Who can open an ETA?
Any individual who receives a Federal benefit, wage, salary, or retirement payment is eligible to open an ETA at a participating bank, credit union, or savings and loan. Credit unions can offer ETAs, but a recipient must be eligible to be a member of that credit union in order to open an account there. As a condition to opening an ETA, Federal credit unions may require that a recipient open and maintain a share account with a minimum balance, if such a requirement is imposed under Federal or State law.