Becoming a member of Finance Center Federal Credit Union is easy. Prospective members can complete an online membership application, visit one of our Centers, or call us at 317.916.7700.

Membership is open to all individuals and their families who live, work, worship, attend school, or volunteer in Marion County.
 
We offer competitive deposit and loan rates along with less fees and more free services than other institutions in the Indianapolis area. We've also been serving the Indianapolis community for 55 years, and are committed to helping residents achieve their personal and financial goals through every stage of their life.

If you're not satisfied with your current banking relationship, join FCFCU and experience the credit union difference for yourself.

FCFCU is set to open its third student-run Center today at Arsenal Tech High School in Indianapolis. This will be the first student-run Center within the Indianapolis Public School System.

Much like Financial Center's other student-run Centers, students and teachers at Arsenal Tech will be able to bank at the Center during school hours. Students will be able to open checking and savings accounts and will have access to the Center's ATM with their parents' permission.

Students in grades 9-12 who take a business education course will have the opportunity to work in the Center under the supervision of James Davidson, one of Financial Center's Financial Literacy Managers. Davidson is already familiar with Arsenal Tech as he taught history at the school in the past. In addition to mentoring students through the Center, Davidson will be presenting financial literacy seminars to other classes at the school with curriculum provided by the National Endowment for Financial Education.

We look forward to serving the students and faculty at Arsenal Tech. Our goal with this Center along with our other student-run facilities, is to give students the resources and knowledge they need to start off on the right financial path.

When I get home from my job as Marketing Manager here at Financial Center, I usually have a few spare coins leftover from my day. Without much thought, I toss them into an empty coffee can next to my dresser. I'm not sure how much money I've collected, but I'm going to take a closer look after what happened at FCFCU's Main Center last week.

Most of our Centers are equipped with an automatic coin counting machine. Instead of having to roll up your coins, all you have to do is come in to your favorite Center, and pour them into this machine. It does all the work for you.

Member Boyce Benningfield Jr. took advantage of this great service and brought in his loose change that he'd been collecting for the past five years. We won't tell you how much change he poured into the machine, but it was enough to pay for a repair on his car.

These machines can be found in grocery stores and other retail locations around Indianapolis, but they charge a fee. This service is completely free to all FCFCU members. Mr. Benningfield summed it up perfectly when discussing the fee he would have incurred elsewhere: "I should get it all."

This is just one of the many great services that Financial Center offers its members. Come in and experience the difference for yourself today.

Yesterday morning, FCFCU was featured on WIBC (93.1 FM in Indianapolis). Tara Turner, the credit union's Director of Financial Literacy discussed our newest student branch at the Walker Career Center in Warren Township. Click here to listen to the full interview.

A recent article in the Wall Street Journal urged consumers to move their accounts to a local credit union.

Author Brett Arends of the Wall Street Journal notes that "many Americans are pretty unimpressed with the banking industry right now. Maybe it's a good time to look at an alternative - like moving your account to a local credit union instead."

Financial Center offers competitive rates on all of its lending and deposit products, and we aim to be your one institution for all of your financial needs. We also offer banking with many free services and less fees than other Indianapolis institutions.

Visit our website today at www.fcfcu.com or come to one of our Center locations to experience the Financial Center difference for yourself.

Financial Center Online Services
Main Center - 7101 East 56th Street, Indianapolis
Saturday, September 20th
9:00 AM to Noon
Cost: $0

Learn how to maximize your time and reduce your costs through the use of our online services. Using both a classroom environment and hands on training, members will learn how to safely access their credit union accounts via online options. Special focus will be given to a BillPayer demonstration.

To enroll in any of our free seminars, contact Janet O'Donnell at 317.916.6250 or at jodonnell@fcfcu.com.

FCFCU, in cooperation with Warren Central High School and Walker Career Center, will open a student-run credit union Center inside the Walker Carer Center today. The branch was established to help teach students about money management and starting off on the right financial path.

The facility at Walker Career Center is the second student-run Center we have opened since last year. We opened Indianapolis' first student-run credit union Center in 2007 at the J. Everett Light Career Center in Washington Township.

Students and teachers will be able to bank at the Center during school hours. Students will be able to open checking and savings accounts and will have access to the branch's ATM with their parents' permission.

"We are hoping to duplicate the success of the J. Everett Light student-run branch model at the Walker Career Center," said Tara Turner, Financial Center's Director of Financial Literacy Programs. "Today's youth need more financial guidance than ever, and as part of our credit union's mission, Financial Center is committed to teaching students the importance of good money management."

Watch for more news concerning our new venture at the Walker Career Center coming soon.

That's right. We're offering a special incentive for our loyal blog readers. We're giving away a $5 Blockbuster gift card to the first 20 readers to send us their e-mail address. However, your e-mail address must not currently be on our system.
 
Please send your name, e-mail address, and street address to dept.busdev@fcfcu.com, and we'll send you a gift card. Do not include your account number. Don't forget to mention this blog post in your message.

Thanks for reading!

Do you know who owns Financial Center? As one of our members, you do! That is just one of the many things that make credit unions unique.

Credit unions are not-for-profit, democratically controlled, volunteer-run, member-owned cooperatives. They exist to serve their members. Unlike most other financial institutions, credit unions do not issue stock or pay interest to outside stockholders. Instead, earnings are returned to members in the form of lower loan rates, higher dividends on deposits, and lower fees.

At Financial Center, every customer is a member and an owner. You are the reason we exist.

Check out our website at www.fcfcu.com for more information.

As part of our ongoing efforts to develop Valued Relationships and provide Trusted Solutions, we have developed Service Promises which describe how we will conduct business with our members.

We Promise

• to make it easy to do business with us.
• to treat you as an honored member.
• to maintain the privacy of your account information.
• to take ownership of your request.
• to respond to your request in a timely manner.
• to listen to your needs and suggest solutions that will improve your financial life.
• to show our appreciation for allowing us to serve you.

We are committed to fulfilling these promises to you as a valued member of our credit union. If you would like to let us know how we are doing, leave a comment or send us an e-mail at dept.busdev@fcfcu.com.

As your credit union, we want to help you succeed in whatever it is that you do. Plus, we want to make it as easy as possible for you to do business with us and gain the information you need to best manage your finances. One of the programs we use on our website to help you do this is Anytime Adviser.

Anytime Adviser is a set of online coaching tutorials that can help with you a variety of financial topics. Here is a list of what's currently available.

• Checking Account Coach
• Couples & Money Coach
• Credit Management Coach
• Home Buying Coach
• ID Theft Coach

All of these sessions are great and can be accessed here. Once you complete one of the coaching sessions, leave us a comment and tell us what you think.

Today, we announced a new certificate special.*

Previously we were offering a 5 year certificate for 4.15% APY. Now, we've increased the rate up to 4.50% APY! This is a very competitive rate in the Indianapolis area, and we invite you to visit one of our Centers or give us a call at 317.916.7700 to take advantage of this great offer.

We're all about Indy, and we're all about offering great rates to our members. Come experience the best credit union in the Indianapolis area today!

*APY = Annual Percentage Yield. Rates subject to change. Offer may be withdrawn without notice. Early withdrawal penalties apply. Minimum opening balance is $500. Offer applies only to funds not currently on deposit at Financial Center.

One of our blog's readers left a comment recently notifying our credit union of a fraudulent text message being sent from someone posing as Financial Center. We are aware of the scam, and have since worked to shut down the number being used. 

Financial Center will never ask for your confidential information via the phone, by e-mail, or text messaging. If you suspect fraudulent activity, please contact the credit union immediately at 317.916.7700.

Any fraudulent e-mail messages may also be sent to phishing@fcfcu.com.

Financial Center has a wide variety of products all designed to fit your individual financial needs. One product that most of our members are unaware of is FlexLine.

FlexLine is a line of credit that you can use to pay for expenses or for overdraft protection. Sometimes an accident happens and you may forget to record a check, a withdrawal, or you just make a mathematical error in your checkbook. The great thing about FlexLine is that it will help you avoid any NSF fees if such a mistake occurs. If there is ever an overdraft, Financial Center will transfer from your FlexLine account in $25 increments.

Applying for FlexLine is easy. You may apply online at www.fcfcu.com, call Member Services at 317.916.7700, or you may use the loan by phone option on our phone system (select option 2, then option 1).

For more information on FlexLine, click here.

This Tuesday evening (August 12th) from 11 PM to approximately 1 AM Wednesday, Financial Center Online and MoneyLine will be unavailable due to service upgrades. We apologize for this inconvenience. If you have any questions, please contact Member Services at 317.916.7700.

Financial Center is offering a special promotion during August and September for members using our free BillPayer service through our online banking system. Each time you pay your bills using BillPayer in August and September, you'll receive an automatic entry for a chance to win $5,000.

BillPayer is a great time saver and it's very convenient. I use it every month to pay my bills. Before using the service, I would have to sit down and write a check, then I'd have to find an envelope, and then search for a stamp. With BillPayer, all I have to do is sit at my computer, log on to www.fcfcu.com and I'm done in no time.

Try it for yourself. You'll be glad you did. You may even come away with a little extra spending money. 

We offer a complete demonstration of how to use online banking and BillPayer on our website. Click here to check it out.

I recently had an opportunity to speak with Tara Turner, Financial Center's Director of Financial Literacy. Tara has spent the last year working at the credit union's first student run center kiosk at the J. Everett Light Career Center next door to North Central High School. In the coming weeks, Financial Center will open two new student centers in the Indianapolis area. One will be at the Walker Career Center next to Warren Central High School, and the other will be at Arsenal Tech High School.

How did you get started working for Financial Center?

(Tara) I started as a teller back when I was in college. I worked during my breaks in school. When I graduated from college, I worked in retail management and didn't enjoy it.  Thankfully, I was able to come back to the credit union. 

Describe your early work at the student center.

At the beginning of the school year, I would come in to the business management classes and teach a financial literacy curriculum. We'd talk about checking accounts, savings accounts, loans, insurance, and what it takes to get on a particular financial path. We'd also set up budgeting and savings plans. Students went through this class for about eight weeks.

What types of transactions or activities do students complete most frequently?

Deposits and withdrawals mostly.

Like cashing checks and things like that?

No, because I would encourage students to deposit their checks. I'd encourage students to put the money in their account since they don't have to carry their money around, and they can always come back and withdrawal the money.

What type of feedback have you received from students and teachers?

It's become such a convenience for them that when I was not there they would always ask where I had been. They love it. I have continually received calls this summer from students with questions asking about what branches they can go to, and so I think that they feel that the center is a great benefit to them. We've developed such a great relationship with the students that they know if they call myself or the credit union, that we can resolve any problem they may have. The students have just been fantastic.

Why do you think it's important for the students to learn about financial management?

It's not something taught at home. Whenever I talk to an adult about this program they wish that when they were a senior in high school that they would have been able to go through something like this to avoid some of the mistakes they made. I think it puts the students on a path that helps them avoid trouble.

What has been the most rewarding part of your job as the Director of Financial Literacy?

The relationships I've built with the students and the trust that they have in me. I think it's given the students a different perception of financial institutions knowing that we want to help them, and we want them to succeed.

Financial Center is aware of a recent phishing attack using a variation of the credit union's name. Please be reminded that Financial Center will never ask for your confidential information via e-mail.

If you receive a questionable e-mail, please forward it to phishing@fcfcu.com.

We are working diligently to investigate this event. We can assure you that our website at www.fcfcu.com is still safe to use and fully functional, there has been no breach in the credit union's security, and there is no threat of fraud or identity theft unless you disclose the confidential information.

If you have any further questions, please contact Member Services at 317.916.7700 or 1.800.473.2328.

Financial Center held its Member Appreciation Night at Victory Field in downtown Indianapolis on Monday night. The credit union gave out over 1,600 tickets for the event to members, staff, and volunteers. Over 12,000 fans were on hand to see the Indianapolis Indians take on the Syracuse Chiefs.


CEO Roger Youngs played a large part in the festivities. He was lucky enough to throw out one of the ceremonial first pitches. He also addressed the crowd over the public address system before the game, and even took part in the radio broadcast.


Once again, Financial Center's Business Development team was out in full force promoting the credit union to fans. The credit union had a tent in the center field concourse where they gave out goodies and told everyone about Reward Checking - the best checking account in Indianapolis.

Despite the muggy weather and a tough loss for the home team, it was a great evening at the ballpark for everyone in attendance.

CNN reported today that the average price of gas across the country declined for the 11th straight day today.

The new average...a bargain price of $3.958 a gallon.

As your credit union, we take an interest in your personal finances and how economic factors such as the cost of gas affect your everyday life. Has the high cost of gas changed your habits? Are you watching your money closer these days?