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The bottom line: Golden 1 Credit Union is featured in our guide to the best banks and credit unions in California. You'll find Golden 1 appealing if you'd prefer to bank with a credit union, or are looking for accounts with low minimum opening deposits and no monthly fees.
Golden 1 Credit Union Overall Rating
Golden 1 Credit Union Pros and Cons
Golden 1 Credit Union Regular Savings Account
Insider’s Rating A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star Fees
no monthly service fee
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.05% to 0.20%
Minimum Deposit Amount
$0
Pros- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. $1 opening deposit
- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No monthly service fee
- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Unlimited number of monthly withdrawals with no excess withdrawal fee
- con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Mediocre APY
- con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Compounds interest monthly, not daily
- Any California resident or employee can become a Golden 1 Credit Union member
- Earn a higher APY with a balance of $10,000 or more
- Interest compounded monthly, paid monthly
- Federally insured by the NCUA
The Golden 1 Credit Union Regular Savings Account is a great if you're looking for a free savings account, and it offers an unlimited number of monthly withdrawals with no excess withdrawal fee. You can find higher savings rates elsewhere, though.
Golden 1 Credit Union Free Checking Account Review
Golden 1 Credit Union Free Checking Account
Insider’s Rating A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star Fees
no monthly service fee
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
None
Minimum Deposit Amount
$0
Pros- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No minimum opening deposit
- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No monthly service fees
- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Overdraft protection available
- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Free box of 40 checks
- con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. $2 out-of-network ATM fee
- con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. $30 overdraft fee
- Any California resident or employee can become a Golden 1 Credit Union member
- Access to over 30,000 free Golden 1 and CO-OP ATMs
- If you use overdraft protection, you can transfer money from savings for a $5 charge
- Federally insured by the NCUA
The Golden 1 Credit Union Free Checking Account is one of the credit union's strongest products. There's no minimum opening deposit or monthly service fees. You also have free access to over 30,000 free ATMs through the Golden 1 and CO-OP ATM networks.
Golden 1 Credit Union CD
Insider’s Rating A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
3.00% to 5.10%
Minimum Deposit Amount
$500
Pros- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Competitive APY, even for low balances
- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. $500 opening deposit
- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Any California resident or employee can join
- con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. $100k minimum to earn highest APY
- con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. High early withdrawal penalties
- con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Interest compounded monthly, not daily
- con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. No terms over 5 years
- con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Relatively difficult to join as a non-California resident or employee
- All California residents and employees can join Golden 1 Credit Union, or family members of current members or people who work for certain companies
- Terms ranging from 3 months to 5 years
- Early withdrawal penalty of 365 days interest on the amount withdrawn for all term lengths
- Interest compounded monthly and paid monthly
- Federally insured by the NCUA
Golden 1's CDs pay decent interest rates, but you'll find the best CD rates at online banks. You'll also only need $500 to open a CD, which is less than what other financial institutions require. Be mindful of high early withdrawal penalties, though.
Golden 1 Credit Union Money Market Account Review
Golden 1 Credit Union Money Market Account
Insider’s Rating A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star Fees
no monthly service fee
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)
0.05% to 1.50%
Minimum Deposit Amount
$100
Pros- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. $100 minimum opening deposit
- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No monthly service fees
- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Earn a higher interest if you have a higher account balance
- con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. No debit card
- con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. No check writing
- con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Online banks can offer a higher interest rate
- Any California resident or employee can become a Golden 1 Credit Union member
- Access to over 30,000 free Golden 1 and CO-OP ATMs
- Earn 0.05% APY if you have an account balance between $0.01 and $9,999.99
- Earn 1.00% APY if you have an account balance between $10,000.00 and $49,999.99
- Earn 1.00% APY if you have an account balance between $50,000.00 and $99,999.99
- Earn 1.25% APY if you have an account balance between $100,000.00 and $499,999.99
- Earn 1.50% APY if you have an account balance of $500,000.00+
- Interest compounded and deposited monthly
- Federally insured by the NCUA
You may like the Golden 1 Credit Union Money Market Account if you're willing to maintain a high balance on your account — you'll earn a very low rate on balances under $10,000. However, there's no easy access to your account with an ATM card or paper checks, so it might be difficult to get money in a pinch.
About Golden 1 Credit Union
Golden 1 Credit Union is a California financial institution. It has 70 branches across the Golden State and access to over 30,000 free ATMs through the Golden 1 and CO-OP ATM networks.
You must live in California to join. Military service members who typically reside in California are also eligible if they are currently out of state. To become a member, you'll need to open a saving account with at least $1.
To contact customer support, call Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT or on the weekend from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT.
In the Google Play store, the Golden 1 mobile app has 4.5 out of 5 stars. In the Apple Store, it has 4.7 out of 5 stars.
It's also federally insured by the NCUA. This means the NCUA oversees the credit union to ensure that it follows laws and regulations, and up to $250,000 in an individual account is protected.
Is Golden 1 Credit Union Trustworthy?
Golden 1 Credit Union hasn't been involved in any recent scandals.
It's also received an A+ rating from the Better Business Bureau for how it addresses customer issues and handles transparency.
How Golden 1 Credit Union Compares
We compared Golden 1 Credit Union to two other financial institutions from our best banks and credit unions in California guide: Bank of America and Citi.
Picking your favorite among these three financial institutions may largely depend on whether you'd prefer national banking or regional banking.
Bank of America and Citi are both national banks, which means that branches are available throughout the US. Meanwhile, Golden 1 Credit Union is a regional bank; it only has branches in California.
If you don't have a preference between national and regional banks, you'll want to see which accounts best fit your needs.
Golden 1 offers the most appealing CDs. It pays competitive interest rates and has a $500 minimum opening deposit for all terms.
Bank of America offers a decent checking account that lets you waive monthly service fees in several ways. Its robust national presence also makes it easy to access your money.
Citi is a worthwhile option if you're looking for a full banking experience.
Sophia Acevedo, CEPF
Banking Reporter
Evelyn He
Compliance Associate
Evelyn He is a compliance associate at Business Insider who supports the Personal Finance Insider team. Personal Finance Insider is Business Insider's personal finance section that incorporates affiliate and commerce partnerships into the news, insights, and advice about money that Business Insider readers already know and love.The compliance team's mission is to provide readers with stories that are fact-checked and current, so they can make informed financial decisions. The team also works to minimize risk for partners by making sure language is clear, precise, and fully compliant with regulatory and partner marketing guidelines that align with the editorial team.Before joining Business Insider, she served in various legal and compliance roles in different industries, including the legal and pharmaceutical industries. Evelyn obtained her M.S. degree in Marketing at Boston University in 2022. Prior to combining and consolidating her knowledge of law and business, she spent one year finishing 1L courses at Suffolk University Law School to further her legal knowledge. She has also completed MBA business law courses while working on her Bachelor of Business Administration in Management at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time with her 14-year-old Shih Tzu named Money, and her 5-year-old Bichon named Tibber.
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