Free Share Draft Checking | Student
Checking Account | Visa Check Card
Order Checks | Travelers Cheques
JHFCU offers a free Share Draft Checking with no minimum balance requirement. With Share Draft Checking, you can receive:
Note: If you would like to begin direct deposit or payroll deduction, you may include those forms with your application (Non Hopkins Employees - You must still contact your employer and authorize that your payroll deduction and/or direct deposit be sent to JHFCU).
The Credit Union also offers several ways to protect our members, should you write a check and not have sufficient funds available in your account to cover it. Members can establish an overdraft line of credit to protect them from "bouncing" checks. There is no annual, monthly, or "per overdraft" fees for the line of credit. If you should ever need to use it, you only pay interest on the outstanding balance, and the interest rate is lower than what most banks charge for this service. JHFCU also offers overdraft service for ATM withdrawals and debit card transactions for more information click here.
If you do not have an overdraft line of credit and should happen to fall short in your account, the Credit Union will look to your Share Draft Savings to see if there are sufficient funds there to cover your check(s). If so, an automatic transfer is made from your savings to cover the check(s). There is a nominal $3 fee per transfer for this service.
We also offer tips and information on how to manage your checking account or learn basic check-writing skills.
Click on the following link to learn more about ChexSystems.
An overdraft occurs when you do not have enough money in your account to cover a transaction, but we pay it anyway. We can cover your overdrafts in two different ways:
We do authorize and pay overdrafts for checks and other transactions made using your checking account number and automatic bill payments. We do not authorize and pay overdrafts for ATM transactions or everyday debit card transactions unless you ask us to.We pay overdrafts at our discretion, which means we do not guarantee that we will always authorize and pay any type of transaction. If we do not authorize and pay an overdraft, your transaction will be declined.
If you also want us to authorize and pay overdrafts on ATM and everyday debit card transactions, call JHFCU, complete and present a consent form at any JHFCU branch location or submit the Opt In form.
JHFCU has a free Student account for ages 16 to 30 years old who
are attending college (you just need a valid government ID and proof you're
going to college). Student accounts are available for full- and part-time
JHU students and children/grandchildren of JHFCU members. This account
will automatically change to a regular JHFCU accounts when you turn 31. 
You may also stop by any of our branches to open an account the same day, just don't forget the info above.
*Please make sure your address is on your ID. If it's not, please send us a copy of proof of address (ex: a letter from your college with your address on it.). If you do not send a proof of address, you will have 60 days from when the account is opened to supply this information or the account will be closed. No checks or cards will be issued until proof of address is received.
The Visa Check Card gives you access to your Share Draft Checking account around the world. Use it anywhere you see the Visa logo - at merchants or for telephone or Internet catalog orders. The amount of the transaction is deducted from your available balance when the purchase occurs, and the transaction details appear in your checking account that day or within a few days after the transaction takes place, so make sure you record the transaction in your checkbook register. If you select the credit option, you can make purchases up to the lesser of the available balance in your Share Draft Checking account and Line of credit/Overdraft account (if applicable), or $1,500 per day (with a maximum of $3,500 over a 4-day period). JHFCU participates in the Verified by Visa program, where you have an option to designate a password for online purchases for added security.
The Visa Check card is also an ATM card. Get cash anywhere you see the STAR, Encore, or Cirrus ATM signs. JHFCU Visa Check Card also get surcharge-free withdrawals at all JHFCU and M&T Bank ATMs. Surcharge-free access is also available nationally through the CO-OP Network. Use the card to make PIN point of sale transactions, at the grocery store, for instance, and you can get cash back. Make deposits at various JHFCU ATMs, too. To get a Visa Check card, you need a Share Draft Checking account. Cards can be issued at our full service branches and you can choose your own PIN or change it in the future (at any branch). Keep your card in a secure place, reporting its loss or theft right away. Before using your card, you must call the Visa activation line.
Each time you do one of the following with your Visa Check card, you will earn a 5¢ credit to your Share Draft Checking account:**
*Purchases are debited within 1-2 days. However, the amount of the transaction is immediately put under a hold in your account, so be sure to record the transaction in your check register.
**NOTE: Use of the card for cash withdrawals, or as a "debit" transaction in which you enter your PIN at a point of sale (e.g., a grocery store or gas station) will not qualify for the rebate. Credit for qualifying transactions will be posted at the end of each month.
When you write checks from your Share Draft Checking account, the Credit Union retains copies of your cancelled checks instead of sending the checks to you each month (these are also available for viewing through your online account history). JHFCU checks come with carbonless copies, which instantly produce a permanent record of each transaction. Check copies are usually available through Online Banking for up to a 12-month period. Check copies ordered from the credit union are available for a small fee.
You can re-order checks by contact our member service center at 410-534-4500.* Note: There will be an additional cost for logos, premium lettering, monograms, and accents. Please see our Fee Schedule for further information.
*Shipping charges apply ($7.37 will be charged to Share Draft Checking account).
Members can view images of their cleared checks online at no charge! With this homebanking feature, you can just click on a cleared check number in your Checking account history (checks which cleared on or after January 6, 2006, are accessible) and see a scanned image of your actual check! You will also be able to save the image to your computer or print out a copy for your personal files. Each image will remain available online twelve months from the date the check is posted to your account. Please allow up to 15 seconds retrieval time for images to load.
American Express Travelers Cheques are available to members at the Credit Union for a fee of 2% of the face value of the amount purchased. If you would like to purchase foreign travelers cheques you may do so through American Express online. Only American Express offers the following services to lessen your inconvenience in the event of loss or theft:
Please visit one of our branches to purchase American Express Travelers Cheques.