deposits up to 3 days earlier.3
  • With $1,000 or more in direct deposits per month, you’ll get these additional benefits.4
    • Up to $15 in ATM surcharge-fee rebates per month when using non-First Entertainment ATMs.
    • No out-of-network ATM withdrawal fees.
    • Get a 0.25% discount on an Adjustable-Rate Mortgage (ARM) loan when you use autopay.
Man adjusting lighting equipment

Advantage Checking

  • Dividend bearing
  • No monthly service fee (balance requirements must be met1)
  • 24/7 mobile banking
  • Send and receive money2 in minutes with Zelle®
  • Mobile check deposits
  • Access to nearly 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs
  • Advanced pay to get your payroll deposits up to 3 days earlier.3
Creative professionals meeting on set

Youth Checking

  • For members ages 10-17
  • No monthly service fee
  • 24/7 mobile banking
  • Mobile check deposit
  • Debit card available for members aged 10-17
  • Access to nearly 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs
  • Must have parent/guardian as joint owner.5
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Compare your checking account options.

Our checking accounts are insured by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF) and include a free chip-secured Visa® debit card and access to more than 30,000 ATMs.

  • Payroll Early Access

    Payroll Early Access

  • ARM Autopay Discount

    ARM Autopay Discount

  • Earns Dividends

    Earns Dividends

  • Monthly Account Fee

    Monthly Account Fee

  • No Monthly Balance Requirement

    No Monthly Balance Requirement

  • Free Digital Banking with Bill Pay

    Free Digital Banking with Bill Pay

  • Overdraft Protection option

    Overdraft Protection option

  • Free Access to Out-of-Network ATMs

    Free Access to Out-of-Network ATMs

Value Checking

  • Payroll Early Access

    3

  • ARM Autopay Discount

    4

  • Earns Dividends

    –

  • Monthly Account Fee

    $01

  • No Monthly Balance Requirement

  • Free Digital Banking with Bill Pay

  • Overdraft Protection option

  • Free Access to Out-of-Network ATMs

    4

Advantage Checking

  • Payroll Early Access

    3

  • ARM Autopay Discount

    –

  • Earns Dividends

    0.10% APY6

  • Monthly Account Fee

    $01

  • No Monthly Balance Requirement

  • Free Digital Banking with Bill Pay

  • Overdraft Protection option

  • Free Access to Out-of-Network ATMs

     

Youth Checking5

  • Payroll Early Access

    3

  • ARM Autopay Discount

    –

  • Earns Dividends

    –

  • Monthly Account Fee

    $0

  • No Monthly Balance Requirement

  • Free Digital Banking with Bill Pay

  • Overdraft Protection option

    –

  • Free Access to Out-of-Network ATMs

    –

See Checking Account Rates

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FAQs

There are two different ways to apply for a Checking account, depending on whether you are a member or not.

Non-members: Navigate to firstent.org and click “Open an Account”. Select the type of account you are opening. Add the First500 Savings account and then the preferred checking account (Value or Advantage). Follow the steps to apply for a Checking account.

Members: Follow the steps below to apply for a Checking Account.

  1. Login to your digital banking account
  2. Navigate to “Open New Accounts”
  3. Click “Open New Checking”
  4. Click on “Apply Now”
  5. On the right side panel, select “Checking Accounts”
  6. Choose the account of your choice (Value or Advantage) and click “Apply”
  7. Select a funding account
  8. Enter a deposit amount (if you would like to open the account without funding it, enter “0”
  9. Choose whether you would like a debit card or not (Optional)
  10. Enter your employer name (Optional)
  11. Select your preferred contact method (Optional)
  12. Check the box on the bottom left if you accept the Terms & Conditions and select “Finish”
  • You must be a member of First Entertainment or become a member and have a Prime Savings account.
  •  Eligibility is based on Chexsystems qualification and requirements.
  • To apply for a Checking account or for more information regarding our checking accounts, please visit our Checking Account page for more information.

If you’re looking to set up Direct Deposit, Automatic Loan Payments or Transfers, or just want to reorder checks, it is important to provide the correct account information from Digital Banking:

  1. Login to your account
  2. Select Checking Account from dashboard
  3. Click Details
  4. The 14 digits listed under Electronic Account Number is your account information

The monthly service fee for our Value Checking can be waived by signing up for eStatements.

The monthly service fee for our Advantage Checking can be waived with maintaining the minimum balance requirement.

There are no monthly service fees or minimum balance requirements for our Youth Checking.

Please see our Consumer Schedule of Fees for more information.

Please see our Business Schedule of Fees for more information on our business checking fees and how to prevent them.

Not finding what you’re looking for? See all our FAQs.

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Overdraft Protection

Overdraft Protection provides peace of mind when faced with unexpected expenses, so you can focus on what matters most, your craft.

Learn more

Open a Checking Account today.

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Open an account

Open an account

Please choose one of the following options:

New member
Existing member

Questions?

Speak with a local Member Service Representative

Chat with us

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Disclosures

*
Federally Insured by NCUA.
1
Value Checking Account. To avoid a monthly service fee, the account must be signed up for eStatements only. For fee information, please refer to our current Schedule of Account Fees and Charges. No dividends are paid on this account.
2
To be eligible for Zelle®, you must be a member for at least 90 days. U.S. checking or savings account required to use Zelle®. Transactions between enrolled users typically occur in minutes and generally do not incur transaction fees. Zelle® and the Zelle® related marks are wholly owned by Early Warning Services, LLC and are used herein under license.
3
Early access to your direct deposit of funds is not guaranteed and is dependent on the timing of receipt by the payer. We generally make direct deposits available up to 3 days earlier than the payment date specified in the direct deposit file. Early availability is not guaranteed and may vary from deposit to deposit.
4
You must maintain at least $1,000 in monthly direct deposits into your ValueChecking account to be eligible for the listed benefits. A grace period of up to 90 days will be provided to accommodate gaps in employment. Should the grace period lapse, and you no longer meet the requirement, you will not be eligible for the listed benefits until the requirements are met again. Adjustable-Rate Mortgage (ARM) loans are limited to one initial grace period of 90 days from taking out the loan to meet the direct deposit requirements. Advantage, Youth and Business Checking accounts do not qualify. ATM fee rebates will be deposited into your Value Checking account at the end of each month based upon the amount of non-First EntertainmentATM surcharge-fees charged to the account. The maximum total ATM fee rebate is $15 per account, regardless of the number of joint owners or debit cards issued. Adjustable-Rate Mortgage (ARM) loans must be set up for auto payments from a Value Checking account, and meet the direct deposit requirements stated above within 90 days of funding the loan to qualify for the discount. Should you no longer meet this requirement, you will not be eligible for the listed benefit during the life of your loan. Offer is valid on ARM loans funded after April 1, 2024 only. Existing First Entertainment loans funded prior to April 1, 2024, do not qualify.
5

Joint Owner/Tenant must qualify for an Advantage or Value Checking Account in their own right. If the Joint Tenant has a First Entertainment Checking Account, it must be maintained in good standing. Youth Checking Accounts have a minimum opening deposit of $1.00, do not earn dividends, and have no minimum balance requirement.

6
A minimum daily checking account balance of $1,000 or a combined minimum daily balance of $4,000 among all credit union accounts is required to avoid a monthly service fee.