ADD UP the HOLIDAY SAVINGS USING BENEFITS PLUS CREDIT UNIONS: Together We re Better Thursday, October 18th is International Credit Union Day. This year s theme is Credit Unions: Together We re Better. Atlantic Federal will join more than 42,000 credit unions in 92 countries to celebrate the roots and values that are shared by the more than 161 million Members. Members are invited to stop in any of our branches for special treats that day. Does holiday shopping get you stressed? Avoid the crowds at the mall by choosing discounted Benefits Plus gift cards and mail order gifts. Not only will you save money, but they are the gifts that are welcomed by all. To order, click on the Benefits Plus icon on Atlantic Federal Credit Union s home page at www.atlfedcu.com or call them at 1-866-329-7587. Need to add Benefits Plus services to your Credit Union membership? The WEBSITE POSTS FRAUD ALERT Account fraud is one of the fastest growing crimes in the nation. Atlantic Federal has put numerous safeguards in place to help prevent and detect account fraud, but the first line of defense is for Members to become knowledgeable, aware and alert. first three months of Benefits Plus services are free when you open a new Checking Account. Call the Credit Union for details. Macy s - 10% discount Applebee s - 10% discount Blockbuster Red Lobster - 10% discount Gap - 10% discount Old Navy - 10% discount K.B. Toys - 10% discount Vermont Teddy Bears - 10% discount. 681081 Mrs. Fields - 10% discount To help educate and keep Members informed, we have launched a new section at our website titled Member Security. Check this page regularly for information on the latest scams and alerts. The Credit Union s website address is www.atlfedcu.com. We also encourage you to read the brochure that is enclosed with statements this month titled: Electronic Schemes & Scams. If you ever feel that you are a victim of any type of fraud, contact the Credit Union s Member Service department immediately at 1-800-222-1329. SCHOLARSHIPS COMING Atlantic Federal will participate in a state-wide scholarship program sponsored by the New Jersey Credit Union League. Graduating high school seniors who are Members of Atlantic Federal are eligible to apply. Applicants will be judged on their academic performance, extra-curricular and community activities, references and personal goals. Applications won t be available until December but you can call Carla in the Credit Union s Marketing Department now at 1-800-222-1329, ext. 512, to be put on the list to receive an application.
HOLIDAY TOY & COAT DRIVE Get into the Holiday spirit by helping Atlantic Federal Credit Union help the less fortunate in our area by donating to our Holiday Toy and Coat Drive. Drop gently worn coats, hats, gloves, scarves and/or unwrapped gifts off at any Atlantic Federal branch and your donations will be forwarded in time for Christmas morning giving. E-STATEMENTS REDUCE PAPER You can get your Credit Union statement and news electronically. With our e-statements, you ll receive a monthly e-mail notice that your statement is ready to be viewed. Open the e-mail, sign-in and view your statement. You can save each statement too. To sign up, go to our website at www.atlfedcu.com and click on the e-statement icon. HOLIDAY CLOSINGS October 8 - Columbus Day November 12 - Veteran s Day November 22 - Thanksgiving December 24-12:30 pm closing for Christmas Eve December 25 - Christmas January 1 - New Year s Day f f d f d f d f f f d f d f d f f f d HOLIDAY CLUBS MATURE 2007 Holiday Clubs will mature on October 10. Proceeds with interest will be transferred to your Savings Account for withdrawal via ATM, Quick Draw or by faxing a request to the Credit Union. Use the Coupon Below to Enter the: Bring Them In & Win Offer... New Member Referral Coupon Please print. Photocopy for more names. Name of Person You re Referring Their Mailing Address City State ZIP Your Name / Your Credit Union Account # Your Phone # Return to: Atlantic Federal Credit Union 37 Market Street, Kenilworth, NJ 07033 Or fax to: (908) 245-0680 /Or submit at: www.atlfedcu.com Employees and officials of Atlantic Federal Credit Union and their families are not eligible to enter drawing. OPEN A 2008 HOLIDAY CLUB Do you come up short on holiday cash every year? Why not open a Holiday Club so you can save a little bit each payday toward holiday expenses. You can open a Holiday Club for any dollar amount. To open a Club, go to our website: www.atlfedcu.com or give us a call at 1-800-222-1329. If you have a Club(s) maturing this October, you will automatically be enrolled for next year s Holiday Club. Rewards- $ 25 - $100 Find your Account Number in this issue of The CU s News & call: ( 908 ) 245-1750, ext. 512. $25 will be added to your Share Savings Account. $100 will be added if you have a Checking Account which had activity in the past 30 days. Phone: ( 908) 245-1750 Toll Free: 1-800-222-1329 Fax:( 908) 245-0680 Kenilworth: 37 Market Street Kenilworth, NJ 07033 Hours: M- F 8 am till 5 pm / Thurs. till 6:30 pm Sat. 9 am till Noon Newark: 570 Broad St., Suite 127, Newark, NJ 07102 Hours: M-W 8:30 am till 4:30 pm / Thurs. & Fri. till 5 pm Elizabeth: Trinitas Hospital - 210 Williamson St. Elizabeth, NJ 07201 Hours: M- F / 9 am till 4 pm Serving Only Verizon Wireless Employees: Bedminster: 180 Washington Valley Rd. 3rd Flr. Bedminster NJ 07921 Hours: Tuesdays &Fridays 8:30 am till 4 pm Orangeburg: 2000 Corporate Drive Orangeburg NY 10962 Hours: Monday - Friday 9:30 am till 2:30 pm Warren: 30 Independence Blvd. Warren NJ 07059 Hours: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday 8:30 am till 4 pm Web Site - www.atlfedcu.com E-mail for Member Service - info@atlfedcu.com E-mail for IRAs & CDs - info@atlfedcu.com Quick Draw - (908) 245-0404 Or press 1 after calling the C.U. s main number.
THE CU S NEWS Read All About It: n Home Equity Loans: 6.25% APR n Add Up the Holiday Savings Using Benefits Plus Checking the QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER for MEMBERS of the ATLANTIC FEDERAL CREDIT UNION FALL 2007 ATLANTIC FEDERAL is a SAFE HARBOR for YOUR ASSETS CD Rates As High As: 5.20% APY* Money Market Rates As High As: 4.50% APY** Home Equity Loan Rates As Low As: 6.25% APR*** 30-Year Fixed 1st Mortgage Rates As Low As: 6% APR**** With the recent headlines about the plight of subprime mortgage lenders, we thought we d let you know that Atlantic Federal has never made this type of loan, nor will we in the future. Our mortgage portfolio is very sound and we have mortgage money available for all home price ranges. Both our loan and deposit rates are very competitive. You won t find a better combination of loan rates, deposit yields, terms and insured safety anywhere. Plus, we supplement the federal NCUA insurance with an additional $250,000 from ESI, the nation s leading private insurer. You can rest easy when you save or borrow with us. *Annual Percentage Yield for 1 year, $100,000 minimum. Other rates for other terms and amounts. **Annual percentage yield on balances $250,000+. Other rates for other amounts. *** Annual percentage rate. Based on 80% loan to value. Other rates for higher loan values. Variable rate based on the prime rate plus or minus an index which is determined depending on loan to value & adjusted quarterly or semiannually. Loans limited to NJ and PA owner occupied 1-2 family dwellings. ****Annual percentage rate. Rate shown effective 9/26/07 is based on 1.125 points, primary residence with a mortgage amount up to $417,000. Other rates for other terms and amounts. Rates subject to change daily. LAST CALL to BRING THEM IN & WIN Refer family members or co-workers to join Atlantic Federal Credit Union and both you and the new Member will receive a $25 Benefits Plus gift card to any store or restaurant participating in the Benefits Plus program. Included are Macy s, Gap, Red Lobster, Linens n Things, Payless Shoes and lots more. Plus, you ll both be entered in a drawing for a Grand Prize of a $250 Benefits Plus certificate that you can use for any combination of airfare, hotels, restaurants, stores and movie theatres from the Benefits Plus collection. (Visit www.benefits-plus.org for full list.) Let your family and co-workers from our member companies enjoy the benefits of Credit Union membership. For a list of companies, go to our website under Membership Eligibility. And don t forget that anyone who lives, works, worships, attends school, volunteers or regularly does business in Newark is eligible too. Return the coupon on the back of this newsletter or go to our website at www.atlfedcu.com to make referrals. The Credit Union will send them a membership package. Hurry! Deadline for referrals is October 31, 2007.
CUT YOUR CAR PAYMENTS UP to 50% USING PAYMENT ADVANTAGE ENTER the VISA - YOUR LIFE, MORE WONDERFUL SWEEPSTAKES Payment Advantage, Atlantic Federal s lease-like program, offers monthly car payments up to 50% lower than a regular car loan. Choose the New or Used* vehicle you want and come to the Credit Union for financing. Payment Advantage combines the best of leasing and owning a vehicle including: n Up to 115% financing including tax & title & extended warranty n New vehicle terms from 36 to 72 months n Used vehicle terms from 36 to 60 months n Annual mileage terms up to 18,000 miles n The vehicle is titled in your name n Option to buy, sell, or return vehicle at the end of the lease For instant loan approval, apply on line at www.atlfedcu.com or call the Credit Union at 1-800-222-1329. Traditional Vehicle Loans Also Available with Rates As Low As: 5.75% APR** Get Up to 125% Financing with Tax, Title & Extended Service Warranty *Up to 3 models years old. ** Rates and percentage financing shown offered to Premier Members meeting selected credit criteria for new vehicles up to a 3-year term. Other rates and terms available based on Member Merits status and credit worthiness criteria. A Merry Surprise Could Be Yours by Using Your Atlantic Federal VISA Check and/or VISA Credit Card this Holiday Season Every time you use your Atlantic Federal Check and/or Credit Card or VISA any Visa card, you ll be automatically entered for a chance to win $50,000 a year for the next 20 years. One bonus entry will be given for each payment of a regular and ongoing bill made with a VISA card during the promotion period too. The more times you use your Atlantic Federal VISA Check Card or VISA Credit Card, the more automatic entries you ll receive. This promotion runs from November 15 through December 31, 2007. Don t have a Credit Union VISA? Visit our website at www.atlfedcu.com to open one now or call us at 1-800-222-1329. No purchase or obligation necessary to enter or win. Non-purchase entries & purchase entries have an equal chance of winning. For details on non-purchase entries, see Official Rules at www.atlfedcu.com. PIN-based & ATM transactions are not eligible. Void where prohibited. FOUR MORE REASONS to VISIT OUR WEBSITE 1) Find a Surcharge-Free ATM. Click on the Co-Op Network logo on our home page to locate a free ATM in your neighborhood. The Co-Op Network of more than 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs is the largest credit union network in the country. 2) Apply for a Loan. From Car Loans to Mortgages, apply and, in many cases, get instant approval of your loan. It s fast and easy. 3) Sign-up for our E-Newsletter. Keep up to date with everything at the Credit Union. E-Newsletters are sent approximately once a month and include rate changes and special promotions. 4) Open a Share Certificate Account. Complete the entire process online if you re transferring money from an AFCU account to fund the certificate. Or print a certificate application and mail it in with your deposit.
FROM YOUR CEO Fred Beckman, Treasurer & CEO Ihope all of you had a safe and enjoyable summer. Before you know it, the holidays will be here. Speaking of the Holidays...Your Credit Union will once again offer the Holiday Loan program. You can apply for an unsecured loan up to $1,200.00 with a year to pay it back. Not everyone will qualify for the full $1,200.00, but we try very hard to make this program work for as many Members as possible. It s a lot of work for our loan department but we also get a lot of satisfaction knowing that this program helps to make toys and other presents possible. It s part of what a Credit Union is all about. (Try and get this type of loan at your friendly bank!) ing bank is set by the Federal Reserve, and that s the rate you always read about. What s the impact for you and me? When the rate goes down, the bank s interest expense goes down and they can lend money to consumers at a lower rate also, and that (in theory) helps to stimulate the economy. The other side of that equation means that banks may also pay less on deposits since they re earning less on their loans. What about our deposit rates? As this newsletter went to press, we have not reduced our savings and CD rates based on the recent Fed rate cut. As is our customary policy, we try to maximize the interest we pay to our Members and only reduce these rates when prudent financial management requires us to do so. That s also part of what a Credit Union is all about. And our lending rates remain among the lowest in our area. Proof? How about rates as low as 6.25% for our variable rate home equity loan? Call our loan department to arrange refinancing from that bank or other financial institution. Subprime lending and other real estate loan problems facing many banks and other lenders have been in the news headlines lately. Refer to the first page of this newsletter to learn that your Credit Union has never done this type of loan and we don t plan to do so in the future. That really cheap adjustable rate mortgage some of our Members may have gotten from another lender a couple of years ago doesn t look like such a great deal anymore. For those of our Members who are now facing a significant increase in their adjustable rate mortgage payment, give us a call to see if we can help you. I can t promise we ll be able to help everybody due to falling real estate prices. What I can promise Fed lowers rates...as some Members already know, the Federal Reserve recently lowered rates by 1 /2%, down to 4.75%. What exactly is this rate that gets so much press? Just for your general information, banks are required to maintain a certain amount of cash reserves on hand based on the amount of money customers have on deposit with them. Since deposit balances change daily, so do the reserve requirements. To ensure that they have sufficient reserves each night, some banks will borrow funds from other banks (who have excess reserves) literally overnight, repaying the next day. The interest rate that the lending bank may charge the borrowis that we won t burden you with a mortgage you can t afford now or won t be able to afford in a very short period of time. I can also promise a competitive, affordable fixed rate mortgage for qualifying Members. So please, do yourself a favor and give our mortgage loan department a call to see if we can help you refinance out of that suddenly expensive mortgage loan. Speaking of mortgage loans, now might be a good time to be a buyer, especially for first timers. Home prices are generally lower and traditional fixed rate mortgages remain fairly priced. Give our mortgage department a call for more information. Expect more banks to raise ATM fees...bank of America recently increased their ATM fee for non-customers to $3.00...ouch! Think the solution is to open an account at a bank so you can use their ATMs free of charge? Think again, because you might wind up paying more fees for other services that will more than offset the savings on that ATM fee. When using your debit (check) card to make purchases, the store clerk may ask you debit or credit? Always choose credit, signing for the transaction just as if it were a normal credit purchase. It will provide added security since you won t run the risk of having someone obtain your PIN number and there are also other benefits (warranties, etc.) that may go with a credit transaction. Have a great Fall season...and REMEMBER YOUR CREDIT UNION FOR ALL OF YOUR FINANCIAL SERVICES. Serving you is your Credit Union s only purpose. Cordially,
NEW CREDIT UNION BOARD MEMBER NEEDED Atlantic Federal is seeking an individual to fill a vacancy on the Board of Directors. The basic responsibilities of this volunteer position include establishing policies pertaining to the Credit Union and its staff, ensuring the financial soundness of the Credit Union, establishing a strategic direction and corresponding goals and objectives in support of the business plan, ensuring compliance with federal and state regulations, protecting the assets of the Credit Union, approving the annual operating budget and interacting with the CEO and other key members of the Credit Union s leadership team on matters affecting policy or financial direction. The individual should be available to attend regular monthly Board meetings and occasional special meetings, as conditions warrant. Applicants must be Members in good standing of the Atlantic Federal Credit Union. Knowledge and Skills: 1. An understanding of the Credit Union philosophy and the desire to work to better the financial lives of its Members. 2. The ability to understand basic financial statements. 3. Be able to think and plan strategically. If you are interested in volunteering your services, please submit a resume to: Atlantic Federal Credit Union 37 Market St., Kenilworth, N.J. 07033 Attention: Robert Janish. Or e-mail: Rajanish@att.net. All submissions will be kept confidential. OUR HOME EQUITY RATES BEAT the REST THE BEST GIFTS COME IN SMALL (PLASTIC) PACKAGES Holiday Gift Buying (Or Any Occasion) Is Easy When You Give an Atlantic Federal VISA Gift Card Gift Cards are available VISA in any dollar amount from $25 to $1,000. Recipients choose what to buy at thousands of retail, restaurant and entertainment locations - even online! Each time they use the card the purchase is deducted from the card s balance. Cards cost $2 each for Premier Members, $3 for Enhanced Members and $4 for Value Members. Gift cards are available at all Atlantic Federal branches. Or purchase a gift card online at our website www.atlfedcu.com where you can customize the card s design and personalize the message (additional fee applies.) 6.25% APR Rate is in effect through April 2008 and applies to current, outstanding balances and new advances. With our rates as low as 6.25%* apr, it will be hard, if not impossible, to find a lower rate elsewhere. An Atlantic Federal Home Equity Line of Credit is probably the most convenient and low-cost way to afford what you want most. Use a Home Equity Line of Credit for: college tuition payments, home improvements, a new car, consolidate bills. Interest is usually tax deductible too.** * Annual percentage rate. Based on 80% loan to value. Other rates for higher loan values. Variable rate based on the prime rate plus or minus an index which is determined depending on loan to value & adjusted quarterly or semi-annually. Loans limited to NJ and PA owner occupied 1-2 family dwellings. ** Consult your tax advisor. HOLIDAY LOANS Need extra cash for the holidays? Borrow up to $1,200 with a Credit Union Holiday Loan. Your first payment isn t due until February 2008. Take up to one year to repay. Apply 50001180 November 1 through December 31. Rates As Low As: 9.65% APR*** * Rates & percentage financing shown are for Premier Members meeting selected credit criteria. Other rates and terms available based on Member Merits status and credit worthiness criteria.