Northpointe: 5% 年利率 Checking 銀行賬戶【已絕版】

【2017.11 更新】此賬戶已經不再接受新的申請。老用戶的福利暫時不變。R.I.P. HT: DoC.

【2017.6 更新】NorthPointe 更新了使用條款,上面明確寫出,他們期待的是讓大家日常消費就使用這張卡,如果他們覺得你是為了5%利率專門做消費,很可能會把你的賬戶轉成另一種賬戶或者直接關卡。看起來這個5%是很難擼了。HT: DoC.

Purpose and Expected Use of Ultimate Checking Account

The Ultimate Checking account is intended to be the accountholder』s primary checking account in which payroll transactions and day-to-day spending activities including but not limited to grocery, gasoline, apparel, shopping, dining, sporting and entertainment transactions are posted and settled. We expect the account』s debit card to be used frequently throughout each month and for transaction amounts to reflect a wide dollar range. Small debit card transactions conducted on the same day at a single merchant and/or multiple transactions made during a condensed period of time, particularly near the end of a statement cycle are not considered normal, day-to-day spending behavior. These types of behaviors appear to be conducted with the sole purposes of qualifying for the account』s rewards, and thus will be deemed inappropriate transactions and will not count towards earning the account』s rewards.

Northpointe Bank reserves the right to determine if the account is being maintained for a purpose other than primary, dayto-day use. Accountholders who persist in making debit card transactions in a calculated and limited fashion in order to meet their monthly qualifications may have their account converted to a different checking account or closed altogether. We also reserve the right to convert the account to a different checking account if the Ultimate Checking account does not have consistent, active use of three (3) consecutive statement cycles.

We have the right to close this account at any time, with proper notice. Our decision to close the account will not affect your existing obligations to us, including any obligations to pay fees or charges incurred prior to termination. No deposits will be accepted and no checks will be paid after the account is closed. Upon termination of your Ultimate Checking account, any optional add-on products or services associated with this account will also be terminated at the same time.


提到 5% 年利率的儲蓄賬戶,大家對大名鼎鼎的 Netspend 系列應該耳熟能詳。現在 Netspend 一下削弱了八成,僅存的類似產品還有 Mango,就連新秀 Insight 也因為換銀行而需要在7月1日之前換卡。我們今天再來介紹一款替代產品,Northpointe 的5%利率支票賬戶,它的上限是$10000,且維持起來並不算太麻煩。

簡介

Northpointe 從卡到支票賬戶再到網頁界面看上去和 Netspend 又很像。APY(年收益)高達5%,上限 $10000。該卡是由 Northpointe Bank 自家發行,FDIC,所以不用擔心錢會遺失,最多是過半年神馬福利又被腰斬了。但我考古了一下,這個產品從2014/12/19至今已經存在了兩年多了,而且它的利率 terms 一直在改進中,所以還比較樂觀。

這個支票賬戶沒有月費,刷卡消費也沒有費用。只有一些支票賬戶的比較標準的收費項目,見這裡。我們要做的就是申卡,把卡丟在抽屜里,注意做到每個周期完成下述事項,就可以免費坐拿 5% 的利息啦。

5%利率要求

稅務方面,網上銀行一般會有 US Person 的要求,考慮到網上銀行貌似都沒有提供提交 W8-BEN 的選項,都是默認的 W9,所以年底會默認發 1099-INT 讓你去報利息稅。F-1前五年利息免稅,所以 1099-INT 可以報但不需要為此報稅。

想要維持 5% 的高年利率,目前需要做到三件事情。如果 terms 發生改變,我們會及時來更新此帖。

  1. 需要註冊電子賬單;
  2. 每個賬單周期(statement period:不是自然月,我還沒有開戶,猜測由於是支票賬戶,可能就是賬單月)需要完成15筆呆逼卡交易(debit card purchases),金額沒有下限。我們可以通過 Amazon Gift Card load 0.5 刀來完成這件事情。請注意在這篇文章里提到,Amazon 刷呆逼卡默認是 Pin-less debit,但有的同學萬一以前操作過改成 credit,那就需要改回去。
  3. 每個自然月需要有一筆至少 $100 的 withdrawal 或者 direct deposit。注意是「或者」就可以了,譬如給信用卡還款,或者從別的銀行(譬如 Discover 八成可以)轉賬進去。

有關第二點,該行的工作人員在 DoC 的帖子下面有回復說強烈建議不要使用 Amazon 的辦法完成,我們把 TA 的原話貼在這裡,還請小夥伴們自行斟酌:

I strong recommend against doing this or anything similar. This offer isn』t sustainable based on that type of debit activity. The terms of the account do not prohibit this but folks shouldn』t be surprised if a spike in this type of activity results in a change to the terms of the account (lower rate, lower balance cap and/or minimum debit requirement). If you don』t plan to use this as a primary spending account, it』s best not to open it.

其他有什麼限制,我們實際操作過後會來進行補充。這個支票賬戶看上去還是比較無腦的,有興趣的小夥伴們可以考慮入。

申請鏈接

  • 5%APY 的賬戶已絕版

注意要開 UltimateAccount。開戶時需要現存 $100,可以通過 ACH 從你的別的支票或儲蓄賬戶轉賬,也可以用信用卡充 $100,我們當然建議後者。據 DoC 的情報,Citi 家的 AA 和 DC 是算作消費的,其他銀行的卡尚不清楚。每個 SSN / ITIN 可以開一個,同地址無限制。


若喜歡本文,別忘了給個五星好評哦!

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