Is a credit union a type of bank financial institution?
Banks are typically for-profit entities owned by shareholders who expect to earn dividends. Credit unions, on the other hand, are not-for-profit, member-owned cooperatives that are committed to the financial success of the individuals, families, and communities they serve.
A credit union is a not-for-profit financial institution that accepts deposits, make loans, and provides a wide array of other financial services and products.
The major categories of financial institutions are central banks, retail and commercial banks, credit unions, savings and loan associations, investment banks and companies, brokerage firms, insurance companies, and mortgage companies.
Banks are privately-owned institutions that, generally, accept deposits and make loans. Deposits are money people leave in an institution with the understanding that they can get it back at any time or at an agreed-upon future time. A loan is money let out to a borrower to be generally paid back with interest.
Even though they include the word "federal" in their name, federal credit unions (FCUs) are not operated by the federal government. Not only are all of these organizations regulated by the NCUA but they are also insured by the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF).
Key Takeaways. Credit unions are financial cooperatives that provide traditional banking services to their members. Credit unions have fewer products than traditional banks, but offer clients access to better rates and more ATM locations.
What makes banks and credit unions different from each other is their profit status. Banks are for-profit, meaning they are either privately owned or publicly traded, while credit unions are nonprofit institutions.
The most common types of financial institutions include banks, credit unions, insurance companies, and investment companies.
The “big four banks” in the United States are JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Citibank. These banks are not only the largest in the United States, but also rank among the top banks worldwide by market capitalization, with JPMorgan Chase being the most valuable bank in the world.
- Banks.
- Credit unions.
- Community development financial institutions.
- Utilities.
- Government lenders.
- Specialized lenders.
What qualifies as a financial institution?
A financial Institution is defined in 18 U.S. Code § 20 as an entity, national or international, that deals primarily in business related to financial or/and monetary transactions, namely loans, deposits, investments, currency exchange, or any other transaction of similar nature.
Anyone who can. Credit Unions are member owned, they are non profit corporations and exempt from Federal inome tax, therefore typically offer higher interest on deposits and lower interest rates on loans than commercial banks. Most credit unions have membership requirements but they interpret those very loosely.
Some of them are banks — for example, commercial banks and credit unions are types of financial institutions. Other institutions, like brokerage firms and mortgage loan companies, provide loans and investment services but do not engage in traditional banking services.
But compared to banks, credit unions tend to be smaller, operate regionally and are not-for-profit. In many instances, they offer lower rates on loans, charge fewer fees and offer better interest rates for deposit accounts than traditional banks.
Since a credit union is a cooperative corporation, its officers are volunteers and are not compensated. Only employees may be paid for their workperformed.
Just like banks, credit unions are federally insured; however, credit unions are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Instead, the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) is the federal insurer of credit unions, making them just as safe as traditional banks.
Credit unions are not-for-profit financial institutions owned by their members. They provide many of the same products and services as banks including checking and savings accounts as well as various loan products and investment accounts like IRAs.
- No. 1 — Navy Federal Credit Union.
- No. 2 — State Employees' Credit Union.
- No. 3 — Pentagon Federal Credit Union.
- No. 4 — Boeing Employees' Credit Union.
- No. 5 — SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union.
- No. 6 — Golden 1 Credit Union.
- No. 7 — America First Credit Union.
- No. 8 — Alliant Credit Union.
Generally, credit unions are viewed as safer than banks, although deposits at both types of financial institutions are usually insured at the same dollar amounts. The FDIC insures deposits at most banks, and the NCUA insures deposits at most credit unions.
Why Choose a Credit Union? Lower interest rates on loans and credit cards; higher rates of return on CDs and savings accounts. Since credit unions are non-profits and have lower overhead costs than banks, we are able to pass on cost savings to consumers through competitively priced loan and deposit products.
What is the best credit union to join?
- Alliant Credit Union. Alliant offers an above-average interest rate for savings. ...
- Consumers Credit Union. ...
- Navy Federal Credit Union. ...
- Connexus Credit Union. ...
- First Tech Federal Credit Union.
- Retail and commercial banks. Banks are undoubtedly the most recognized and familiar financial institutions. ...
- Credit unions. ...
- Investment companies. ...
- Savings banks. ...
- Internet or online banks. ...
- Government-backed banks.
Bank of America is one of the world's leading financial institutions, serving individuals, small- and middle-market businesses, large corporations, and governments with a full range of banking, investment management and other financial and risk management products and services.
| Rank by Asset Size | Bank Name | Total Assets |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Chase Bank | $3.38 trillion |
| 2. | Bank of America | $2.45 trillion |
| 3. | Wells Fargo | $1.7 trillion |
| 4. | Citibank | $1.68 trillion |
1. JPMorgan Chase. JPMorgan Chase, or Chase Bank, is the biggest bank in America with nearly $3.4 trillion in assets. It boasts a vast network of over 4,800 physical branches and more than 15,000 ATMs.
