Blog

The recently announced merger between Consumers Credit Union and Premier Credit Union has been agreed upon and delivered to the Illinois Department of Financial and Professional Regulation (IDFPR) and National Credit Union Administration (NCUA).

CCU is proud to announce that CUNA (Credit Union National Association), recognized Alice Clements, Treasurer and ALM Committee Chair on Consumers Credit Union’s Board of Directors for her success in “living the American dream”.

Congress just changed the Social Security benefit rules. On October 30, Capitol Hill lawmakers approved a two-year federal budget deal. As part of that agreement, they authorized the most significant change to Social Security policy seen in this century, disallowing two popular strategies people have used to try and maximize retirement benefits.1 The file-and-suspend claiming […]

CCU is extremely happy to have CUNA (Credit Union National Association), recognize Frank Soyka, Chair of the Loan Review Committee and a member of the Asset Liability Management Committee on the Credit Union’s Board of Directors. Frank, revered for his extensive knowledge and background with commercial lending, in addition to his expertise in construction, has […]

Do you want to know the major reason your financial New Year’s resolutions could fail? Even with the best intentions, it could just be a bad resolutions to begin with. You would think any resolution to improve your finances would be a good thing but that’s not always the case. Vague goals without benchmarks or […]

Paying attention to the wrong things becomes all too easy. If you ever have the inkling to manage your investments on your own, that inkling is worth reconsidering.

Consumers Credit Union wants to be the one-stop-shop for members purchasing a home. From your initial search, to determining how much house you can qualify for, and all the details in between, we want to be your trusted first point of contact. CCU’s recently introduced our new HomeAdvantage Program that includes a set of remarkable […]

One bad trading day is not the year. The stock market has wavered recently. A lackluster year just ended, and this year has started inauspiciously. You may be wondering … should you really be invested in stocks right now? Yes, you should be. In moments like these, investors should not panic and overreact to the headlines. […]

Identity theft is a troubling topic for many. It occurs more often than we would like, and it is difficult to pick up the pieces once it has happened. The U.S. Department of Justice reports that 17.6 million Americans were victims of identity theft in 2014. With so many victims of identity theft, you should […]

Will you be receiving a tax refund this year? If so, you might want to think about the destiny of that money. By carefully considering how to use your refund in advance, you may be able to avoid asking yourself, later, that age-old question … “Where did it all go?”

“What is your greatest retirement fear?” If you ask retirees that question, “outliving my money” may likely be one of the top answers. Retirees and pre-retirees alike share this anxiety. In a 2014 Wells Fargo/Gallup survey of more than 1,000 investors, 46% of respondents cited that very fear; 42% of the respondents to that poll were making $90,000 a year or more.

People who take out a payday loan typically expect it to be a one-time thing. They take out $250 fully intending to pay it back in two weeks or less. However, the average payday loan customer is in debt for five months and pays $520 in interest (on top of the original loan amount) according to Pew.

Will Social Security run out of money in the 2030s? For years, Americans have been warned about that possibility. Those warnings, however, assume that no action will be taken to address Social Security’s financial challenges.

The early stages of adulthood tend to bring on a combination of expenses big and small. It’s easy to find yourself facing costs for everything from car repair to unexpectedly high utility bills. For many of those in their twenties, it can begin to feel very overwhelming and some might be tempted to channel all the chaos into one quick credit card swipe.

There are many things to consider before purchasing any car, but a new car might bring up some particular questions. There are pros and cons to buying new cars, just as there are pros and cons to buying used cars.

Will your heirs receive a fair share of your wealth? Will your invested assets go where you want them to when you die?

Every year the U.S. Treasury redeems over $30 million worth of damaged and mutilated currency. Do you know how to get damaged US currency replaced?

Trying to determine how Wall Street will behave next week, next month, or next year is difficult. Some feel it is impossible. That is not to say forecasting is useless. You could even argue that it is a necessity.

A worldwide selloff occurs after the United Kingdom votes to leave the European Union. Provided by Michael Bohne, CRPC® and Stuart Cooper, CRPC® A wave of anxiety hit Wall Street Friday morning. Thursday night, the United Kingdom elected to become the first nation state to leave the European Union. The “Brexit” can potentially be finalized […]

One of the best things about summer is that it’s “Grill Season”. A properly operating grill can make all the difference in the outcome of your grilling endeavors. Your grill works hard for you all summer, sometimes year-round, to give you delicious food. Show your appreciation and care for it by keeping it well-maintained. The time it takes is minimal and the payback is well worth it.