The Benefits of Credit Unions

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Brien obviously works at a bank. Bank employees are the ONLY ones who complain about credit unions and income taxes. I feel bad for him. Credit Unions are a no-lose situation.

Leslie of AL 7:48AM October 26, 2012

Any chance you could mention why Credit Unions can afford higher deposit rates and lower loan rates? This little thing called income taxes that the big bad banks have to pay tends to make it more difficult to offer the same rates.
How about an article that points out how much banks pay in taxes that fund defense, roads, health care, etc. compared to how much Credit Unions pay?

Brien of IL 10:20AM June 15, 2012

o.k.. i will give this,"credit union thing" ,a try ...will be in touch ..and update my experience

l.s.thomas of CA 2:10PM October 03, 2011

Many people believe credit unions aren't convenient. This is a myth! Credit unions have more locations and more ATMs than many of the largest banks. They belong to CO-OP Network, a network of 28,000 ATMs nationwide, which is available to 26 million credit union members across the country. And guess what -- CO-OP Network ATMs are all surcharge-free. Which means you won't pay a fee to access your money. Many are found in 7-Eleven stores, COSTCO, Walgreens, Publix grocery stores and many other retail locations and more than 9,000 ATMs take deposits.
Additionally, many credit unions share branches. There are 3,500 shared branch credit unions across the country....meaning you can go to a participating credit union and treat it as if it were your home branch.
Join a credit union -- they are all about their members and they are as convenient if not more so than big banks!

Samantha Smyth of CA 2:49PM March 06, 2009

Your article states the credit unions are covered by FDIC. Is this true?

frances of GA 2:46PM March 05, 2009

The Credit Union Associations of Colorado and Wyoming have just announced the availability of a free online financial literacy program for all residents of those two states.
The program - called FoolProof - is designed to teach people about financial responsibility. It's a Web-based program providing free financial literacy programs for everyone. It's a real tool for parents and teachers to help kids learn good money management skills for life.
One can only wonder - if more people had this type of knowledge would we still be in the current economic crisis? There are also programs geared for adults, this is important unbiased consumer info for everyone!
Check it out at: http://www.foolproofme.com

Kevin of CO 6:28PM November 19, 2008

The Credit Union Associations of Colorado and Wyoming and they have just announced the availability of a free online financial literacy program for all residents of those two states.
The program - called FoolProof - is designed to teach people about financial responsibility. It's a Web-based program providing free financial literacy programs for everyone. It's a real tool for parents and teachers to help kids learn good money management skills for life.
One can only wonder - if more people had this type of knowledge would we still be in the current economic crisis? There are also programs geared for adults, this is important unbiased consumer info for everyone!
Check it out at: http://www.foolproofme.com

Kevin of CO 6:27PM November 19, 2008

In years past, credit unions were much more prominent than they are today, what with shipping of jobs overseas.
But credit unions have traditionally been a safer place than banks without the needless speculation and with membership owners of assets which contributes to their stability.
As an effort to restore banking credibility, healthy credit unions are essential to keep national labor thriving in a world where there is otherwise pressure to out-source overseas for lower costs.
Credit unions have always been insured by the FDIC and offer the alternative to speculation in commerical banks that much of the nation doesn't find favorable for their situations.
If credit unions had been more prominent as the alternative to banking speculation, it's possible that there would never have been the one size fits all default of banking bail outs to solve the nation's credit crunch.
And banks, in keeping with their predatory history, could have been allowed to fail just as they have forced onto unwitting consumers who get caught up in their usurious schemes that States and the Federal government have allowed to exist.
With the alternatives of natural competition, usury monopolists need not be served by pandering to their predatory appetites. Banks could have suffered what they have long dished out to the public.

pat of MA 2:45PM November 15, 2008

Banks loan by creating a credit account (with a bookkeeping entry) and use it as a means of payment to the seller. Then bankers collect the same amount (plus interest and fees) from the buyer (with the credit account). This doubles the money supply for each transaction, causing inflation. http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7065205277695921912 provides a detailed account in the Zeitgeist Addendum movie.
This is stopped when people STOP doing business with banks and START doing business with credit unions and their debit cards (which draw from money accounts, not bank credit accounts created from nothing that unjustly enrich banks while causing inflation. Using bank credit cards and checks that draw on creditlines in the place of money (when they are not money) is the passing of counterfeit money. The manufacture of credit cards (bank credit is not money) to be used as
money is counterfeiting by legal definition. It is fully explained in Zeitgeist Addendum.
Stopping bankers from their decades-old scam is simple. Transfer funds to credit unions and STOP
doing business (or working for) banks!
The Messenger

Darrell Miller of AZ 2:46PM October 25, 2008

The Arkansas Democrat Gazette (www.arkansasonline.com) ran an article this morning (October 24th, 2008) suggesting that Banks intend to hoard the bailout money rather than use it to unlock the credit crunch by extending loans.
Who didn't see that coming? Of course, a damaged bank would replenish their capital and calm the fears of their shareholders before loosening their purse strings to borrowers again!
I just hope that other news media outlets will spread the credit union message, as you have done, so people are aware of their ability to take advantage of credit union membership. I will definitley defend the credit union movement the next time the American Bankers Association decides to launch another attack on credit unions. We should all write our congress and let them know how much credit unions are appreciated and needed!

Dave of AR 2:54PM October 24, 2008