Credit unions and banks offer similar services (checking, credit cards, home equity loans, etc.), however the similarities end there. Compared to banks, there is no competition. Valley Federal Credit Union offers lower interest rates, less fees and better incentives to join. Below are just a few of the reasons to choose Valley Federal Credit Union.
| Not for profit, not for charity, but for service. Without "profit motive," make decisions based on what's best for members. |
Generate profit for stockholders. Make decisions based on what will give stockholders more profit. |
| Financial cooperatives. Members pool their savings to provide low-cost loans and low-fee services to each other. |
Commercial businesses. Offer services to make a profit. |
| Each member is an equal owner. |
People who buy stock in the bank own shares of the business. |
| Unpaid volunteers from the membership serve on the Board of Directors and guide the credit union. Daily operations are performed by a paid staff. |
The Board of Directors are paid a salary. Daily operations are performed by a paid staff. |
| As owners, members elect fellow members to serve on the Board of Directors. |
Only people who own stock can vote for the Board of Directors. The customers who use the bank don't have a say. |
| Income is returned to members in the forms of better savings rates, lower loan rates, and low or no fees for services. |
Income is returned to the stockholders in the form of higher dividends on their shares of stock. |
| Like other not-for-profit institutions, credit unions are exempt from paying federal income tax. |
Like other for-profit businesses, banks must pay taxes to the government. |
| Deposits are federally insured up to $200,000 by the National Credit Union Administration, a government agency. The NCUA's insurance fund is the healthiest of all federal deposit insurance funds. |
Deposits are federally insured up to $200,000 by the FDIC, a government agency. |