Our Board Of Directors Needs YOU!

iconNegocios[1]There are only a few days left to apply to be a candidate in our Board Of Directors elections. We need dedicated and caring individuals to step up and  help lead our Credit Union to greatness!

Our Board of Directors are volunteers, they are dedicated members of Wauna Credit Union that want to help guide and shape our future.

As a financial cooperative, we are member-owned, and all members in good standing and of legal voting age are welcome to run in an annual election for our Board Of Directors.

Our Board of Directors meets monthly, and attends special planning weekends and other retreats, to learn about the latest in Credit Union advancements and hear from experts, to make the best decisions for our organization.

Please take an active part in Wauna Credit Union and apply to be a candidate!

Thank You!

Deadline is Nov. 20, 2015

Download the application: https://waunafcu.org/blog/wp-content/uploads/BOARD-APPLICATION-PACKET-2015-2016.pdf

When to Consider Refinancing a Loan?

refi home laon blogThis article is courtesy of our friends at NerdWallet.

If you’re making payments on a mortgage or personal loan, you might be wondering whether it’s worthwhile to refinance. Refinancing, or replacing your loan with a new one with different terms, is a big move that requires some homework. Here are some important things to consider.

Define your goal

People refinance for many reasons. You might be interested in lowering the monthly payments to gain breathing room in your budget. Or your goal could be to pay less in total over the life of the loan. Some consumers refinance to replace a variable-rate loan with a fixed-rate one. Some nonprofit credit unions, like Wauna Credit Union, offer loans and mortgages to their members at attractive interest rates.

Homeowners may do a cash-out refinancing, getting a larger loan and taking some money out, in order to consolidate other loans or pay for home improvements. Others might refinance a Federal Housing Administration (FHA) loan to a conventional loan to save money on mortgage insurance. And some refinance for personal reasons, like adding a spouse to a mortgage or settling a divorce.

Check your credit

Your credit score is an indicator of how likely you are to pay back a loan, and lenders use it to determine how much they’ll charge you to borrow. Younger borrowers often don’t have long credit histories, and they end up paying higher rates as a result; a recent NerdWallet study found that millennials have the lowest average credit score of all age groups. But if you’ve had a loan for a year or more and have been making timely payments, it could be that your credit score has gone up enough to let you qualify for a lower-rate loan.

You can get a free copy of your credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com. That will allow you to correct inaccuracies that can hurt your credit score. Then, purchase your credit score from the credit reporting agencies for a small fee to see where you stand. Some credit card companies show a credit score on your monthly statement.

Add up any fees

When deciding whether to refi, factor in any fees and closing costs. The cost to refinance a personal loan may be minimal, but if you’ve obtained a mortgage in the past, you know that home loans can be expensive. Application fees, appraisal fees, legal fees and other closing costs could add up to 3 percent of the loan amount or more. And if your loan agreement has prepayment penalties, that could make a refi less attractive.

Refinancing can be smart option, whether your goal is to lower your monthly payments, save on the overall cost of borrowing or lock in a fixed interest rate. As always, it’s important to do your research to make sure that you’re getting a good deal.

Jeanne Lee, NerdWallet

© Copyright 2015 NerdWallet, Inc. All Rights Reserved

PRESS RELEASE: Wauna CU Makes Top 100 Nonprofits

Pictured, L to R: Sara Kulp, Sharon Borgardt, Marc Silva, Robert Blumberg, John Moore, Gina Dines, Pam Weller, Debi Smiley, Danea Passmore, David Merrell.
Pictured, L to R: Sara Kulp, Sharon Borgardt, Marc Silva, Robert Blumberg, John Moore, Gina Dines, Pam Weller, Debi Smiley, Danea Passmore, David Merrell.

Wauna Credit Union has been recognized by Oregon Business Magazine as one of the 100 Best Nonprofits To Work For in Oregon. This is the Oregon Business Magazine’s 7th Annual Top 100 List, which analyzed employee survey data compiled earlier this year from over 5,000 employees throughout Oregon.

“We are thrilled by this wonderful recognition,” reports Sharon Borgardt, Chief Human Resources Officer for Wauna CU, “especially since the ranking is based on a survey comparing our employees’ level of pride and satisfaction to those of other similar employers.” Wauna Credit Union compared especially favorable to its peers in the categories of Management & Communication, Benefits and Compensation, Sustainable Practices, and Career Development & Learning.

“Much of the success of our organization is based on the amazing service our staff provides to over 20,000 local, member-owners,” says Robert Blumberg, CEO. “As an employer, we truly value our employees as the most important assets of our organization. We strive to provide a work environment that is positive, rewarding, healthy, and fun! The enthusiasm of our employees is conveyed each day through helpful and courteous service to our member-owners.”

Wauna CU has earned recognition as a Top 100 Best Green Workplace in Oregon for several years due to its commitment to sustainable practices.

 

Welcome Members!

WCU communityWelcome to Wauna Credit Union’s new Blog!

As we usher in a new era of Wauna Credit Union’s digital presence, we have created this blog to offer useful news and information about our Credit Union, branch events, community happenings, and financially educational information to our membership and the public at large.

As a cooperative financial institution, all of our members are equal owners of this Credit Union. We welcome members to participate in our Board of Directors elections, attend our annual meeting, and let us know how we can better serve you and our communities.

Please check back regularly for new articles and updates on this blog.

Thank you for your membership.