Alliant Credit Union 2.5% Cash-Back Visa

[UncleB]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:

---

@Anonymous wrote:
culinarykid92 while you bring up some good points, the USAA Federal Savings Bank was established for those with a military affiliation and was not focused on the general market place. They established the Limitless Cash Rewards as a better earning card for their members (customers). The Limitless requires one of their checking accounts for the direct deposit. As you mentioned it is no AF, no FTF and 2.5%. Like many other banks often you seek better earnings elsewhere. As you mentioned there are several places where you can obtain over 1%. That is true for many of our credit card providers. With the USAA Card I don't have an AF and the game I have to play to ensure I at least break even. Now Myficoer's savor in challenges and it seems from reading on this board have the spend to chase the higher level spend cards. For those of us who don't have the big spend sometimes it pays to maximize our opportunities.

---

I wasn't trying to trash USAA, but rather help people understand the difference/benefits of the 2. So sorry if I came across that way. USAA doesn't have any interest in their checking (I assumed a savings account since my company says it allows direct deposits into one, though I just add to checking and transfer as needed). Some may prefer more work to maximize. But some also prefer a little less work at the cost of $59 (really less since checking doesn't have interest and needs a min balance to remain open).

USAA is open to everyone if you join one of the organizations (not sure the cost to join). Same with Alliant (I know Alliant is $10 if you need to join). And as I said, Alliant comes with 1.05% interest so it does simplify things. Either are great options as long as you jump through the hoops to make them better than other cards.

---

I don't believe USAA is open to anybody who joins/donates to a certain organization anymore. It looks like they cut that off in 2013, correct me if I'm wrong. I'd be down to donate to get into USAA though..... haha

---

+1

Unless something has just changed and I'm out of the loop, USAA is definitely not open to anybody via joining an organization. 

Until late 2013 anybody could get a deposit account, but that's no longer the case.  I joined that way myself, and I received a letter from them in 2013 explaining that if I closed my checking account I wouldn't be allowed to reestablish my membership without a military connection (luckily I had one that was eligible; I helped my veteran grandfather join which made my father eligible, then I helped my father join making me "officially" eligible). 

As far as I know the pre-2013 non-military folks who are grandfathered with USAA aren't allowed to apply for credit products... I'll let others expand on that, though.

If I'm not mistaken there is one minor exception the membership requirement; I think (?) there are some USAA affiliate credit cards that don't require membership.  The cards most people on here will be interested in (such as Limitless) aren't included in this group, though.  There are a couple of posts around here where @Anonymous (previous USAA employee) explains this.

TL;DR... USAA requires a military connection via parent or spouse (if one isn't active duty or a vet themselves)... not even a connection though a child is good enough.

[Anonymous]

culinarykid92 I am not aware of the organizations you refer to for joining alternatives? Know PenFed, NFCU have alternative ways to join (as do many other CUs). USAA is a Federal Savings Bank and I draw a blank on other ways in than some form of military connection (family member that was in the service). When I joined USAA had only opened it up to all Honorably Discharged Veterans regardless of rank (it used to be officers only) and that was the fall of 2009. There was a brief window when USAA opened to the general public (made no sense) and then shut it down. As you mentioned there are benefits to different banks and CUs. How can a person join USAA without the military connection today? It could help others that may be interested.

[Anonymous]

UncleB you really did walk the extra mile to become officially accepted into USAA. That said for all that effort the military needs a "few good people." May I forward your name ... always looking

[UncleB]

---

@Anonymous wrote:
UncleB you really did walk the extra mile to become officially accepted into USAA. That said for all that effort the military needs a "few good people." May I forward your name ... always looking

---

LOL... you have no idea! 

I also helped my elderly grandfather purchase a valuable property policy online (and I paid for it) so that my father would be insurance eligible (P&C eligible I believe is what they call it); now I just have to get my father to buy a policy of some type... all just so that I can see my own auto insurance rates.  I hope it will be worth it! 

[Anonymous]

---

@Anonymous wrote:

culinarykid92 I am not aware of the organizations you refer to for joining alternatives? Know PenFed, NFCU have alternative ways to join (as do many other CUs). USAA is a Federal Savings Bank and I draw a blank on other ways in than some form of military connection (family member that was in the service). When I joined USAA had only opened it up to all Honorably Discharged Veterans regardless of rank (it used to be officers only) and that was the fall of 2009. There was a brief window when USAA opened to the general public (made no sense) and then shut it down. As you mentioned there are benefits to different banks and CUs. How can a person join USAA without the military connection today? It could help others that may be interested.

---

Yeah, I didn't know that USAA removed the general pop eligibility. They used to, as others said, in 2013. So I guess to the average Joe, the Alliant is the only 2.5% card available.

[Anonymous]

Even with the AF, I feel like it would still be more valuable than a 2% card. For people that like to carry fewer cards, or even just one card, it's a pretty good gen-spend card. I feel like it's safe to say that the average consumer EASILY breaks 12,000/yr in spending. And then, of course, the more your spend, the more "profitable" it is compared to a 2% card after that initial threshold. If you don't utilize (or care for) Citi's price rewind, it could be a viable option.

But again, not sure what Alliant's CC underwriting is like, or where their SLs generally sit at... as I've never seen somebody with one of their cards.

[Anonymous]

The min credit limit for this card is 10K. From the posts I've seen on Doctor of Credit, they want people with 100K or more income. And they don't want many inquiries, especially in the past year.

[Revelate]

As a note though I may have missed it, Alliant is sending out invitations for this card stating it's a pre-approval.

Only thing I've ever done with Alliant is my $500 SSL over the past several years, and beats the hell out of me why they consider my credit to be excellent but maybe they really are underwriting on FICO 9 as someone recently suggested in UFS or Gen, where I'm gold plated .  Not acting on it though, moving in a call it 9 months to a year, just ain't sure where yet, and I'm just fine sitting on the CSR/FU combo for now.

Got this two days ago, sloppy cut and paste:

YOU’RE INVITED TO UPGRADE TO THE

Alliant Cashback
Visa® Signature Card.

<Revelate>, as an Alliant member with excellent credit, you’ve been preapproved to receive our first credit card with cash back on all purchases.

This exclusive offer is available now until 5‌/31/2017.

[Anonymous]

I applied for the plat visa and was approved for 10k I asked for 15k....they pulled TU I was surprised for sure....774 TU fico a lot of new accounts.

[Anonymous]

well this thread convinced me to get the card, was approved for 20 K.  Guess my double cash will be sock drawered.