Overview of the Federal Credit Union of the Navy
You probably won't be surprised to hear that there are over 6,000 banks and 6,000 credit unions in the United States. You cannot drive down the road without going through at least a dozen different banks.
If you are looking for a new bank, this can be a huge search. Each bank or credit union will offer different products, accounts, and rates.
If you are like most people, you will start looking at major national banks, but you may be missing out on some of the best options without looking at the best credit unions. If you don't have credit unions on your list, you are making a serious mistake.
In this article, we'll take a look at the Federal Credit Union (NFCU) and help you decide if they are the best financial institution for you.
Who is the Federal Credit Union of the Navy?
The Federal Credit Union of the Navy has several old roots. They were created back in 1933 as a credit union for the employees of the DC Navy Division (that's a mouthful).
They were created as a credit union for naval officers who were members of the Federal Employees Union. A year later, in 1943, President Roosevelt signed into law the Federal Credit Union Act, which became the basis for credit unions.
In 1947, the District of Columbia Credit Union's Naval Workers Division was disbanded and reinstated as the official federal credit union, which they called the Military Federal Credit Union. At this stage, they also opened up membership to all military and navy personnel in the Washington area.
In 1954, 21 years after their creation, they officially became the Federal Credit Union of the Navy. At this point, they have opened their membership to the rank and file. Over the years, they continue to change and develop. They continue to grow and improve their products and services. They have become one of the largest and most influential credit unions in the market.
Today, they have over 7 million members nationwide and have over $ 78 billion in assets.
Banking with NFCU
If you are looking for a credit union with dozens of banking options, then NFCU is the best option for you. They have dozens of account options for you to choose from. Each of them is slightly different. I'm not going to cover all the options, but I'll hit some of the more popular ones.
Electronic check
The e-check account is one of the most popular NFCU offerings. This account has a monthly fee, but you can avoid this if you sign up for Direct Deposit. If you are like most people, you will still be using direct deposit.
These e-verification accounts receive a modest dividend rate and you can get discounts on ATM fees of up to $ 10 per application. As long as you don't plan on going to the physical branch, this is a great choice for you.
Flagship check
The Flagship Account is one of the top accounts at NFCU. This plan has a tiered dividend system based on your account balance. APY will be significantly higher with this account compared to other accounts.
There is no minimum deposit to open an account, but you may have to pay a monthly fee. There is a $ 10 monthly fee if your account balance is less than $ 1,500. If your balance exceeds the $ 1,500 threshold, you don't have to pay monthly fees. This is a great option for those who plan to hold a significant amount in their checking account and want to make money based on the balance.
Campus check
As you might guess from the name, this account is for students to start saving. This account is available to any student between the ages of 14 and 24 and they do not have to pay any service fees and there is no minimum balance requirement.
It's never too early to install a child with a verification account. This is the perfect way to teach them the importance of saving money and spending wisely.
Free Check EveryDay
Free EveryDay Checking is the easiest banking option you can find at the Navy's Federal Credit Union. There is no monthly fee and no minimum balance requirement that you will have to meet. If you are looking for a simple checking account that will not be shipped with fees, then this is a great option for you.
With this account, you will receive a modest 0.05% APY (currently) and you will have access to the same benefits of all other accounts, such as thousands of ATM machines.
NBFI also has several savings accounts. They have a primary savings account, an education savings account, and a SaveFirst account.
A basic savings account is what it looks like. It offers competitive interest rates with no fees. If you want a simple savings account, this is it.
Their SaveFirst is one of their more exciting savings accounts. This account allows you to set a maturity date for the account, open an account with an initial $ 5 deposit, and then receive dividends daily.
Borrowing from NFCU
Lending is one area where NFCU shines among its competitors. They offer personal loans, mortgages, car loans, and credit cards. Obviously, their interest rates change frequently, but they still have some of the most competitive rates. If you want a bank that not only holds your money, but also provides you with money, NFCU is a great place to start.
Become a member of the NFCU
Each credit union has different membership requirements. For most of them, if you “live, work, or worship” in a city or county credit union. For some major credit unions, they have expanded their membership requirements and made it more affordable. Of all the credit unions, the Navy probably has most of the ways you can be eligible, but they don't allow anyone to enter.
Some of the ways you can qualify for NFCU membership:
- Active duties of the military
- MO employee
- Veteran
- Be a US government contractor
- Retired DoD Officer
- Or be a family member of one of the above
- In addition to the delayed entry program
One of the interesting parts of the NFCU is the family membership requirements. They offer softer requirements than most credit unions. Most of them restrict this to “closest family,” but the NFCU is expanding them. They allow:
- Grandpa and Grandma
- Spouses
- Brothers and sisters
- Grandchildren
- Family members
- Adopted children and pupils
Disadvantages of the NFCU
There are many advantages to becoming a member of an NFCU. They have excellent rates for their loans and their checking accounts. One of the problems with NBFIs is their savings account. Their primary savings account only has a modest APY. Of course, it is still higher than you can find in some of the big banks, but you can find credit unions with much higher savings.
Another disadvantage of NFCU is the balance requirement to avoid Flagship verification fees. If you do not meet the balance requirements, you will be charged a monthly fee.
There are dozens of other credit unions that offer high yielding checking accounts with no fees. As long as you plan on having $ 1500 in your account, there is nothing wrong with this account, but it is something to be aware of.
Before becoming a member of any credit union or joining a bank, take a moment to review customer reviews. One of the best ways to learn about a company is to see what previous or current members have to say.
One common complaint I've seen with NFCU is their customer service. Several users stated that they were having trouble getting their customer service department or were unable to get the help they needed. You should always take these reviews with a grain of salt. You don't know the full story and what actually happened.
Don't let these customer reviews keep you from joining the perfect credit union.
Like most other credit unions, we know the number of branches. Credit unions do not have many branches, such as national banks.
Final verdict on NFCU
Unlike some other credits, NFCU does not have membership qualifications that allow anyone to join. Some of the other major credit unions allow you to join organizations or make a donation that qualifies you to become a member of the credit union.
NFCU doesn't do that. If you don't have a family member in the military, or if you are not in the military, then you probably won't be able to be a member. If you are qualifying to be a member, I would very much like to do so.
Every person is different and everyone has different financial needs and preferences when it comes to banking. There are thousands of bank options in the marketplace and trying to get through them can be difficult. It is important that you find the best one for yourself.
If NFCU isn't the best option for you, don't worry, there are many other options.