Connexus Credit Union advertises that “you don’t need to invest in a large amount to earn our high yields.” A $5,000 minimum deposit may be less than some other banks, but it’s still considered a “large amount” to many people. If you can afford it, great — this may be a good account for you. But if not, you might need to look elsewhere or save up in one of Connexus Credit Union’s other accounts until you have enough cash to open a share certificate.

Another thing to note with this account is that dividends are paid quarterly. That means instead of getting a deposit of dividends into your account every month, it’ll only happen once every three months. This applies to all other Connexus accounts, as well.

You get three options for handling your earnings: You can accrue them within your certificate account, deposit them into another linked Connexus account or have a check mailed to you each quarter.

If you want to open a Share Certificate account with Connexus Credit Union, you can apply online. When you apply for your share certificate account, you’ll also need to open a basic regular savings or youth savings account and fund it with at least $5.

This is the account that Connexus Credit Union requires you to open if you have any other accounts. It’s the account that establishes your membership with Connexus.

One important thing to know with this account is that you either have to have another account open, or keep at least $100 balance in the account if it’s your only account with Connexus. Otherwise, you could face a $5 monthly “low savings balance” fee starting 12 months after you close your second-to-last account with Connexus. If you only have this one savings account all along (and no other open accounts) and keep less than $100 in it, you’ll start owing this fee 12 months after opening the account.

This is especially important if you open a Share Certificate, say, and then withdraw the money at the end of the term and close the certificate account. If you don’t close your Personal Savings account as well, or keep at least $100 in it, you’ll owe this fee every month, starting one year after you closed your certificate account.

In addition, you’ll need to make a transaction at least once every 36 months, otherwise you’ll face yet another $5 monthly “abandoned account” fee.

You can apply for a Personal Savings account online.

Connexus’ Youth Savings account is available to kids, teenagers and young adults up to age 23. Once you hit age 24, however, it automatically turns into a Personal Savings account.

There aren’t very many differences between the Youth Savings and the Personal Savings accounts. The Youth Savings account waives the $100 minimum balance to earn interest, but all the other rules and regulations stay in place.

Another difference is that with this account, you and your child (12 years and under) can use the Connexus Jr. app that teaches your child about money. It offers features like the ability to assign your child chores in exchange for allowance money, and allows your child to set up savings goals.

If you want to open a Youth Savings account with Connexus Credit Union, you can apply online.

If you always find yourself going into debt come Christmas, consider opening a Holiday Club account with Connexus. With this account, you set up an automatic deposit of a certain dollar amount with each paycheck. You can’t take the money out during the year (even via ATM), but come Oct. 1, the credit union will automatically deposit the money into another linked Connexus account so you can spend it. If you need the money before then, you’ll need to call up Connexus and have them manually deposit the money into another account that you can use, such as a checking or savings account.

An important thing to note with this account is that it’ll automatically roll over every year, just like a CD. So, if you decide you don’t want to participate in this automatic savings plan, you’ll need to cancel the account before it rolls over again.

If you want to open a Holiday Club account with Connexus Credit Union, you’ll need to apply for an account first. And when you apply for your Holiday Club account, you’ll also need to open a basic Regular Savings or Youth Savings account, and fund it with at least $5.

If you have a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP), you’re eligible to contribute to a health savings account (HSA), up to the yearly limit allowed by the IRS. Doing so will also allow you to take a tax deduction.

Connexus’ HSA comes with a debit card you can use to pay for medical bills directly. You can order checks, but that’ll cost you extra. And, if you decide to liquidate and close your account, watch out for one last fee: a $30 “transfer out” fee.

If you have no medical bills or aren’t making any contributions, it can be quite some time before you make any transfers into or out of the account. As with other checking and savings accounts with Connexus Credit Union, there’s a $5 monthly “abandoned account fee” that you’ll need to watch out for. It shouldn’t be a problem as long as you make at least one contribution or withdrawal every three years, but it is something to be aware of, especially with this account.

When you apply for your Health Savings account, you’ll also need to open a Regular Savings or Youth Savings account and fund it with at least $5.

If you’re looking to earn more returns from the cash you use for everyday purchases, Connexus Credit Union offers a fantastic interest rate on this checking account. However, this high interest rate only applies to the first $25,000 in your account. After that, you’ll earn a lower interest rate.

And this high interest rate doesn’t come without a catch. You’ll need to meet four requirements every month in order to earn this high interest rate:

1. Make at least 15 debit card transactions
2. Have at least one direct deposit into the account
3. Make at least one bill payment through Connexus Online Bill Pay
4. Enroll in electronic statements

If you don’t meet those requirements, you won’t be eligible for any ATM surcharge reimbursements, and you’ll earn a much lower interest rate.

In other words, this isn’t a set-it-and-forget it account where you can park your money — it’s designed to be used as your primary checking account. If you can meet these requirements, the high interest rate is yours.

Another bonus: If you have this checking account, you’ll also get a 1% rate reduction on a loan through Connexus. To qualify for this interest rate reduction, you’ll need to meet three criteria that are basically scaled-down versions of the requirements to earn the high interest rate with this account. You’ll need to

1. Have at least one direct deposit
2. Make at least 10 transactions via ACH, checks or debit card
3. Sign up for electronic statements

You can apply online for an Xtraordinary Checking account with Connexus Credit Union, and you’ll also need to open a basic Regular Savings or Youth Savings account and fund it with at least $5.

This is basically a scaled-back version of Connexus’ Xtraordinary Checking account, and a great option if you can’t meet that account’s requirements of 15 debit card transactions per month and an online bill pay. In return for this lessened requirement, you sacrifice two things: you’ll earn a slightly lower interest rate, and you’ll get two fewer free ATM transactions per month at non-Connexus ATMs.

You’ll still need to meet certain requirements to have a qualifying account. Non-qualifying accounts earn a much lower interest rate and aren’t eligible for any ATM surcharge reimbursements. To have a qualifying account, each month you’ll need to:

1. Make at least 10 debit card transactions
2. Have at least one direct deposit into the account, or an ACH automatic withdrawal
3. Sign up for electronic statements

Just like with the Xtraordinary Checking account, you’ll also be eligible for a 1% rate reduction on a loan with Connexus as long as your account is active. In order to be active, you need to

1. Have at least one direct deposit
2. Make at least 10 transactions via check, ACH withdrawal or debit card transaction
3. Enroll in electronic statements

When you apply for your MyRewards Checking account, you’ll also need to open a basic Regular Savings or Youth Savings account and fund it with at least $5.

This account appears to offer no advantage over the Xtraordinary and MyRewards checking accounts, even if you can’t meet the minimum requirements to earn the high interest rate for those accounts. The only penalties for not meeting the requirements of those high-earning accounts is that you won’t qualify for the $25 monthly ATM surcharge fee reimbursement, and you’ll earn a lower interest rate on your deposits — but at least you’ll still earn some interest. You can’t say the same thing about this account.

To phrase it another way: you will probably be better off signing up for the Xtraordinary or MyRewards checking accounts over this checking account, even if you can’t meet the requirements for the high interest rates on those accounts. At least that way, you will earn some interest, and you may qualify for the high interest rates if you have a bumper month in spending.

However, if you decide to stick with this account, there is still one perk: you’re eligible for a 1% interest rate discount, should you ever take out a personal loan. All you need to do is

1. Make at least 10 ACH, check, or debit card transactions per month
2. Sign up for electronic statements
3. Have at least one direct deposit into this account each month

You can apply online for an Innovative Checking account with Connexus Credit Union. You’ll also need to open a basic Regular Savings or Youth Savings account and fund it with at least $5.

This money market account earns a high rate, with one stipulation: You need to also have an active checking account in order to earn the above interest rates. In order for your checking account to be active, you need to have at least one direct deposit per month, sign up for electronic statements and make at least 10 transactions per month via check, ACH or debit card. If you don’t meet those requirements with your checking account, you’ll earn much lower rates on this money market account.

There are a few other unusual rules as well. If you make a withdrawal, it needs to be at least $250. You can write checks from this account (if you order a box of checks — it’s $16.90 for a box of 100 checks) and there is no fee for your first three checks of the month, but after that, you’ll pay $29.95 per check.

You can also only make a total of six transactions per month via check, ACH, Digital Banking or telephone. (This isn’t unique to Connexus’ money market account — Regulation D limits transactions out of all savings and money market accounts.) If you need to get around these limits, you can make unlimited transactions through an ATM or at an in-person Connexus branch (if you’re lucky enough to live near one).

You can apply for a money market account online, and you’ll also need to open a basic Regular Savings or Youth Savings account and fund it with at least $5.

If you’re looking to save for retirement in an NCUA-insured environment and earn the most money possible through Connexus Credit Union, these accounts might be right for you. This IRA Certificate operates under all the same rules as its regular Share Certificates, with one caveat: these accounts are opened within the framework of an IRA, allowing you to save for retirement and potentially get certain tax advantages.

Otherwise, all the same rules apply. The account will automatically renew at maturity, unless you specify otherwise. If you don’t give them any instructions on what to do after the certificate matures, you’ll still get a 10-day grace period to make any changes to the certificate, or withdraw it.

One important thing to note: If you do decide to close your IRA account, be warned that you’ll also owe a $30 fee.

You must apply for an IRA Certificate account, and you’ll also need to open a Regular Savings or Youth Savings account and fund it with at least $5, if you don’t already have one.

If locking your money up for a set period of time isn’t your thing, or if you don’t have the $5,000 minimum buy-in for a CD yet, consider opening an IRA Supreme savings account instead. You can save up to the maximum IRA yearly contributions in this account, minus any money you set aside in other IRA accounts for that year.

This account also comes with a pesky $30 “IRA plan closure” fee, so be warned if and when you close this account.

You can apply for an IRA Supreme account online, but you’ll also need to have a Regular Savings or Youth Savings account and fund it with at least $5.