Membership

Q:  What is Self-Help’s membership requirement?
A:  We require a one-time (non-refundable) membership fee of $25 to access the products and services of Self-Help Credit Union.  Of that fee, $20 is a tax deductible contribution to the Center for Community Self-Help (a 501(c)(3) non-profit), and $5 buys you a share of the credit union and makes you an official voting member. 

Q:  Can people or organizations from outside Self-Help locations in North Carolina, California, and Washington DC become members of Self-Help? 
A:  Yes.  We currently have members from almost every state in the union.  Members have access to any of our deposit products.  However members may not be eligible for all of our lending products due to geographic restrictions.  Please consult Business and Nonprofit Loans or Homeownership Opportunities for more information. 

Q:  Does Self-Help allow membership by an organization or business?
A:  Yes!

Q:  How can someone join one of Self-Help’s full service credit unions?
A:  One must either fall within the designated field of membership of the retail credit union (live, work, or worship in the county of jurisdiction), or one must be a member of Self-Help.  If a Self-Help member wants to be eligible for the products and services of a retail credit union, the Self-Help member must be willing to transfer his or her account(s) from Self-Help Credit Union to one of our retail credit unions, and agree to conduct all credit union business with that retail credit union.

Organization & Business Membership
Q:  As a business, is it a requirement to affix a corporate seal over the secretary's signature on the corporate resolution and/or membership agreement?
A:  We do not require the corporate seal.  It is entirely up to the business agent if they want to stamp the document with the seal.

Q:  With an organizational or business account, does the account holder need to designate a beneficiary?
A:  No.  For our purposes, a beneficiary need only be named in the case of a designated trust account.