ValleyStar Credit Union
ValleyStar Credit Union Free Checking $250 Bonus
ValleyStar Credit Union pays $250 when you open a new checking account and receive recurring direct deposits of at least $1,000 a month for three consecutive months, with the first one posting within 90 days and all three within 150 days. The bonus lands within 180 days of opening. No end date is listed. Membership is for people who live, work, worship or attend school in its field of membership in south-central and western Virginia and three North Carolina counties.
- Bonus amount
- $250
- Expires
- Not listed
- Time to complete
- ~120 days
- Paid after opening
- ~180 days
- Difficulty
- Medium
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Requirements
Last verified: Nov 7, 2026
Open a ValleyStar checking account
Join ValleyStar Credit Union and open a new primary checking account online or at a branch. Membership takes a savings account with a $1 deposit; checking has no opening deposit. Membership is for people who live, work, worship or attend school in its field of membership in Virginia and Caswell, Rockingham or Stokes County, North Carolina, and immediate family of members.
$1,000 direct deposit a month for 3 months
Set up recurring monthly direct deposit of net pay, pension or government benefits totaling $1,000 or more. The first direct deposit must post within 90 days of opening, and three consecutive months of at least $1,000 must be met within 150 days of opening. Transfers from other ValleyStar accounts or other banks do not qualify.
Keep the account open until payout
The account must be open and in good standing when the bonus is paid, within 180 days of opening.
The credit union credits the $250 to the checking account within 180 days of account opening.
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Account Details
Eligibility
Existing members qualify if they open a new checking account, unless they closed a ValleyStar checking account within two years of the new account's open date. Additional checking accounts do not qualify. One bonus per member and Social Security number.
- Membership is for people who live, work, worship or attend school in ValleyStar's field of membership: Amelia, Amherst, Appomattox, Augusta, Bedford, Campbell, Caroline, Charles City, Chesterfield, Cumberland, Dinwiddie, Franklin, Goochland, Halifax, Hanover, Henrico, Henry, King and Queen, King William, Louisa, New Kent, Patrick, Pittsylvania, Powhatan, Prince George, Roanoke and Sussex counties and the cities of Colonial Heights, Danville, Hopewell, Lynchburg, Martinsville, Petersburg, Richmond, Roanoke, Salem, Staunton and Waynesboro in Virginia, plus Caswell, Rockingham and Stokes counties (Eden, King, Reidsville) in North Carolina, plus immediate family of an existing member.
- South-central and western Virginia credit union (Martinsville, Danville, Roanoke, Staunton area). You can apply online, but only people inside its field of membership can join.
Tips & Gotchas
- Only real payroll, pension or government benefit deposits count. Transfers from other banks or from other ValleyStar accounts do not.
- The three months must be consecutive, so start the direct deposit soon after opening: the first one has to post within 90 days.
- Choose electronic statements. The page ties its no-monthly-charge feature to e-statements.
- Regional credit union. Only people in its field of membership in Virginia and three North Carolina counties, and family of members, can join.
Can You Earn This Bonus Again?
Fine Print
$250 direct deposit bonus credited to checking account within 180 days of account opening if (a) a new checking account is opened, (b) member establishes recurring monthly direct deposit to account of net pay that totals $1,000 or more, pension, or government benefits, (c) first direct deposit posts within 90 days after account opening and (d) three consecutive months of minimum monthly direct deposit is maintained within 150 days of account opening. Recurring transfers or deposits from other sources, such as other accounts at ValleyStar or accounts at other institutions, do not qualify. Offer good for new and existing members who establish a new checking account only. Members who closed their checking account within two years of new checking account open date are not eligible for bonuses. Additional checking accounts are not eligible for bonuses. Limit one bonus per member/distinct Social Security number. Accounts must be open and in good standing at the time of payout.
Taxable income
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What is APY (Annual Percentage Yield)?
The annual interest rate on a savings account, expressed as a percentage of your balance with compounding included. On savings accounts we track, APYs currently range from 0.01% at big traditional banks to 4.25% at the best online accounts.
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