7/31/2019 Members Circle, April 2012 Newsletter

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contents

Why dividend rates change

How Mothers Day was born

Three great, economical ways togive mom a special Mothers Day

Mothers Day believe it or not

ww.alliantcreditunion.org a newsletter or Alliant Credit Union members

DIVIDEND

May Savings Dividend

ECLARED APRIL 19, 2012

he May 2012 Savingsnd IRA dividend, declared4/19/2012, provides a Compounded

Annual Percentage Yield o

0.95%APY

ividends are paid on the

ast day o the month to

ccountholders who have

maintained an average daily

alance o $100 or more.

avings dividend is subject to

hange monthly.

May Checking Dividend

DECLARED APRIL 19, 2012

The May 2012 High RateChecking dividend, declared04/19/2012, provides a Compounded

Annual Percentage Yield o

0.90%APYChecking dividends are paid on

he last day o each month to

accountholders who meet the

equirements o the account.

Checking dividend is subject to

change monthly.

April 201

Why dividend rates changeThe Alliant Board o Directors decided to lower the

credit unions regular savings dividend to 0.95% APY

rom 1.00% APY, eective April 1, 2012. Alliant

works very hard to maintain one o the highest

savings dividends in the nation and, despite the drop

in rate, it still maintains one o the highest rates in the

nation. We can do this because o our conservative

management strategy, low operating costs and the

quality o our membership.

A 0.95% APY savings dividend may not seem very

high. But, did you know that, at 0.95% APY, Alliant

members still earn a rate that is 6.3x higher than the

bank national average savings rate o 0.15% APY

and 4.8x higher than the credit union national

average savings rate o 0.20% APY?1

Historically low investment interest rates and a

declining demand or loans put pressure on our

dividend rate. The ederal unds rate, the bench

mark short-term rate, has been at 0% to 0.25%since December 2008. This low rate minimizes

what Alliant can earn on our securities investments.

Plus, loan demand across the nation and at our

credit union has weakened.

These two actors reduce the amount we can

responsibly pay in savings dividends. To increase

short-term income, at the expense o longer-term

results, Alliant could make riskier investments and

loans. But, thats something we reuse to do. As a

not-or-prot nancial cooperative, Alliant relies

on participation rom both savers and borrowers.

Borrowing rom Alliant is good not only or thecredit union, but also or the borrowing member

(and, in turn, all members). Alliant loan rates are

among the best available in the country.

Meanwhile, many banks have eliminated ree

checking and now charge their customers a basic

maintenance ee to keep their money with the

institution. For instance, Wells Fargo Bank will sta

charging $7 a month or checking accounts in six

more states. It introduced those ees last year in 23

states2. And starting April 23, Charter One Bank

and Citizens Bank (both owned by Citizens Finan-

cial Group) eliminated its ree checking account

and converted those customers to their basic gree

checking account, which will now cost $9.99 a

month, up rom its previous $4.99 monthly ee.

Customers can have the ee waived i they perorm

a series o ve qualiying payment transactions per

month.3 Conversely, at Alliant we continue to oe

our members genuinely ree checking accounts and

opportunity to meet qualifcations to earn dividen

on our Free High Rate Checking account.

I you are looking or savings and retirement

alternatives, Alliant can help. Alliant Retirement a

Investment Services delivers a trustworthy, ull-ser

nancial advisory program providing 401(k) and

pension plan rollovers, wealth management, educati

unding, insurance, investment services and IRA

services.4 Call 800-328-1935, option 9, to sched

a no-cost, no-obligation nancial consultation to g

the assistance needed to reach your nancial goals

Alliant is committed to remain a sae place or you

to save and to get loans. Moreover, we rank in the

top 3% o the nations credit unions in giveback

to our members in terms o high savings dividends

low loan rates and ewer ees.5 And heres the bott

line. At Alliant, we value our members business a

remain committed to help all our members achieveand maintain nancial well-being. Going orward,

remain a strong nancial institution or our memb

we may need to lower our savings dividend rate, t

ensure our long-term sustainability and competitiv

edge. And we look orward to prudently raising o

savings dividend rate when market conditions onc

again allow it.

1 Comparison o Alliant Credit Unions April 2012 savings dividend o 0.95% APY vs. the bank national average savings rate o 0.15% APYand the credit union national average savings rate o 0.20% APY provided by National Association o Federal Credit Unions in cooperation withDatatrac Corp. as o April 3, 2012.2 CNNMoney and Winston-Salem Journal.3 Mybanktracker.com. 4 Representatives are registered, securitiesare sold, and investment advisory services oered through CUNA Brokerage Services, Inc. (CBSI), member FINRA/SIPC, a registered broker/dealand investment advisor, 2000 Heritage Way, Waverly, Iowa 50677, toll-ree 800-369-2862.Non-deposit investment products and insurance produare not ederally insured, involve investment risk, may lose value and are not obligations o or guaranteed by the fnancial institution. CBSI is undecontract with the nancial institution, through the nancial services program, to make securities available to members FR031230-3F6F.5 Source:Raddon Financial Services, a division o Open Solutions, Inc. December 2011 Raddon Board Report

members circle

7/31/2019 Members Circle, April 2012 Newsletter

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How Mothers Daywas bornFeasts celebrating motherhood probably existed since the

dawn o time. The ancient Greeks celebrated it during

their annual spring estival or Rhea, the mother o many

gods. Christians observed a version o this estival to honorMary, the mother o Christ. Later, the English expanded

this holiday to include all mothers and called it Mothering

Sunday.

In the U.S., Anna Jarvis o Philadelphia, PA, organized a

Mothers Work Day in 1908 to honor her mothers

eorts to improve poor health conditions in her

community. Jarvis then asked Congress to set aside a

day each year to honor mothers. In 1914, Congress did

so and President Wilson signed a law making the second

Sunday in May Mothers Day.

Initially, Americans observed the

day by attending religiousservices, writing letters to

their mothers and then

sending cards, fowers

and other gits.

Watching her

holiday become

so commercialized

inuriated Jarvis.

She led a lawsuit to

stop Mothers Day.

But, it was too late.

The holiday hadalready captured the

imagination and

hearts o the

American people

and had become

a tradition.Sources: chi.com and tagline.com

fce closingsnt will be closed in observance

e ollowing holidays:

morial Dayonday, May 28, 2012

ependence Dayednesday, July 4, 2012

venient 24/7/365 account accessnline banking atww.alliantcreditunion.org

obile banking app for Android

ad and iPhone

ember Contact Center800-328-1935

elf Service Telephone800-482-5328

ver 80,000 surcharge-freeTMs nationwideid is a trademark o Google, Inc. iPhone andre registered trademarks o Apple, Inc.

dial direct: Alliant is there when you need us

PO Box 66945, 11545 W. Touhy Avenue

Chicago, IL 60666-0945

www.alliantcreditunion.o

NEW2

For Alliant Service Center locatioAlliant Online Banking, and prod

service information, visit our webwww.alliantcreditunion.org

This newsletter is or members personal use only. Reand/or selling the contents o this newsletter without permission rom Alliant Credit Union is prohibited. CoArticles are prepared as an educational service or AThey should not be relied on as a substitute or individor legal research. Articles in this newsletter are not inused (and may not be relied on) or penalty avoidance

Alliant Retirement andInvestment Services

Financial Advisors are available toserve members in AZ, CA, CO, FL,

HI, IL, NJ, NY, TX, VA, WA, WI.Call 800-328-1935, option 9.

NEW! Deposits/PaymentsPO Box 2387Des Plaines, IL 60017-2387

NEW! Credit Card PaymentsPO Box 1666Des Plaines, IL 60017-1666

All Other Correspondence andIRA and HSA depositsPO Box 66945, Chicago, IL 60666-0945

Mortgage Hotline800-328-1935

Press option 5, then option 1MonFri, 8am5pm CT

Auto/Home Insurance888-380-9287MonFri, 6am10pm CTSat, 6am 8pm CT

GreenPath Debt Solutions877-337-3399MonThur, 7am9pm CTFri, 7am6pm CTSat, 8am5pm CT

Alliant Headquarters11545 W. Touhy Avenue

Chicago, IL 60666

Member Contact Center800-328-1935

24/7 personal assistancetdd/tty 773-462-2300

Self Service Telephone (SST)800-482-532824/7 automated account access

VISA Debit Card800-328-1935

VISA Credit Cards24/7 Member Service/Account Info/Lost or Stolen:

866-444-8529

VISA Gift CardPurchase: 800-328-1935Support Center: 866-466-2362

Federally insuN

Mothers Day believe it or notHere are some acts that might surpriseyou about Mothers Day and motherhoodin general.

This is the busiest phone day of theyear about 122.5 million calls areplaced.

About 152 million Mothers Day cardsare given each year.

75% of the cut owers given onMothers Day come rom Caliornia.

72% of women with children overone-year old work (it was 39% in 1976).

55% of women with children underone-year old work (it was 31% in 1976).

There are 85.4 million mothers in theUnited States. Fity-our percent o alU.S. women aged 15 to 44 are motherThe average age o women when thefrst give birth is 25.

The average number of kids in U.S.households is 2. (In the 1970s, theaverage was 3.5; in the 1700s, it wasseven to 10 kids).

The biggest baby born on recordweighed 22 lbs and 8 ounces. He wasborn in 1955 in Italy.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau News, mothersdaycelebrationcom, dayormothers.com, chi.com, invitingsmiles.com and

tajonline.com

Three great, economical ways to give moma special Mothers DayMothers Day, the second Sunday o May, has become a

traditional time to honor and express appreciation for

ones mother. Here are three economical ways:

1) Take your mother out to brunch, lunch or dinner

particularly at restaurants that are oering

Mothers Day specials with discounted

prices. A website, www.opentable.com,

available in all 50 states and internationally,

lets you pinpoint places that have good ood

and good deals. Plus, you can reserve your

table right then, online, ree o charge.

2) Pamper your mom by buying her a visit to a spa or

salon. Would your mother appreciate a acial, a

new hairstyle or a massage? You can present her

this git with a certifcate at a local spa, oten at a

raction o the usual cost i you shop on online group buying sites,

such as LivingSocial, Groupon and Dealio.

3) Make moms life easier with lawn, housekeeping or laundry services.A mothers lie has its share o drudgery. Help ease your mothers household

labor burden by buying services at a discount, via money-saving coupons

rom your phone book or local newspaper.

Sources: fnanceandloans.biz and invitingsmiles.com

2 honor thy mother