Four Leaf Federal Credit Union $550 Checking Account Bonus (2026) - Review & Requirements
What Counts as Direct Deposit
Based on community data points and bank terms. Employer payroll is always the safest method. "Mixed" means some users report success but it is not guaranteed.
Overview
The FourLeaf (formerly Bethpage) $550 is really three bonuses stacked into one, and the fine print matters. You get $350 after just ONE qualifying $500+ direct deposit posts within 90 days of opening — that part is easy money. The other $200 is a long haul: +$100 once a qualifying DD has posted for 12 consecutive months, and another +$100 at 24 consecutive months. Miss a single month after that first deposit and you forfeit BOTH $100 tranches. No monthly fee, so the $350 is close to pure profit — but treat the remaining $200 as a two-year commitment, not part of a quick churn.
Who This Checking Bonus Is Best For
Two audiences: anyone who wants an easy $350 from a single qualifying direct deposit, and churners in a ChexSystems cooldown who can split their payroll and don't mind parking one paycheck/month here for two years to collect the extra $200.
How to Maximize This Bonus
Go in for the $350: open the account, land one qualifying $500+ payroll/pension/government direct deposit within 90 days, and that pays out within ~60 days. The +$200 is a separate decision. It requires an unbroken monthly qualifying DD for 12 and then 24 months, so it only makes sense if you can keep a small recurring deposit flowing without tying up the paycheck you need for other bonuses. If your payroll supports split direct deposit (e.g. QuickBooks payroll can route one paycheck per month here while the rest chases other offers), the +$200 becomes low opportunity cost — otherwise, weigh what else that recurring-DD rail could be triggering. This is a strong low-effort HOLD while you're waiting for your ChexSystems file to cool down: a place to park one paycheck a month and collect $200 over two years when you can't open new accounts anyway. Note it's ChexSystems-sensitive on the way in (approval reportedly hinges on how few accounts you've opened in the last 1–2 months) and once-per-lifetime — not repeatable.
Pros
Cons
How This Compares to Other Bonuses
Among checking bonuses in our catalog, the closest peer is the Bank of America $500 offer — and BofA is easier to trigger (ACH pushes work). FourLeaf's edge is the easy $350 up front plus an optional two-year drip; it's the better pick when you want a quick $350 or a low-maintenance hold during a Chex cooldown, not when you want a fast, repeatable churn.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the current FourLeaf checking bonus?
Up to $550, paid in three parts: $350 after one qualifying $500+ direct deposit within 90 days of opening, then +$100 at 12 consecutive months of qualifying DDs and +$100 at 24 consecutive months. Confirm the live terms on the credit union's page before applying.
Do I really only need one direct deposit for the $350?
Yes — the $350 First Direct Deposit Bonus only requires a single qualifying $500+ deposit to post within 90 days of opening. It's the extra $200 (the Second and Third bonuses) that requires a qualifying DD every month for 12 and then 24 consecutive months.
What happens if I miss a month of direct deposits?
You keep the $350, but you forfeit both the $100 (12-month) and $100 (24-month) bonuses. The terms say if a qualifying DD doesn't post in any month after the first, you're no longer eligible for the Second and Third bonuses — the streak has to stay unbroken.
Is this bonus repeatable?
No. It's once-per-lifetime — you're not eligible if you've ever received a FourLeaf new-checking bonus, and you can only get one checking bonus per person.
How do I join Four Leaf FCU — do I need to live in New York?
No New York tie needed. FourLeaf (formerly Bethpage) is open to anyone in the country: you become a member simply by opening a $5 savings share — no employer group, association, or donation required — and that easy nationwide path carried over from the Bethpage days. The main requirements are that you must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident (green-card holder), with your SSN and a government photo ID. The tougher gate is ChexSystems, not membership — see below.
Does FourLeaf run a hard credit pull?
No — FourLeaf doesn't do a hard credit pull; it only runs a ChexSystems inquiry, so it won't affect your credit score. ChexSystems must be UNFROZEN when you submit, and approval leans heavily on how few accounts you've opened in the last 1-2 months (zero or one is ideal). One wrinkle from the data points: FourLeaf often sends the application back with a 'complete/resubmit' step and pulls ChexSystems a second time — so a common move is to re-freeze your ChexSystems file right after the first submission to block that second inquiry.
Related Bonus Reviews
Full Requirements
Open a new Free/Smart/Student Checking by 12/31/2026. $350 (First DD Bonus) after just ONE qualifying direct deposit of $500+ posts within 90 days — paid within 60 days of that first DD. +$100 (Second) after a qualifying DD posts for 12 CONSECUTIVE months following the initial DD; +$100 (Third) after 24 consecutive months. Miss any single month after the first DD and BOTH $100 tranches are forfeited. A qualifying DD is a recurring payroll/pension/government deposit of $500+; ACH pushes, bank transfers, ATM deposits, and P2P (Zelle) do NOT count. One checking bonus per person, ever.
Fees
Free Checking has no monthly fee.
ChexSystems & Credit Pull
ChexSystems sensitive — approval hinges mostly on how many accounts you've opened in the last 1-2 months (zero or one is ideal); no hard credit pull, only a ChexSystems inquiry. FourLeaf often returns the application with a 'complete/resubmit' step and pulls ChexSystems a SECOND time — data points suggest freezing your ChexSystems file right after the first submission to block that second inquiry. Credit card funding not allowed (online funding is via Plaid).
Eligibility
Once-per-lifetime: not eligible if you've ever received a FourLeaf new-checking bonus, and only one checking bonus per person. Four Leaf FCU (formerly Bethpage Federal Credit Union, rebranded 2026). Membership is open to anyone nationwide who opens a $5 savings share — no New York residency, employer group, association, or donation required (the easy Bethpage-era path survived the rebrand). Must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident (green-card holder); requires SSN and a government photo ID. Account must be opened between 02/02/2026 and 12/31/2026.
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