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Benefits of our checking accounts

The National Institutes of Health Federal Credit Union’s two checking accounts help you care for your financial wellness. Both accounts are digitally enabled and accessible 24/7, so you can bank around your schedule. Plus, both accounts feature these, and other, standard features:

  • No minimum balance requirements

  • Visa® Platinum Debit Rewards card with three ways to earn rewards

  • No-fee withdrawals at over 30,000 network ATMs nationwide

  • Check deposit by mobile phone

  • No-fee monthly cashier’s check

  • Rate reductions on select loans2

  • Send money in the moment with Zelle®

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OPEN AN ACCOUNT
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CareFree Checking

Are you a first time checking account holder? Or are you looking for a better account that never has a monthly fee? If so, CareFree checking is just what the doctor ordered. It comes with all the standard features above. Plus, you can get a 0.25% rate reduction on select NIHFCU loans with automatic debit of your loan payment.2

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TotalCare Checking

Enjoy all the standard features above plus a lot more for your financial wellness, including:

  • Earn dividends on your account – currently 0.030% APY*

  • 3 non-network ATM transactions/month with no NIHFCU fee3

  • Incoming wires with no NIHFCU fee

  • Up to a 0.50% rate reduction on any signature or auto loan with automatic debit2

  • Up to $300 of cellular telephone coverage for three phones to help cover the cost of repair or replacement4

  • Identity theft monitoring and resolution, with up to $10,000 identity theft reimbursement and more5,6 for you and eligible family

Experience TotalCare Checking with our two month “First Look” period – switch at any time**!

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COMPARE ACCOUNTS
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Visa® Platinum Debit Rewards

Shop with your NIHFCU Visa Platinum Debit Rewards card for two easy ways to great rewards!

  • Earn points on all your everyday purchases7,8

  • Earn more points when you select CURewards® offers from popular retailers and online merchants

Get more rewards! Visit CURewards to register your card, view special offers, and redeem points for merchandise, travel, gift cards, cash, or to donate to NIH charities.

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REGISTER YOUR CARD
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Overdraft Coverage

NIHFCU offers a variety of options that can provide assistance when a transaction exceeds your available balance.

Overdraft Protection– a fee-free option that automatically transfers funds from your NIHFCU savings account (up to 6 per month).

Checkmate line-of-credit– this Personal line-of-credit9 is a great way to cover overdrafts and provide access to cash for other urgent needs.

Courtesy Pay– if your account is eligible10, we’ll extend up to $700 in additional coverage (including fees) when your other sources are insufficient to cover an overdraft. To extend coverage to also include ATM or everyday debit transactions, you can opt-in to Courtesy Pay Plus. (There is a $30 fee for each overdraft covered by Courtesy Pay or Courtesy Pay Plus.)

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LEARN MORE
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Switch your account to us with ease

Moving your checking account to NIHFCU from a bank does not need to be hard. In fact, our switch kit helps make this task easy and organized. Start by following the simple steps in our Switch Kit Check List. Then use forms below to get started.

If you have questions about the process, call us 1-800-877-6440 or stop by any branch.

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Important Forms and Documents

ATM Fee Rebate – for Money Manager or Money Manager Plus accounts13
Direct Deposit Authorization
How to Balance Your Checkbook Worksheet

To order checks, log in to online banking or call 1-800-877-6440.

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Already have an NIHFCU Checking Account?

If you have an NIHFCU checking account no longer offered, you can stay with it. Or, you can switch to CareFree or TotalCare checking. Just submit an account change eform, stop by any branch or call.

Unsure about switching accounts? Our representatives can help you compare account features to select the account that’s right for you.

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Financial wellness begins and ends with the facts. Here’s what you need to know.
Checking account programs and terms are subject to change or cancellation at any time. Certain restrictions apply.
* Annual Percentage Yield (APY) as of 11/01/2020.
** After the two month no fee period is over, TotalCare Checking’s monthly $4.95 fee will be waived if members have a monthly direct deposit of at least $500 into the TotalCare Checking account and have an NIHFCU credit card, loan or line (excluding mortgages sold with servicing released).
2 On CareFree checking, get 0.25% discount off approved signature and auto loan rate with automatic-debit of loan payment from any financial institution. On TotalCare checking, get an additional 0.25% discount off approved signature and auto rate (a total of 0.50% off) for automatic-debit of loan payment from your TotalCare checking account. Cannot be combined with any other offer and total discount cannot fall below lowest rate available at time of the loan’s origination
3 NIHFCU will waive its $1.50 foreign ATM fee on the first 3 non-network ATM transactions per month (i.e., withdrawals, balance inquiries). Unused monthly allotment will not transfer to subsequent months. ATM fees and surcharges from the ATM owner apply and will not be waived.
4 Insurance products are not insured by NCUA or any Federal Government Agency; not a deposit of or guaranteed by the credit union or any credit union affiliate. The descriptions herein are summaries only and do not include all terms, conditions and exclusions of the Benefits described. Please refer to the actual Guide to Benefit and/or insurance documents for complete details of coverage and exclusions. Coverage is provided through the company named in the Guide to Benefit or on the certificate of insurance. Cellular telephone bill must be paid through your TotalCare Checking account. Click here for more details.
5 IDProtect service is a personal identity theft protection service available to personal checking ac-count owners, their joint account owners and their eligible family members. The service is available to non-publicly traded businesses and their business owner(s) listed on the account and their eligible family members (service not available to employees or authorized signers who are not owners). Service is not available to a “signer” on the account who is not an account owner. Service is not available to clubs, organizations and/or churches and their members, schools and their employees/students. For revocable grantor trusts, the service is available only when a grantor is serving as a trustee and covers the grantor trustee(s) and their eligible family members. For all other fiduciary accounts, the service covers the beneficiary, who must be the primary member, and their eligible family members (Fiduciary is not covered). Family includes: Spouse, persons qualifying as domestic partner, and children under 25 years of age and parent(s) of the account holder who are residents of the same household.
6 Credit file monitoring may take several days to begin following activation.
7 If you currently hold an NIHFCU debit card opened prior to April, 2018, your debit rewards point balance as of 3/28/18 has transitioned to a new upgraded program with enhanced features. Your current debit card, account number and PIN all remain the same. However, you will need to register your card at www.CURewards.com to check, manage and redeem your points.
8 Earn 1 reward point for every $5 spent (net after returns) using your NIHFCU debit card for qualifying signature and PIN-based purchases.
9 Subject to credit approval, interest charges apply.  Checkmate Line of Credit not available on business accounts.
10 Minor, trust, club & organizational and deceased member accounts are not eligible for Courtesy Pay. Members with the following conditions on their account(s) are temporarily ineligible for courtesy pay but may become eligible once the condition(s) are removed: Past due NIHFCU loan of more than 31 days; charged-off NIHFCU loan; accounts with a negative balance for more than 31 days; consumer checking account open less than 31 days; business checking open less than 61 days, accounts with levies, garnishments or bankruptcies, regular share account with balance under $1. Features and benefits as of May 7, 2018 and subject to change without notice.
11 Additional cost for premium/custom checks as well as for additional orders outside the complimentary allotment applies.
12 Excludes mortgages sold with servicing released
13 ATM Fee Rebate Form must be submitted within 60 days of the date of your last statement. Reimbursements are for ATM surcharges from other financial institutions only. Foreign exchange fees are not rebated. Subject to change without notice. Certain restrictions apply.