Credit unions are nonprofit financial institutions that are owned by their members and run by them.
Credit unions are nonprofit financial institutions that are owned by their members and run by them. Many credit unions offer a variety of ways to join and take advantage of the benefits of membership, which were initially established to serve and support individuals who share a common bond (such as a place of employment or residence).
Let’s look at what credit unions are, the services they offer, and how they operate. We’ll also talk about the different kinds of credit unions, the requirements for joining, and how they stack up against community banks and other financial institutions.
The term “credit union” refers to a non-profit financial institution that is co-owned by its members. A volunteer board of directors overseeing a credit union is elected by members. Members of credit unions receive advantageous financial products and terms in exchange for profits, while shareholders reap the benefits of bank profits.1 Some credit unions distribute profits annually as dividends.
A member banking with a credit union may receive higher-than-average interest rates on any money they save with the credit union or lower-than-average interest rates on loans and credit cards.1 Many credit unions were initially established by and for a particular group of people.
For instance, the Naval Force Government Credit Association was initially for Naval Force administration individuals. Credit unions are governed by the National Credit Union Association (NCUA), which was established in 1970. Credit union members include members of the armed forces (including the National Guard and Space Force), their families, civilian employees, contractors, and reservists, among others.
Credit union profits are returned to members, typically in the form of lower interest rates on credit cards, home loans, personal loans, and car loans. The federal government backs federally insured credit union member accounts of up to $250,000 per account, similar to how the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) backs bank deposits of up to $250,000.3 How Credit Unions Work In addition, CDs, money market accounts, and possibly other savings accounts are seeing higher interest rates.
A person opens a “share account” (similar to a savings account) with a small amount to become a member of a credit union. This addresses your “offer” or interest in the agreeable monetary establishment and is refundable assuming you close your record.
Accessing Accounts A lot of credit unions offer a limited number of ATMs for withdrawing money and a limited number of brick-and-mortar locations for banking services. One of the largest credit unions, Navy Federal Credit Union, has 350 branches.6 One of the largest banks in the United States, JP Morgan & Chase, has 4,700 branches.7 The CO-OP Shared Branch network includes just under 1900 credit unions to provide members with access.
Members of a partner credit union can use its ATMs or visit a partner credit union’s location without incurring a fee if they need to deposit a check while traveling. There are more than 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs in the CO-OP Shared ATM network in 10 countries and the United States8. However, there may be restrictions—for instance, you might only be able to withdraw $500 per day from the shared branch, funds might not be immediately available, or there might be fees associated with various services.
Services Offered by Credit Unions Credit unions provide many of the same services as banks do, such as the following:
High-yield savings accounts Online, mobile, and ATM banking Mobile, online, and person-to-person payments Credit cards Investment services such as IRAs, other retirement accounts, and living trusts Consumer loans for cars, boats, and RVs Student loans Small business loans Mortgages, home equity loans, and home equity lines of credit (HELOC) Wire transfers, cashier’s checks, and ACH deposits Safety deposit boxes Personal insurance services a high return account, for instance, could require a specific charge card spend or adjust. You’ll have to painstakingly audit the choices to guarantee the credit association offers what you desire to find.
Additionally, credit unions may provide limited options. In contrast to the dozens of consumer credit cards offered by larger banks, a credit union may only offer a few. The new-cardholder reward or money-back rate might be lower than rewards at bigger banks — however, the loan fee might be lower also.
A credit union is open to everyone.
A credit union may require you to be a member of a particular constituency to open an account, whereas a bank is open to anyone. In most cases, you and the other members must share something.
In general, you can join in one or more of the following ways:
Employment: If you work for a specific employer or in a particular trade or profession, your family: If you are related to a current member of the credit union, Location: If you work, go to school, or live in a certain area, you can join: If you are a member of a school, union, organization, or another group, a lot of credit unions offer more than one way to join. However, you may need to look beyond the credit union’s name, which typically indicates who the credit union was created for but has since expanded its membership options.
For instance, in 1940, eight employees of Delta Airlines established the Delta Employees Credit Union in Georgia.10 Currently, prospective members of the Delta Community Credit Union can meet the eligibility requirements for joining the organization by their geographical location, employment with dozens of local and national businesses, family ties to a current member of the organization, or membership in several associations.
The Amount Do Credit Associations Cost?
The majority of credit unions have low initial membership or sign-on fees. To get your membership started, the credit union might ask you to make a small, refundable contribution to your share account. Initial deposits of $25 or more or a small donation to an organization may be required by other credit unions.
If you don’t meet any of the geographic or employment requirements to join the Lake Michigan Credit Union, for instance, you must make a $5 donation to the Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis Foundation13. Fees at credit unions are typically much lower than those at other banking institutions. For instance, many credit associations offer free fundamental financial records that don’t need a base equilibrium and don’t charge month-to-month upkeep expenses.
Notwithstanding, expenses can be and are many times charged for different items or administrations, including stop installments, nonsufficient reserves, card substitution, or wire moves. Even though some checking accounts may come with additional services, some credit unions charge monthly fees for those accounts.
Options Other Than Credit Unions: Online or community banks: If you don’t meet the requirements to join a credit union or there isn’t one in your area, a community bank might be a good option. Most community banks are privately held and run by locals.
The U.S. Federal Reserve states that community banks typically have assets of less than $10 billion.16 Additionally, community banks frequently provide the following services:17 Lower fees Higher interest rates for loans, credit cards, and savings accounts Local control and decision-making Lending to local small businesses Community relationships, involvement, and specialization Online banks or online-only accounts are another option that does not charge maintenance fees for checking accounts. However, they may have minimum balance requirements to earn higher interest rates and may not have physical branches.
