Basic Checking

Any Way You Want to Pay

With unlimited transactions, you can access your money however is easiest for you: ATM, VISA Debit Card, checks, and ACH deposits and withdrawals. There’s no monthly maintenance fees and no minimum balance required. Dividends are paid monthly based on average daily balances of $500 or more. See current rates and charges.

Checking Accounts at FFCCU offer ease and accessibility with these features:

FREE online banking
FREE bill pay
FREE Mobile App
Access to 36,000+ ATMs nationwide
e-Statements
e-Alerts
ATM Cards
VISA® Debit
No minimum balance requirements

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KUDOS!

Beth and Kathy were excellent to work with. They answered every question I had and every phone call I made. I loved those two.

-Alan S.

Anytime I have to call, I always end up speaking with the most friendly folks. They always help me and I feel like I’m truly being taken care of.

-Alexandra

I feel good using a credit union instead of a regular bank. Having the interactions with FFCCU teammates has been a gamechanger. It’s completely changed the way I see myself interacting with my financ...

William W.

Jovan, Bev, Jenny, and the other personnel at the Wellington branch are absolutely Rock Stars. They have always been so helpful, they are the greatest 😊

-Sue S.

I love FFCCU! All of the convenience of a big bank with more personalized service. Friendly and helpful staff. A great financial partner! And I love how the credit union is member owned.

-Rachel

I work with banks and credit unions on a daily basis, and FFCCU goes above and beyond to help its members. Thank you all for making the process easy to understand and treating me like a person.

-Jennifer

I had the pleasure of working with Tiffany Zifcak as I was selling one of my cars being financed by FFCCU. She stayed on top of all the details and parties involved. Tiffany is terrific: likable, trus...

-John G.

Our family has benefited from over 30 years of outstanding service with Firefighters Community Credit Union. Thanks for the prompt response to my online live chat question.

-Jeffery K.

Erica Irons went above and beyond for our home loan! In spite of storm damage causing our branch to close, she made our transaction smooth. I love FFCCU in Willoughby ❤️

-Mary Kay & Joe

Thanks to Brian Velioniskis, our financial goals are back on track. He explained the options for setting up our home equity loan very clearly and made the process easy.

-Jeff C.

Berto was awesome. I joined up today as a brand new member, and he helped in every possible way to make the process smooth and complete. Thanks, Berto!

-Karen

Shared branching lets me, as a member of an out-of-town credit union, access FFCCU’s services. I have never had a bad experience working with FFCCU and appreciate that they have helped me make large d...

-Paul P.

More Kudos!

Our Rates

As of July 13, 2025

Account Name	Min. Balance	APY*
Regular Checking	$500+	0.01%

*APY = Annual Percentage Yield. Dividends are credited to your account and compounded every month. Minimum balance requirements apply to average daily balance. Account is subject to approval. Call 800.621.4644 for current rates as they are subject to change at any time and without notice.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Is there a minimum balance requirement for the Basic Checking account?

No. There is no minimum balance required to maintain your Basic Checking account. However, an average daily balance of $500 or more is required to earn dividends.

Are there any monthly maintenance fees?

No. FFCCU’s Basic Checking has no monthly maintenance fees, so you can manage your account without worrying about extra costs.

Is my money safe with FFCCU?

Yes. Each member account is insured up to $250,000 through American Share Insurance (ASI), the nation’s largest provider of private share insurance for credit unions.

Can I access my account online?

Yes. With free online banking and our mobile app, you can check balances, transfer funds, pay bills, and more anytime it’s convenient for you.

What if I need to withdraw cash while traveling?

You will have access to over 36,000 ATMs nationwide, making it easy to get cash when and where you need it.

How can I pay for things using this account?

You can use your VISA® Debit Card, write checks, set up ACH payments, or use free bill pay. You can also enroll in direct deposit to have your paycheck deposited automatically.

Who can open a Basic Checking account? Do I need to be a firefighter?

You do not have to be a firefighter to join. FFCCU serves a wide range of members. When you open an account, you become part of a cooperative that benefits everyone, not just a select group.

How do I open an account?

Click the “Apply Now” button on this page to start. If you are not already a member, we will guide you through the membership process during your application.

Bill Deighton

Bill has over 40 years of experience in credit unions and previously served as Chair of the Board of Directors for 30 years. Bill is a retired Captain of the Cleveland Fire Department. Along with his credit union experience, he has served for 16 years on the Ohio Police and Fire Pension Fund Board. He believes that credit unions are powered by providing the best customer service to members. Bill volunteers at St. Ambrose Parish and the Fire Museum renovation. Bill and his wife live in Brunswick and have two grown children.

Anthony Missig

Tony is honored to have been the current Board Director since 1999. He has been a credit union member of Cleveland Fire Fighter since 1988. Tony graduated with a BA degree in Business from Hiram College and an MBA from Baldwin Wallace College. He is currently an Assistant Chief with the Cleveland Fire Department.

Ben Laurendeau

Ben Laurendeau has been employed in the credit union industry since 1987 in a variety of positions. Ben has held the position of President/CEO with Firefighters Community Credit Union since January of 2005. Ben holds an Associate Degree in Accounting from Terra Community College, A Bachelor Degree in Accounting from Tiffin University and a Master of Business Administration Degree from Baldwin Wallace University. Ben serves as a Director on the Ohio Credit Union League Services Corporation Board and serves on the Ohio Credit Union League Audit Committee.

Gary D. Arbeznik

Gary is a lifelong resident of Greater Cleveland and has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2018. Many of his family members have served in the Cleveland Fire department and are long-time members of FFCCU. Gary holds a BA from Columbia College and a JD g from Cleveland State University. He has worked for both Cuyahoga County and the US Attorney’s office in Cleveland during his legal career. Now retired, Gary and his wife live in Lakewood.

Barbara McCullough

Barb is a current Board Director of FFCCU and a fully vested member. She has an MBA in Finance and has spent 25 years teaching to all walks of life. Barb is a volunteer with the Foundation for Geauga Parks, Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Lorain County Spirit of America, and Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio. Barb is a lifelong resident of the Cleveland area. She and her husband have one daughter.

Alyssa Garcia Evanoff

Alyssa Garcia Evanoff joined Firefighters Community Credit Union as the Chief Marketing Officer in February 2019. Alyssa has nearly two decades of experience in brand management and strategic marketing with a variety of organizations across the Greater Cleveland area. During her career, she has developed successful marketing and creative campaigns that have repositioned brand image and increased brand loyalty through emerging digital trends, content marketing and user experience strategy. Alyssa is a graduate of Miami University and sits on the board of the Cleveland chapter of the American Advertising Federation.

Jessica Bittner

Jessica Bittner joined FFCCU as a teller in 2009. In 2012 she was promoted to branch manager, and has managed multiple branches throughout the credit union. Jessica holds a Bachelors in Human Resource Management & Business Management, with a minor in accounting from Baldwin Wallace University. She was promoted to COO in 2021.

Kathleen Riggs

Kathleen Riggs joined FFCCU as Chief Retail Officer in 2013. Kathy has been in the financial services industry for over 25 years, holding a variety of positions. Kathleen received her bachelors degree in psychology from Kent State University and is a certified trainer of CUNA’s Creating Member Loyalty program.

Paul Humphrey

Paul Humphrey was born and raised in Northeast Ohio. He joined FFCCU in 2017 as the Chief Lending Officer. Paul is a graduate of Kent State University. He holds the designation of Certified Credit Union Financial Counselor (CCUFC) from CUNA. Paul has managed lending programs in both small and large credit unions and brings that unique perspective to serve the members of FFCCU.

John Carrick

John Carrick is the Chief Financial Officer of Firefighters Community Credit Union in Cleveland, Ohio. John was hired by Greater Cleveland Firefighters Credit Union (former name of Firefighters Community Credit Union) as an Accounting Assistant in February 1993, was promoted to acting CFO in 1995, and was awarded the position of CFO in 1996. John has assisted in the acquisition of multiple mergers for Firefighters Community Credit Union and has managed two different Merging Credit Unions during the merger process. John is a former member of the Audit Committee of the Cleveland Chapter of the Ohio Credit Union League. John holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Cleveland State University.

Dennis Corrigan

Dennis has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2017. He is invested in forming bonds between the Credit Union and the community and helping members improve their economic situations. He has a strong desire to have a voice in the decision-making process of an institution that he was raised with and believes in. Dennis has been a part of the Cleveland Fire Department for 25 years and is currently a Captain. Dennis and his wife live in the Cleveland area with their three children.

Damian Borkowski

Damian has served on the Board of Directors for over 10 years. He has been the Citywide Service Manager for the City of Cleveland since 1983 and manages the demolition of houses and buildings. He holds degrees in Law and Engineering and is a member of the Ohio Bar. Damian lives with his wife in the Cleveland area. He has been a credit union member for 30 years.

Rich Bowman

Rich serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors and has been a board member since 2009. He has been a Cleveland Firefighter since 1989 and is presently a Battalion Chief serving the city’s lower west side. Rich is a founding member and Treasurer of the Firefighters Memorial Ride. Since their inception in 2004, they have donated over $250,000 to the families of fallen Fire, Police, and EMS workers. He has a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a minor in Finance from Cleveland State University.

James E. Polk

James is the Vice-Chair of the Board of Directors and has served on the Board since 1982. He has also held the position of Secretary. Jim is a retired Cleveland Firefighter after 30 years of service. He is the past treasurer of Fire Fighters Local 93 and served on the Union Executive Board for 18 years. Jim is also a former Worker’s Compensation Representative for Local 93 and the NOFF.

Bryan Gallagher

Bryan has served on the FFCCU Board of Directors since 2006 and looks forward to continuing to help the credit union move forward and provide quality services to members. Born and raised in Cleveland, Bryan and his wife live in Lakewood and have three grown children. He holds a degree in Communications from Cleveland State University and spent 40-years as a cameraman for the MLB and NBA. After 33 years, he retired as a Captain from the Cleveland Fire Department. He is a former Sergeant at Arms for Local 93 IAFF and was Secretary for the Firefighters Memorial.

Robert Schwind

Bob is a lifelong Cleveland resident and has been a member of FFCCU since 1993. He has served on the FFCCU board since 2019. Bob is a graduate of Cleveland State University and has served as a Cleveland firefighter for the past 28 years, becoming a lieutenant in 2002. He and his wife live in Cleveland and have two grown daughters.

James Andrews, Jr.

Jim has been a credit union member for over 40 years and has served on the Board of Directors since 2012. He has been a Cleveland Firefighter for 29 years, currently stationed at Engine Company 13. James has served on the Cleveland Firefighters Relief Fund board and was a former Union Steward and Committee Member for Firefighters Local 93. He and his wife have three children.

Basic Checking

Any Way You Want to Pay

Checking Accounts at FFCCU offer ease and accessibility with these features: