Are credit unions safe if banks crash?
No. Credit unions are insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). Just like the FDIC insures up to $250,000 for individuals' accounts of a bank, the NCUA insures up to $250,000 for individuals' accounts of a credit union. Beyond that amount, the bank or credit union takes an uninsured risk.
Credit unions, however, are unique in that they are much safer for people to put their money into because they are less vulnerable to bank runs or liquidity issues, the same factors that caused the Silicon Valley Bank collapse in March 2023, along with the fall of several other banks.
However, because credit unions serve mostly individuals and small businesses (rather than large investors) and are known to take fewer risks, credit unions are generally viewed as safer than banks in the event of a collapse.
Both can be hit hard by tough economic conditions, but credit unions were statistically less likely to fail during the Great Recession. But no matter which you go with, you shouldn't worry about losing money. Both credit unions and banks have deposit insurance and are generally safe places for your money.
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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.
National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) credit unions had seven conservatorships/liquidations in 2022 and two so far in 2023. While credit unions have experienced several failures in 2022, there were no Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.
Causes of credit union failures
During and immediately following the Great Recession, credit union failures were more common than they are now, as were bank failures. One Arizona institution that failed in 2010, AEA Federal Credit Union, was able to recover after working five years with federal regulators.
If a credit union is placed into liquidation, the NCUA's Asset Management and Assistance Center (AMAC) will oversee the liquidation and set up an asset management estate (AME) to manage assets, settle members' insurance claims, and attempt to recover value from the closed credit union's assets.
One of the only differences between NCUA and FDIC coverage is that the FDIC will also insure cashier's checks and money orders. Otherwise, banks and credit unions are equally protected, and your deposit accounts are safe with either option.
Are any credit unions in financial trouble?
Angela Vossmeyer, an associate professor of economics at Claremont McKenna College, said that data from the National Credit Union Administration shows that six to seven credit unions, on average, have entered conservatorship or liquidation annually since 2017.
Money held in credit union accounts is insured through the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). Many types of accounts are covered by insurance such as checking, savings, certificates of deposit, money market accounts, and others.
Banking regulation has changed over the last 100 years to provide more protection to consumers. You can keep money in a bank account during a recession and it will be safe through FDIC and NCUA deposit insurance. Up to $250,000 is secure in individual bank accounts and $500,000 is safe in joint bank accounts.
Limited accessibility. Credit unions tend to have fewer branches than traditional banks. A credit union may not be close to where you live or work, which could be a problem unless your credit union is part of a shared branch network and/or a large ATM network such as Allpoint or MoneyPass.
The downside of credit unions include: the eligibility requirements for membership and the payment of a member fee, fewer products and services and limited branches and ATM's.
For decades, bankers have objected to the tax breaks and sponsor subsidies enjoyed by credit unions and not available to banks. Because such challenges haven't slowed down the growth of credit unions, banks continue to look for other reasons to allege unfair competition.
If you want higher deposit rates and don't need access to branches across the country, for example, you might prefer a credit union. If you want access to in-person services and don't mind lower interest rates, a bank might be more suitable.
The biggest difference regarding FDIC vs. NCUA is the customers they protect. The FDIC insures deposits for bank customers while the NCUA insures deposits for credit union members. As a customer of a financial institution, you will not likely notice a difference in your day-to-day banking.
Through right of offset, the government allows banks and credit unions to access the savings of their account holders under certain circ*mstances. This is allowed when the consumer misses a debt payment owed to that same financial institution.
The year-over-year decline is consistent with long-running industry consolidation trends. The number of credit unions with a low-income designation declined to 2,483 in the fourth quarter of 2023 from 2,612 one year earlier.
Why are credit unions struggling?
Regulatory Environment
Navigating the regulatory environment is an ongoing challenge for credit unions. They operate within a complex framework to ensure financial stability, protect consumers, and uphold the financial system's integrity.
| Rank by Asset Size | Credit Union Name | Total Assets |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Navy Federal Credit Union | $168.4 billion |
| 2. | State Employees' Credit Union | $50.68 billion |
| 3. | Pentagon Federal Credit Union | $35.36 billion |
| 4. | Boeing Employees' Credit Union | $29.17 billion |
Failed banking institutions - the one number that continued to grow all year. After a year in which only three banks closed (and none the two years prior), 2008 saw 25 banks and 15 credit unions shuttered.
If you want to check up on your credit union, make sure it's federally insured by the NCUA and look at its finances, you can do that any time. Go to the NCUA's website at www.ncua.gov, click on the "Credit Union Data" link on the left-hand side of the page below where it says Data and Services.
- 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.
