Conservatorships and Liquidations (2024)

FAQs

How often do credit unions fail? ›

National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) credit unions had seven conservatorships/liquidations in 2022 and two so far in 2023. While credit unions have experienced several failures in 2022, there were no Federal Deposit Insurance Corp.

Going by the NCUA's standards, a net worth ratio of 7% or higher is considered “well capitalized” and 6% is considered “adequately capitalized.” Dipping below that and the credit union will be classified as “undercapitalized,” “significantly undercapitalized,” and “critically undercapitalized.”

As liquidating agent of the former corporate credit unions' asset management estates, the NCUA has previously made six rounds of distributions. In 2020, 2021, 2022, and earlier in 2023, capital holders of Southwest, Members United, Constitution, and U.S. Central received distributions.

If the member shares are not assumed by another credit union, all verified member shares are typically paid within five days of a credit union's closure. No member of a federally insured credit union has ever lost a penny in insured accounts.

Credit unions are insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). Just like the FDIC insures up to $250,000 for individuals' accounts of a bank, the NCUA insures up to $250,000 for individuals' accounts of a credit union. Beyond that amount, the bank or credit union takes an uninsured risk.

Generally, credit unions are viewed as safer than banks, although deposits at both types of financial institutions are usually insured at the same dollar amounts. The FDIC insures deposits at most banks, and the NCUA insures deposits at most credit unions.

The NCUA insures credit union accounts, while the FDIC provides insurance for bank accounts. They both come with the same limits on insurance coverage. A decision about whether to store money in a credit union or bank shouldn't be affected by which federal agency insures the institution.

Closed Credit Unions

Administered by NCUA, the Share Insurance Fund insures individual accounts up to $250,000, and an individual's interest in all joint accounts combined is insured up to $250,000.

Credit unions facing challenges in managing risks, such as credit risk or cybersecurity threats, may find themselves in difficult situations. Demographic Shifts: Changes in demographics, including aging populations and shifting consumer behaviors, can impact the demand for certain financial products and services.

A federally insured credit union that experiences a reportable cyber incident must report the incident to the NCUA as soon as possible and no later than 72 hours after the credit union reasonably believes that it has experienced a reportable cyber incident.

What happens to my money if my credit union closes? ›

The NCUA will send you a letter notifying you if your credit union closes and will return your funds within five days of closing. If your balance exceeds $250,000, you'll need to complete a Member Confirmation and Affidavit form to receive any funds over the insured limit.

Individual Accounts

You are insured for up to $250,000 for combined balances in your Members 1st Savings, Checking, Share Certificates, and Money Market Accounts. Beneficiaries may increase coverage limits.

The delinquency rate at federally insured credit unions was 83 basis points in the fourth quarter of 2023, up 21 basis points from one year earlier. “The credit union system remains largely stable in its performance and remains resilient against a challenging interest rate and economic environment,” Chairman Todd M.

Limited accessibility. Credit unions tend to have fewer branches than traditional banks. A credit union may not be close to where you live or work, which could be a problem unless your credit union is part of a shared branch network and/or a large ATM network such as Allpoint or MoneyPass.

Just like banks, credit unions are federally insured; however, credit unions are not insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Instead, the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) is the federal insurer of credit unions, making them just as safe as traditional banks.

Although the number of federal credit unions continued to decrease, their membership continued to increase. Federally insured credit unions added four million members compared with a year ago, reaching 139.3 million in the fourth quarter of 2023, according to agency statistics.