A credit union is a financial institution that provides its members and their families access to low or no-cost financial services and some of the best loan and savings rates available. Credit unions provide services including checking, ATM cards, credit cards, IRAs, student loans, mortgages, payroll deduction, and direct deposit. Member savings are federally insured to at least $100,000 and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government through the national credit union savings fund, making credit unions a safe place to save. When people join a credit union, they become part owners of their financial cooperative and have a vote in choosing which services to offer and who sits on the volunteer board of directors. Credit unions, unlike for-profit financial institutions, do not return earnings to an outside group of stockholders. Instead, funds are set aside for reserves to improve credit union services, to offer the best possible loan/savings rates, and to pay dividends to its members. Credit unions are “People Helping Cooperative Thrift Institutions” that follow a philosophy based on people benefiting from pooling resources to offer consumer-friendly services to one another.