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Bethpage Federal Credit Union Review 2022
Member FDIC
Savings account
Member FDIC
Savings account
Member FDIC
Savings account
Member FDIC
CD
Member FDIC
CD
Overall
4.5
Bankrate Score
Bethpage Federal Credit Union, the largest credit union in New York state, is a full-service banking institution. All of its deposit accounts are insured up to $250,000 through the National Credit Union Administration.
What we like
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Bethpage FCU offers a comprehensive slate of deposit and loan products.
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There are no restrictions for membership.
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Members have access to free financial education resources.
What we don't
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The yields tied to deposit accounts are fairly competitive, but other banks pay more interest.
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Branch access outside of Long Island is limited.
Checking accounts
5.0
Bankrate Score
Member FDIC
Checking account
Bethpage Federal Credit Union offers a free checking account with the ability to earn interest. You can open it with a $5 initial deposit into a Bethpage savings account. The checking account has no monthly service fee, but requires customers to enroll in online banking, make direct deposits and use their debit cards at least 10 times per month to earn interest. Bonus Checking also features no minimum balance requirement.
Bethpage is a part of the CO-OP ATM network, offering customers free access to more than 30,000 ATMs nationwide. The credit union also offers Zelle as an option for making person-to-person payments.
What we like
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The checking account is free with the ability to earn interest.
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There’s no monthly service fee or minimum balance requirement.
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Customers have free access to over 30,000 CO-OP ATMs.
What we don't
Savings accounts
3.3
Bankrate Score
Member FDIC
Savings account
Bethpage Federal Credit Union's Regular Savings account pays an APY that’s close to the national average. The account requires only a $5 deposit to open and doesn’t charge a monthly service fee.
Bethpage has two unique products for younger savers: the Youth Savings Custodial New York Uniform Transfers to Minors Act (NYUTMA) account (ages 17 and younger) and the Young Adult Savings account (ages 18-20). The former is governed by the NYUTMA, so it can only be opened online if the custodian or the minor is a New York state resident.
What we like
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The Regular Savings account requires only a balance of $5.
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It also doesn’t charge a monthly service fee.
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Bethpage offers two accounts for young savers.
What we don't
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The yield for the Regular Savings account is low compared with other options.
CD rates
4.5
Bankrate Score
Member FDIC
CD
Bethpage Federal Credit Union offers several traditional share certificates with various terms. It also offers special certificates, including a 39-month bump-up certificate. The minimum deposit for all certificate options is $50. Yields are competitive across all terms; however, customers searching for the best rates will want to compare rates at other institutions as well.
What we like
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Only a $50 deposit is needed to open an account.
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The credit union offers a bump-up certificate.
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Bethpage FCU offers the standard CD terms.
What we don't
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Some banks have slightly higher APYs on CDs.
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The seven-day grace period after certificates mature is slightly shorter than the limit given at other financial institutions.
Money market accounts
4.9
Bankrate Score
The Bethpage Money Market account pays a competitive APY and has a low minimum balance requirement of $500. The account charges no fees and comes with the ability to write checks.
Similar to the credit union’s checking account, a one-time $5 deposit into a Bethpage savings account is required to open a money market account.
What we like
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The money market account pays a competitive APY.
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The account is fee free and offers check-writing ability.
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The minimum balance requirement is low.
What we don't
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A savings account must be opened with a minimum $5 deposit to open a money market account.
Bank experience
Bethpage Federal Credit Union shines in a number of areas. Not only does the credit union give members access to more than 30,000 free ATMs, it also offers numerous budgeting tools. Bethpage lets you do everything from searching transactions to creating a budget to checking your balance on your Apple Watch.
Customer-service representatives can be reached 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Eastern time, weekdays, and 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Saturday. Accounts can also be accessed virtually anytime online.
About Bethpage Federal Credit Union
Bethpage Federal Credit Union is a midsize financial institution with deep roots in the communities of New York’s Long Island. The credit union initially served employees of Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corp. when it opened its doors in 1941 and changed its name to Bethpage Federal Credit Union in the early 1970s. The credit union offers a full selection of deposit and lending products to its 430,000 members. Membership is open to any U.S. citizen who deposits $5 into a share (savings) account.
Matthew Goldberg @MATTATBANKRATE
Matthew Goldberg is a consumer banking reporter at Bankrate. He uses his banking and financial services experience to help readers with personal finance. Nearly his entire career has either been as a reporter or working in financial services, in banking and insurance. He’s been in financial services for more than a decade. His banking career includes being a banker in New York City. His reporting career includes working as a staff reporter at two daily newspapers. He earned his first newspaper bylines in 1998. His writing has been honored by both the Illinois Associated Press Editors Association and the Illinois Press Association. His writing has also been featured online on MSN, the Miami Herald, the Houston Chronicle, the Omaha World-Herald, The Kansas City Star, the Arizona Daily Star, and appeared in Sports Illustrated On Campus, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution, The Buffalo News and other publications. Matthew’s radio experience includes being a weekly panelist on the SportsWriter’s show on WGEM AM ESPN 1440 in Quincy, Illinois. He was also an occasional co-host and call-in guest on WGEM SportsCenter. He’s also been a guest on other stations throughout the country. Matthew is currently a member of the Board of Governors at the Society for Advancing Business Editing and Writing (SABEW), which is the world's largest and oldest organization of business and financial journalists. He chairs the organization's training committee and is on the finance committee. He has previously served on conference planning committees and has been a Best in Business contest judge for the organization. Matthew earned a bachelor’s degree at Illinois State University and an MBA at William Paterson University. Media mentions CNBC CNBC Acorns + CNBC WGN Radio 720 in Chicago 1080 KRLD Dallas-Fort Worth
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