WINTER 2016 A Newsletter for Members of Choice One Community Credit Union INSIDE: WIPEOUT WINTER DEBT LOAN PROMOTION CHOICE ONE ANNUAL MEETING NEW OFFICE OPENING TRANSFER A BALANCE AND SAVE!
PRESIDENT S MESSAGE The start of the New Year is the perfect time to look back at the past year and to make a resolution to accomplish a special goal or make changes for the better in the coming months. Our New Year s resolution at Choice One is a commitment to even greater savings and increased convenience for our members. Choice One currently offers an array of products to help our members save and ensure they are on the right path to a brighter financial future. From savings and money market accounts to share certificates and retirement accounts, we offer a product for every need. In addition to our many savings products, our Wipeout Winter Debt loan promotion, which runs until March 31 2016, will enable you to consolidate your debt into a lower rate loan with affordable monthly payments. This loan special and our other loans are just another way you can conveniently borrow money for any need and save through membership in your credit union. Striving for greater convenience is always a focus at Choice One. We are pleased to be opening a new office in Plains in 2016, which will be located at 501 East Main Street, near Mohegan Sun Casino. This is just one of the ways we will be increasing the level of convenience for our members. Watch our website and email for updates on this new office opening. The more you take advantage of Choice One s products and services, the greater your rewards. We provide many of the services you need to accomplish your financial goals. Be sure to take full advantage of all of the savings and convenience your membership in Choice One has to offer. Happy New Year from Choice One! Sincerely, Thomas Smith President/CEO DEBT THIS WINTER SAVE If you ve overindulged in spending this holiday season, leaving you with overwhelming bills, we can help you consolidate your debt into one single payment and maximize savings by taking advantage of low loan rates at Choice One. RATES AS LOW AS RATES AS LOW AS RATES AS LOW AS HOME EQUITY LOANS 2.74 % No Closing Costs! Terms up to 240 months APR** PERSONAL LOANS 8.74 % Borrow up to $10,000 or APR* more for up to 72 months AFTER-CHRISTMAS LOANS 5.74 % Borrow up to $2,500 for 12 months APR* VISA CREDIT CARDS RATES AS LOW AS 2.99 % Introductory Rate APR*** After-Christmas Loan and other special loan rates valid now through March 31, 2016. Applications must be in by March 31, 2016, so apply today. 2 *APR = Annual Percentage Rate. Rates shown reflect.25% discount for Auto Pay. Rates are based on the creditworthiness of the individual applicant and are subject to change without notice. Please visit www.choiceone.org or call the credit union for current rates **APR=Annual Percentage Rate. Rates shown are for qualified borrowers. Rate shown includes.25% discount for auto deduct from Choice One share or share draft account. Borrow up to 80% of the current market value of your home, less any outstanding liens. The Borrower agrees to reimburse the Lender the actual amount of bona fide third party fees paid on the Borrower s behalf, as permitted by applicable law, if the loan is paid off within twenty four (24) months after consummation. No Closing Cost Promotion applies to first liens only. Closing costs will be reimbursed for the cost of originating your loan excluding any property tax. Contact your credit union loan officer for details, and your tax advisor regarding deductibility of interest. ***The VISA Card introductory rate is valid for credit card balance transfers from another credit card issuer to a new or existing Choice One Visa Platinum or Classic Credit Card. Balance transfer introductory rate reverts to your regular Visa Platinum as low as 8.90% APR or Classic card rate as low as 13.50% APR after six billing cycles.
THE SMARTER WAY TO YOUR BIGGEST REFUND This year, file your taxes the smarter way, and get your biggest possible refund guaranteed. TurboTax searches over 350 deductions and credits, so you won t miss a thing. Plus, Choice One members can save up to $15 on TurboTax federal products. Start TurboTax today and save! 2015-2016 Intuit Inc. All rights reserved. State filing charges apply. Limited time offer for TurboTax 2015. Terms, conditions, features, availability, pricing, fees, service and support options subject to change without notice. Intuit, TurboTax and TurboTax Online, among others, are registered trademarks and/or service marks of Intuit Inc. in the United States and other countries. Other parties trademarks or service marks are the property of their respective owners. 75TH ANNUAL MEETING SCHEDULED Join us for our Annual Meeting. It s always a great night and it will give you an opportunity to learn more about Choice One, our performance this past year, and our direction for the future. Enjoy a buffet-style dinner at 7pm and open bar from 6pm to 10pm. Be sure to take advantage of your right to vote for your Credit Union Board of Directors. DATE: Saturday, April 2nd, 2016 PLACE: Genetti s Hotel & Conference Center Market Street, Wilkes-Barre TIME: 5:30 pm Annual Meeting 6:00 pm Cocktail Hour 7:00 pm Dinner 8:00 pm Dancing MEMBER COST: $35.00 per person RSVP by January 31, 2016. Space is limited, so don t delay, RSVP by phone at 570-823-7676 or e-mail to Ashlee Choman (ext 7135) Ashlee.choman@choiceone.org or Karen Finnegan (ext. 7125) Karen.finnegan@choiceone.org. CONSOLIDATE & SAVE Send your payment to: Attn: Annual Meeting Committee, Choice One Community FCU, P.O. Box 1205, Wilkes-Barre, PA 18701. Choice One offers great products to help members get rid of monthly minimum payments and replace them with often a lower combined payment, paying off debt more quickly Let s look at someone with 3 credit cards and a combined balance of $9,000 and he or she is only paying the minimum payment each month. Debt Rate Balance Min. Payment Pay-off Total Interest Card 1 18.00% $5,000 $95 Sept. 2024 $5,013 Card 2 21.75% $2,500 $50 Dec. 2026 $4,100 Card 3 19.50% $1,500 $35 Feb. 2022 $1,099 If they consolidate the illustrated debt with either a Personal or Home Equity loan from Choice One FCU, they could see how much they could save. Personal Loan with a rate as low as 8.74% Rate Balance Term Payment Savings/Month Pay-off Interest Savings 8.74% $9,000 72 Months $161.08 $18.92/month 6 Years $7,614.10 Home Equity Loan with a rate as low as 3.99% Rate Balance Term Payment Savings/Month Pay-off Interest Savings 3.99% $9,000 120 Months $91.09 $88.91/month 10 Years $8,281.29 *Sample payments illustrated above assume the best available rate including a 0.25% discount for the auto pay option, paid over a term of 72 months for the personal loan and 120 months for the Home Equity. Home Equity option cannot exceed 80% of your primary home s available equity. Your rate and payment may differ from those illustrated above. Rate is determined by a member s credit history. This is not a guarantee of credit; an application must be submitted and approved by Choice One FCU. Rates are subject to change without notice and our current rates can always be viewed at www.choiceone.org. 3
CHOICE ONE MEMBERS SAVE BIG WITH THE SPRINT CREDIT UNION MEMBER DISCOUNT Tired of paying too much for your wireless bill? We don t blame you. So we re helping you save with the Sprint Credit Union Member Discount from Love My Credit Union Rewards. As a Credit Union Choice One member, you can save each month on your wireless data plus have your activation and upgrade fees waived. Our members can get: 10% discount on select regularly priced Sprint monthly data service Activation fee on new lines waived ($36 savings) Upgrade fee waived ($36 savings) Ways to get your discount: Call 877.SAVE.4CU (877.728.3428) or Visit your nearest Sprint store. Let them know you re a credit union member and mention Corporate ID: NACUC_ZZM. Current and new Sprint customers need to verify credit union membership to take advantage of these exclusive discounts. Download the Love My Credit Union Rewards app in the Apple App Store or Google Play or www.sprint.com/verify to verify your membership. Stop paying too much for your wireless data service. Start saving with the Sprint Credit Union Member Discount today. The best way to buy and finance your next vehicle. Borrow from Choice One Credit Union. Buy from Enterprise Car Sales. Get pre-approved at choiceone.org Preview our great selection of quality used vehicles at enterprisecarsales.com/choiceoneccu Used vehicles were previously part of Enterprise short-term rental and/or lease fleet or purchased by Enterprise from other sources including auto auctions, with previous use possibly short-term rental, lease or other. The e logo, Enterprise, and Haggle-free buying. Worry-free ownership. are trademarks of Enterprise Holdings, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. 2015 Enterprise Car Sales. G03124 HA 12/15 KD 4
SIMPLY BETTER VEHICLE LEASING Choice One s MAPS Program is the lower monthly payment solution. For example, when your loan amount is $24,845, your monthly payment could be $235.52 less than a conventional loan. A huge savings. Even better, unlike other leasing, you own the vehicle. There are other benefits too. For the complete details, call or visit the credit union. You can also learn more online click Loans > MAPS Program or scan the QR Code. Example based on a 2016 Subaru Forester 4 door Wagon 2.5i AT Selling Price $24,845.00 Conventional Interest Rate 1.49% MAPS Interest Rate 3.49% Term 48 Month MAPS Payment $283.28 Conventional Payment $533.50 Savings per month $250.22 Guaranteed Future Value $14,275.00 NEWS CHOICE ONE CREDIT UNION SUPPORTS COMMUNITY PROGRAMS Choice One presented a donation check for $1,020 in October to Candy s Place, a cancer wellness center that serves cancer patients and their families, survivors and caregivers, in Forty Fort. Choice One gave away small gifts to members for their donations and all of the money raised went to Candy s Place. The entire staff wore pink t-shirts in support of cancer awareness. MAPS financing would save you $235.52 per month!* The residual value is $11,950 based on 12,000 miles per year. *The above is an example. The actual rate and terms can vary and are subject to change. The above monthly payment includes the cost for residual value protection that gives you the right to return the vehicle on the loan termination date and protects you against any decline in the projected residual amount. Choice One Community Credit Union also held a bake sale in November for the Wounded Warrior Project. All of the baked goods were donated by Choice One staff members and the team raised $686.00 for the Wounded Warrior Project. SPECIAL AFTER-CHRISTMAS LOAN You could consolidate your holiday bills with a Choice One After-Christmas Loan or borrow some extra cash for any reason. For a limited time, you can borrow up to $2,500 for 12 months at a rate as low as 5.74% APR*. Call or stop by the credit union or apply online. This special loan opportunity ends March 31, 2016. Apply today! *APR=Annual Percentage Rate. Rate based on creditworthiness of individual applicant and subject to change without notice. 5
APPLY FOR A CHOICE ONE CREDIT CARD Transfer high-interest balances from other cards and start saving today. Your best choice is a credit union Visa Platinum or Classic Credit Card. Get rid of your high interest credit cards right now and transfer your high interest credit and store charge card balances at your credit union s special 2.99% APR * introductory rate. ** The rate is in effect for a full six billing cycles. It s the no hassle, better credit card idea. Don t miss this special opportunity to save instantly. Apply in person at any Choice One office location or online. 2.99 % APR ** BALANCE TRANSFER RATE It s quick and easy. *APR = Annual Percentage Rate. **2.99% Visa Balance Transfer is valid for 6 billing cycles from date of transfer. Rate returns to current rate at that time. Choice One s current Platinum Visa Credit Card rate is 8.90% APR and Classic Visa Card is 13.50% APR with No-Annual Fee. Balance Transfer offer is good on any new or existing Choice One Platinum or Classic Credit Card. WELCOME SECOND MEMBERS FINANCIAL SERVICES REPRESENTATIVE A Message from the MEMBERS Financial Services Program Perhaps you re just starting out, beginning to build the foundation for your future. Or maybe you re an empty nester, with the newfound freedom to travel and pursue lifelong dreams. Or you might be nearing or at retirement, hoping to maintain a comfortable lifestyle while ensuring you won t outlive your assets. Whatever your stage of life, James H. Van Wert Jr., CFP, and Trey Van Wert, the MEMBERS Financial Services Representatives serving Choice One Community Credit Union, can help, with top-notch financial and investment advice and a full spectrum of investment tools and options designed to help you achieve your dreams. Jim and Trey have the depth of knowledge and the breadth of experience to help you get where you want to go. From a full range of offerings, they will help you choose the investment options that will help you best reach your financial goals. At Choice One Community Credit Union, we ve built a wealth of trust with you. Now, trust us and the MEMBERS Financial Services team to help you build your wealth. To arrange a no-cost, no-obligation meeting, simply call Jim and Trey at 570.208.4520 or send an email to trey.vanwert@cunamutual.com. Securities sold, advisory services offered through CUNA Brokerage Services, Inc. (CBSI), member FINRA/SIPC, a registered broker/ dealer and investment advisor. CBSI is under contract with the financial institution to make securities available to members. Not NCUA/NCUSIF/FDIC insured, May Lose Value, No Financial Institution Guarantee. Not a deposit of any financial institution. 10003787-0613 6
ANNOUNCING OUR PLAINS OFFICE OPENING COMING FALL 2016 Our new corporate office and branch location will be located at 501 East Main Street, Plains, near Mohegan Sun Casino. This full-service office will include all of our great services, including ATM, drive thru and loan services. It s just another way to offer the most convenient service to our valued members. HOW FAST DO YOU WANT YOUR TAX REFUND? When you choose to receive your tax refund as a paper check, the IRS says you can expect to wait from four to seven weeks to get your money. A safer and faster solution is electronic Direct Deposit. It s easy too. When you use tax Form 1040, 1040A or 1040-EZ, simply enter the Choice One Routing and Transit Number on the form. The number is 231386878. Then choose either your checking or savings account and enter the appropriate account number with no dashes or spaces. You can also use Direct Deposit for any other one time or recurring payments, including Social Security or pension checks. You can learn more at the credit union or online. FREE TAX HELP VITA, The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program, a federal IRS program, offers FREE tax preparation for qualifying individuals. Trained VITA volunteers can help ensure you take advantage of all of your tax credits. To learn if you qualify, to register, or for more information, call 570-825-0968. Registration for appointments begins January 18th. UNCLAIMED PROPERTY REMINDER If you have a Choice One account and have not conducted an account transaction for the past 3 years, the account is considered Unclaimed Property by the State of Pennsylvania. Unless you contact the credit union by Wednesday, April 6th, 2016, we are required to turn over (escheat) the property to the State. You can learn more about Unclaimed Property online at the Pennsylvania Treasury website. Visit www.patreasury.gov. and click Unclaimed Property. 7
The One Choice for Financial Services. WILKES-BARRE OFFICE: 101 Hazle Street P.O. Box 1205 Wilkes-Barre, PA 18702 Phone: (570) 823-7676 Toll-Free: (800) 610-2788 Fax: (570) 829-3937 HAZLETON OFFICE: 983 N. Sherman Court Hazleton, PA 18201 Phone: (570) 454-0081 Toll-Free: (800) 610-2788 Fax: (570) 454-8005 PRSRT STD U.S. Postage PAID Wilkes-Barre, PA Permit #413 www.choiceone.org Holiday Closings 2016 Martin Luther King, Jr. Day Monday, January 18, 2016 Presidents Day Monday, February 15, 2016 Good Friday Friday, March 25, 2016 Closing at noon Memorial Day Monday, May 30, 2016 Quote Of The Quarter Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value. Albert Einstein Reminder: Update Your Insurance If you have an Auto or Home Equity Loan with Choice One, please contact your insurance agent and change the lien holder address to: Choice One Community FCU P.O. Box 25312 Fort Worth, TX 76124 WISHING YOU A HAPPY NEW YEAR! NEWS you can use! Privacy Policy Now Online Choice One is no longer required to mail our Privacy Policy to every mem ber each year. However, you can vie and download the policy statement online at anytime. Click the Privacy Policy link at the very bottom of our home page (left hand side) or scan the QR Code.