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Will a checking account affect your credit score? Opening a checking account is a big deal for a lot of people. Suddenly, you have a place to put your money besides your wallet, your piggy bank, or under your mattress. But what does a checking account mean for your credit? It may not be as important as you might think, but knowing what does and does not affect your credit score can be helpful as you start to build your credit history from scratch. Does opening a checking account affect my credit score? Even though opening a checking account is usually the first box you check when you first take steps into the financial world, the cold hard truth is that your credit score does not care. As far as your credit score is concerned, your deposits and withdrawals are your business. There are a handful of exceptions, though. The lender you open your account with may perform a hard inquiry on your credit report. To be clear, this isn’t the norm. Most financial institutions will only make a soft inquiry before opening a new checking account. Soft inquiries have no impact on your credit score, but a hard inquiry could drop your score a few points. Lenders have also been known to make hard inquiries if you sign up for overdraft protection. On that same note, not signing up for overdraft protection and then overdrawing your checking account could impact your credit score. Should you fail to repay the amount in a timely fashion, the lender could turn the matter over to a collections agency. The same thing could happen if you close your account with a negative balance and don’t pay the lender back. Long story short, your credit score is not as excited as you are about your new checking account, but it will be paying attention if you mismanage that account. What affects my credit score? What exactly is a credit score? And who exactly is keeping score? Two good questions that not everyone knows the answer to — even if they might pretend like they do. “Credit score” is such a common financial term today that many people never even question it, when actually understanding how it is calculated can help you boost your score. Credit bureaus are the ones who calculate your credit score. Each of them has their own unique algorithm for calculating credit scores and they are all as tight-lipped as a magician’s assistant when it comes to revealing the specific math behind their algorithms. But what we do know is that five basic financial categories are the keys to determining your score: Payment history. Your payment history accounts for 35% of your credit score. Credit utilization. The amount of credit you have available to you and the percentage of that credit you are using regularly accounts for 30% of your score. Length of credit history. The age of your accounts is 15% of your credit score. The longer your credit history, the better your score, usually. Types of credit. The different types of credit you utilize — credit cards, mortgages, auto loans, etc. — accounts for 10% of your score. New credit. The final 10% of your credit score is determined by how many new lines of credit you have applied for. Opening multiple new accounts in a short period of time can be seen as a sign of financial troubles to a lender. What is a good credit score? Your credit score is a number between 300 and 850. If your score is less than 600, you have what is considered a poor credit score. The sweet spot is between 661 and 780, which is where the good credit scores live. If you’re an overachiever, aim for 781 or higher. If ever you find yourself with a credit score higher than 781, you have done pretty well for yourself. You deserve a gold star, but you’ll have to settle for a great credit score instead. If you are interested in opening a new checking account or have questions about your credit score, please get in touch with us . Math is our specialty! Next Item Previous Item

Yanmar Training Center Before you take the Yanmar Dealer Portal for a spin, check out our library of videos to help guide the way. Add a Title Before you take the Yanmar Dealer Portal for a spin, check out our library of videos to help guide the way. Yanmar Training Center Your guide to online banking! Online Banking User Guide Need assistance? Submit the form below or contact us at 1-800-479-6206 during regular business hours (Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. CT and Saturdays from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. CT).

Disney on Ice: Frozen & Encanto Giveaway Disclaimer 1. ENTRY: No purchase necessary to enter. Winner will receive four (4) tickets to see Disney on Ice: Frozen & Encanto in Moline, Illinois, on either Thursday, December 5, 2024; Saturday, December 7, 2024; or Sunday, December 8, 2024. To enter, contestants should comment on the indicated Facebook post (as this is a public forum, please do NOT provide any personal identifying information) and fill out the online form. 2. ELIGIBILITY: This contest is open only to legal U.S. residents. Void where prohibited by law. Contestants residing in those areas where the contest is void may participate in the contest but may not win any prizes. 3. WINNER SELECTION: One (1) winning entry that meets the indicated criteria will be chosen approximately 24 hours in advance of each performance. 4. PRIZES: One (1) winner will receive four (4) tickets to see a Disney on Ice performance on December 5, December 7, or December 8. The winner will be able to pick up their tickets before at the show at Vibrant's headquarters at 6600 44th Avenue, Moline IL 61265. 5. WINNER NOTIFICATION: Winner will be notified via Facebook Messenger and will have 24 hours to respond before another winner is picked. 6. NOT ENDORSED BY META, FACEBOOK, OR OTHER SOCIAL MEDIA: By participating in this contest, you acknowledge that this contest is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with, Facebook and release Facebook from all liability arising from or related to this contest. 7. CONDUCT: All contest participants agree to be bound by these Official Rules. Vibrant in its sole discretion reserves the right to disqualify any person it finds to be tampering with the entry process, the operation of its website or is otherwise in violation of these rules. All contestants participating agree to obey all laws and to conduct themselves in a safe and appropriate manner. Vibrant reserves the right to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the event if in its sole discretion there are any unsafe acts or conditions. Contestants are responsible for their own actions. 8. LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY: Vibrant is not responsible for lost or misdirected entries or for any computer, online, telephone, or technical malfunctions that may occur. If for any reason, the contest is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention or technical failures of any sort, Vibrant Credit Union may cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the contest. Entrants further agree on behalf of themselves, their heirs, agents and assigns, to release Vibrant from any liability resulting from, or related to their participation in the contest, or as a result of Vibrant’s negligent acts related to the contest, including but not limited to personal injury, property damage or death. Enter the Contest

5 New Years resolutions that will be easy to keep We all start a new year with the best of intentions, but building new habits is hard. If you want to take better control of your personal finances in 2022, here are a few things you can do that won’t require a lot of time—or a lot of willpower. We all start a new year with the best of intentions, but building new habits is hard. If you want to take better control of your personal finances in 2022, here are a few things you can do that won’t require a lot of time—or a lot of willpower. Resolution #1: How to save more money One reason New Year’s resolutions fail is because they are too easy to break. You can turn regular savings into a habit by automating the process. Set up an automatic transfer each pay day that transfers a small amount of cash into your savings account. It’s okay to start small—you don’t want to be tempted to cancel your transfer because you suddenly need that money for something else next month. You can always increase the amount in the future. Time required: 2 minutes to log in to online banking and set up a new automatic transfer Resolution #2: How to reduce your debt One of the fastest ways you can reduce your monthly debt expenses is by reducing your borrowing costs. With interest rates still near record lows, it’s a great time to explore refinancing your mortgage, your auto loan, or consolidating your debt into a single monthly payment. Right now, for instance, credit card rates average about 16% APR (annual percentage rate). If you have good (or better) credit, you can probably find a personal loan that charges considerably less. Time required: 60 minutes (and often far less) to fill out an application, talk with a banker, and sign documentation Resolution #3: How to reduce your spending Are you spending money right now on things you don’t even use? Take a look at your subscriptions—streaming services, magazines and newspapers, websites—and think hard about the value they provide. Do you watch enough baseball to justify a $129 subscription to MLB? Are Spotify’s ads really that annoying? Time required: 5 minutes or less to cancel an account, depending on whether it's one of those companies that makes you call instead of letting you cancel online (definitely stop giving those guys your money) Resolution #4: How to earn more money (easy mode) First, an easy thing you should check right now: Are you earning your full employer match on your retirement savings? Many employees, including Vibrant, will match your contribution dollar-for-dollar up to a certain percentage. If you’re not contributing at least that percentage of your salary to your retirement plan, you’re essentially telling your employer to keep an extra 1, 2, or even 5 percent of your annual salary for themselves. Time required: 15 minutes or less to ask your HR department what you need to do to increase your contribution Resolution #5: How to earn more money (advanced) Second, there’s never been a better time to think about changing jobs—or renegotiating your current salary. The latest economic data shows there are more than 10 million open jobs right now, while the number of Americans collecting unemployment is lower than 2 million. Lots of people are finding better jobs right now—which could mean that your current employer might be more willing to increase salaries to keep experienced workers from moving on. It’s probably a good time to mention that Vibrant is hiring—and we offer a 401(k) match up to 6 percent of your salary. Check out our current openings . Time required: As little as a couple of weeks to six months or longer, depending on your field and your location Next Item Previous Item

What to do if your personal data is compromised If your personal or financial information has not yet been compromised by a data breach, count yourself lucky. In 2022, Statista reports there were 1,800 data breaches reported in the United States, everywhere from Twitter to Uber to the credit reporting agency Experian. If your personal or financial information has not yet been compromised by a data breach, count yourself lucky. In 2022, Statista reports there were 1,800 data breaches reported in the United States , everywhere from Twitter to Uber to the credit reporting agency Experian. If you receive a notification that your personal and/or financial information has been compromised, here are some steps you can take to protect yourself. Change your passwords. And while you’re at it, make sure you’re not using the same passwords for more than one login. That’s easier said than done when the average person has dozens of logins to manage, so consider using a password manager like 1Password or Dashlane . These applications will not only remember your login information at every site, they’ll make it easy to choose a unique, hard-to-crack password any time you create an account. But don’t get overconfident—even the password manager LastPass experienced a data breach in 2022 —that’s how common data breaches are.) Set up multi-factor authentication—especially for that password manager you probably just started using. Multi-factor authentication enables you to add an extra layer of protection between your password and your data. After your login information has been correctly entered, with MFA, you’ll automatically receive a phone call or a text message asking you to confirm that you’re the person attempting to access your account, along with a one-time code you can use to prove you’re really you. Take advantage of any free credit monitoring or identity theft protection services you are offered by the organization that was breached. Most companies will offer these services as compensation for the inconvenience they have caused you. Consider adding a verbal PIN or passphrase to your financial accounts. If identity thieves acquire enough of your personal information, it’s possible that they can assume control of your checking and savings accounts by contacting your financial institution and pretending to be you. One way to protect yourself at Vibrant—call us and set up a verbal PIN or passphrase we’ll ask you to provide every time you call. Scammers won’t know you have one unless they call – and it’s much more difficult to crack a password on the phone. Consider setting up a credit freeze. You can place a credit freeze on your credit report, preventing any lender or retailer from pulling your credit as part of a credit application. If you’re not actively in the market for a loan or credit card, then setting up a security freeze on your credit report is an effective way to keep identity thieves from signing up for credit cards of their own. If you later need to apply for credit, you can remove the security freeze either temporarily or permanently. The process is simple, free and can be completed online, via phone, or through the mail. Make sure to contact all three main credit reporting agencies (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) to ensure you’re completely protected. Get complete instructions on setting up a credit freeze from USA.gov. Watch your bank and credit card accounts for suspicious transactions. If you see a transaction that doesn’t look familiar, contact your financial institution immediately to file a dispute. If your card has been compromised, your financial institution can issue you a new number and close the old account. Check your credit report regularly to make sure no one is taking out credit in your name. If you’ve signed up for online banking with Vibrant, it’s easy to keep an eye on your credit report. Log in , go to the TOOLS menu, and choose CREDIT TRACKER. You’ll receive an alert any time your credit report updates—from decreases in your available credit to new accounts added. Consider investing in identity theft insurance. Many homeowners and renters policies include optional identity theft protection that can cost as little as $15 a year. This coverage can provide compensation for attorneys’ fees, lost wages if you need to take time away from work to rectify the damage, and for administrative costs including certified mail, long-distance calls, or notary fees. Talk to our partners at Vibrant Insurance Group to find identity theft coverage that fits your needs. Feeling overwhelmed? Get expert advice from IdentityTheft.gov . This free program from the Federal Trade Commission will walk you through everything you need to do in the event of a data breach or documented case of identity theft (e.g., you have found a fraudulent charge on your credit card). Next Item Previous Item

Our favorite Quad Cities holiday light displays of 2022 We knew that Quad Citizens love holiday lights displays—after all, there are dozens of them running every night between Thanksgiving and Christmas. But we honestly didn’t realize how much they love them until we posted our updated Quad Cities Lights Finder map on Facebook and it got nearly 110,000 views in the first week. (We’re even more excited that more people have reached out and asked for their displays to be added. Send them our way, please!) We knew that Quad Citizens love holiday lights displays—after all, there are dozens of them running every night between Thanksgiving and Christmas. But we honestly didn’t realize how much they love them until we posted our updated Quad Cities Lights Finder map on Facebook and it got nearly 110,000 views in the first week. (We’re even more excited that more people have reached out and asked for their displays to be added. Send them our way, please !) Frankly, you could go out light-peeping every night during the holiday season and not run out of new displays to visit. But for those of you who aren’t up to that level of commitment, we’d like to call out some of our favorites. If you want to be totally overwhelmed by holiday magic The Quad Cities boasts three public holiday displays with truly staggering numbers of lights. Be prepared to linger to get the full experience. Holiday Lights at Fejevary Learning Center City of Davenport Government | Facebook Where: 1800 W 12th St, Davenport, IA 52804 When: 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., November 26, 2022 through January 8, 2023 Admission: Free Tune in: 107.5 FM Shows last 15 minutes and start at the top and bottom of the hour Park in the lot on the east side of the Learning Center and cross the street to the viewing area (where there’s also accessible parking available for those who need it). Be prepared current hits as well as more traditional holiday tunes, with trees, buildings, fence posts, and even the giant Mother Goose lit up and dancing in time. Get more information about Fejevary’s Holiday Lights . Vander Veer Conservatory Poinsettia and Holiday Lights Display Where: 215 W. Central Park, Davenport IA 52803 When: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. - 7 p.m., Saturdays (closed Mondays and holidays) | Nov. 26, 2022 to January 13, 2023 Admission: Free While the entire 33-acre expanse of Vander Veer Park is beautifully decorated for the holidays, you’ll want to visit the Conservatory in particular to see its vast poinsettia collection and get a close-up look at the lights in the greenhouse. Heads up—they'll be giving poinsettias away at the end of the season, on January 14 and 15. (The larger park closes half an hour after sunset. Parking is available at the Central Park entrance.) Get more information about the Vander Veer Conservatory Poinsettia and Holiday Lights Display . Quad Cities Botanical Center’s Winter Nights Winter Lights Where: 2525 4th Avenue, Rock Island, IL 61201 When: 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday until December 11, then 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. daily through January 1 Admission: $10 adults/$6 youth under 16, with free admission on Wednesdays for members In 2022, the Botanical Center is decked out in more than 160,000 lights—good thing the display is sponsored in part by MidAmerican Energy! Organizers caution that it takes about 45 minutes to walk through the entire display, but you can pause to buy cocoa and other warm drinks as you stroll. Get more information about Winter Nights Winter Lights . If you want to see a neighborhood display so impressive the designer went pro Kall Christmas Lights Where: 1852 Westminster Circle, Davenport IA When: 5:30 to 10 p.m., November 26, 2022, through December 31, 2022 Admission: Free Tune in: 100.1 FM Shows last approximately 7 minutes and start at the top and bottom of every hour The Kall family has been putting up increasingly lavish holiday light displays for nearly two decades. Several years ago, Aubrey Kall took her interest in music and animation to start choreographing and programming custom light shows, synced in time with some of the banging-est tunes you’ll ever encounter at a Christmas display. Visitors were so impressed with the animated displays that she quickly started getting inquiries from other businesses who wanted her to work for them. She started her own company, Luminous Harmony, and started creating displays for clients across the United States. But her first client is still one of her most important—this year, the Kalls have three different animated shows running on alternate nights. Get more information about Kall Christmas Lights, including parking information and playlists. If you’re introducing your little ones to the magic of Christmas Mickey’s Christmas Yard Mickey’s Christmas Yard 509 13th Ave Orion | Facebook Where: 509 13th Avenue, Orion IL 61273 When: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Sundays, through Christmas Admission: Free (though donations are welcome to help cover the cost of providing visiting kids with gifts and goodie bags) Looking for a display featuring an ample supply of holiday inflatables? Mickey’s Christmas Yard includes an entire receiving line of them, from Christmas Minions to Will Ferrell in his Elf costume. While the lights are beautiful, they’re not the main event. This year, that might be Santa’s Workshop, where the family hopes to provide every young visitor with a gift when they stop in. Get more information about Mickey's Christmas Yard, including special events. If you’d rather stay home and have the holidays come to you EVS Mobile Repair’s Grinch Truck EVS Mobile Repair | Facebook Where: Watch their Facebook page for announcements! When: Tuesdays through Sundays through Christmas Admission: Free (and you can reach out to them with requests if you’re hoping they’ll come by your neighborhood) Rock Island’s EVS Mobile Repair spends its days making house calls to diesel engines in need of attention, so it's not surprising they’ve got some pretty substantial trailers in their fleet. This year, they’ve commandeered one to set up a full tableau of Grinch-themed inflatables, added Grinch-green underlighting, and put the actual Grinch behind the wheel to spread cheer across the Quad Cities and surrounding towns. We love this idea and hope it catches on! If you’d rather stay in your car Vibrant Nights 2022 Where: Vibrant Credit Union, 3230 Ridge Pointe Drive, Bettendorf IA 52722 When: 4 p.m. to midnight, seven days a week, through December 31, 2022 Admission: Free Tune in: 87.9 FM Want to slowly cruise past an extravaganza of flashing, chasing lights without irritating the entire neighborhood while you do it? Our holiday lights display in Bettendorf, back for a second year, is perfect for you. Circle the display as often as you like, or park and enjoy. If it’s not too chilly and you’re feeling inspired by all the festivity, the giant Christmas ball at the building entrance makes the perfect backdrop for your holiday family photos. (Tag #bevibrant if you post any online!) Chart your own tour of holiday lights Check out our Quad Cities Lights map (updated as new information becomes available!). Next Item Previous Item

Understanding why interest rates change Interest rates are interesting. See what we did there? Word play is fun. Interest rates? Maybe not so much. Like we said, interesting is a more appropriate descriptor. They can often be an obstacle when you’re trying to get approved for a loan. Everyone wants a lower interest rate, but not every lender is willing to offer one. In most cases, lenders will use your credit history to determine your interest rate, but there are outside influences that can also affect interest rates. Interest rates are interesting. See what we did there? Word play is fun. Interest rates? Maybe not so much. Like we said, interesting is a more appropriate descriptor. They can often be an obstacle when you’re trying to get approved for a loan. Everyone wants a lower interest rate, but not every lender is willing to offer one. In most cases, lenders will use your credit history to determine your interest rate, but there are outside influences that can also affect interest rates. If you’re willing to follow along as we peel back the curtain, you can get a better understanding of what interest rates and how they are impacted by the world around us. What is an interest rate? Interest rates are the cost of doing business. If you want to borrow money from a lender, they’re taking a risk and expect a reward in return. You might be able to borrow money from a friend with nothing more than a promise to pay them back, but lenders don’t work on an honor system. The interest rate determines how much of a reward the lender gets. If you are approved for a loan with a 2 percent interest rate, in the end the lender will get back the total amount borrowed for the loan, plus an extra 2 percent. Think of that extra 2 percent as a tip for services rendered. One term you might see mentioned alongside the interest rate is Annual Percentage Rate (or APR). The APR is the total amount you pay each year to borrow money. Not only does that include the amount of interest paid, but it also considers any fees charged for the loan. Why do interest rates change? The answers you’ve been waiting five paragraphs for are here. Now that you know exactly what an interest rate is, you’re ready to see who is pulling the strings. Government. If the economy is a train, the U.S. Federal Reserve is the conductor. It wants to keep the train moving. If the economy is starting to slow down, the Federal Reserve can lower interest rates. When the interest rates are lower, people are more open to borrowing and spending money, which helps fuel the economy. Lower interest rates also make it cheaper for businesses to borrow money and use it to invest and create new jobs, reducing unemployment. The Federal Reserve is also known as the “central bank” of the U.S. It can create more money and deposit it with commercial bankers, increasing their supply of money. With more money in the bank, lenders can often lower interest rates to their borrowers. Supply and Demand. We all know the feeling of opening up the refrigerator, only to find it empty with nothing inside to satisfy our hunger. Well when you apply for a loan from a lender, they might not have money for you to borrow. They don’t have an infinite supply of cash. If the demand for money is greater than their supply, lenders will charge higher interest rates. Because they may have to borrow from another lender, they will be charged a fee, which the borrower ends up paying for. Inflation. Remember when a ticket to the movies was 25 cents? You probably don’t because that was the price of admission in 1920. Unless of course you’ve invented time travel, in which case we’d love to hear more about that. But back on topic, inflation has dramatically affected the value of our money over time, and that has consequences. Lenders will consider future inflation when figuring out interest rates to ensure that their return will still be profitable at the end of your loan. If you have any questions about interest rates or are in fact a time traveler willing to share your secrets, please get in touch with us . We’re here to help you! Next Item Previous Item

Protect yourself from smishing “Smishing” sounds cute, right? Like what you do when someone lets you hold their new baby or when your grandma envelops you in a big hug. But it's actually the name cybersecurity experts have given text-based frauds. (“SMS” and “phishing” equals “smishing.” Get it?) “Smishing” sounds cute, right? Like what you do when someone lets you hold their new baby or when your grandma envelops you in a big hug. But it's actually the name cybersecurity experts have given text-based frauds . (“SMS” and “phishing” equals “smishing.” Get it?) There are all kinds of text scams going around—free vacations, text “XXXXX” to donate to disaster relief—but the most common are focused on stealing your personally identifiable information, including account logins and passwords, Social Security numbers, security codes, birthdates, and more. Often, the senders impersonate reputable brands, like Microsoft, Amazon, or the financial institution where you bank, to gain your trust. Smishing is effective because the messages are short (so there’s less opportunity to say something that sounds fake) and because it’s hard to preview a link without clicking on it. Further, many mobile numbers are available in public databases, making it easy for scammers to hit up a bunch of potential victims without a lot of effort. 3 smishing warning signs Pay extra attention to texts that include: Links to websites. While there are times when legitimate senders will include a link in their message (for instance, Hy-Vee wants give you access to the receipt for your online order), most senders will tell you to call (and you should verify that number belongs to the sender before you do!) or ask you to reply to the message. Blocked, unknown, or incorrect Caller IDs. If you can’t see who’s sending the message, there’s a good chance it’s an attempted smishing attack. Appeals to respond quickly. Scammers don’t want you to think before you act. So they rely on messages designed to make you feel as though you’re at risk. How to respond if you're being smished Don’t reply “STOP” if it’s offered as an option. When you do, you confirm to the scammer that they’ve reached a valid number with an attentive person on the other end. This particular conversation may stop, but you’ll likely be hearing from them again. Don’t give out any personal information. No reputable organization will request your date of birth, Social Security Number, address, or payment information via text. Report scam texts to your mobile phone company and the FTC. You can forward scam texts to your mobile provider by forwarding the text message to 7726 (that’s SPAM). And you can share your scams with the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov or call 1-877-382-4357. How to minimize your risk of being smished Actively block or filter spam messages from your phone. On Android’s Messages app , click the menu in the upper right corner and choose DETAILS, then choose the BLOCK & REPORT SPAM option. On iPhone's Messages app , if you’ve opened the message, scroll to the bottom, select REPORT JUNK, then click DELETE AND REPORT JUNK. Make sure your phone software is up-to-date. Don’t put off those software updates! Back up your phone data. If you have an Android phone, it’s easy to move your photos and data to Google Drive. Apple iPhone users can use iCloud or back up to your PC or Mac via iTunes. Next Item Previous Item

What is a certificate of deposit and how does it work? What’s a CD? For some, CD stands for compact disc, which was used to record and play music once upon a time, in an age before smart phones and iPods. But that’s not the type of CD we’re talking about here. In the financial world, "CD" stands for "certificate of deposit." What’s a CD? For some, CD stands for compact disc, which was used to record and play music once upon a time, in an age before smart phones and iPods. But that’s not the type of CD we’re talking about here. In the financial world, "CD" stands for "certificate of deposit." If you’re unfamiliar with certificates of deposit, it’s an investment tool that allows you to turn the tables on the lender. Instead of paying interest on a loan, the bank pays you interest on a deposit. What is a certificate of deposit? As the name suggests, a certificate of deposit is a deposit. You deposit a specific dollar amount with a lender, but you agree not to withdraw that deposit for a certain length of time. It could be three months, a year, or even as long as 10 years. For as long as you agree to leave the deposit with the lender, you will earn interest on that deposit. Once your certificate of deposit has reached what’s called its “maturity date,” you can withdraw that money, penalty-free. Like a cherry on top of an ice cream sundae, you’ll also get to pocket the interest. How does a CD work? The most important parts of a certificate of deposit are the interest rate and the length of the deposit. Generally, the longer you are willing to leave your deposit with a lender, the better the interest rate they’re going to offer you. CDs are an appealing alternative to a traditional savings account because the interest rates are often higher and the rates are fixed. It’s considered a safe investment tool because you’re not at the mercy of the market. CDs are also federally insured, so your deposit is protected. You also have the freedom to shop around and find the lender that offers the best CD interest rates. Is a CD right for you? Do you have a chunk of cash tucked away that you don’t need right now? Instead of collecting dust, that money can collect interest in a CD. It can grow into a bigger chunk of cash that you can then use toward a home, a car, or even a boat if you’re looking to set sail. The risk is obviously that, in the event that you find yourself in a bind, you can’t withdraw the funds without paying a penalty. So it’s best not to think of this deposit as an emergency fund. On the flip side, it can remove the temptation to spend that money. You can consider the CD as safekeeping for savings you might be tempted to spend under the right circumstances. If you’re interested in a Certificate of Deposit, get in touch with us ! The sooner you make your deposit, the sooner you can start growing that deposit into something more. Next Item Previous Item

Understanding recent bank failures and what they mean for you With the back-to-back-to-back failures of Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank, and Silvergate Bank, followed by widespread turmoil in the financial markets, it's only natural to wonder whether your own money is safe where it is. With the back-to-back-to-back failures of Silicon Valley Bank , Signature Bank , and Silvergate Bank, followed by widespread turmoil in the financial markets, it's only natural to wonder whether your own money is safe where it is. The most important thing to know is that these recent bank failures were the fault of decisions made by those institutions specifically — and that they don’t necessarily reflect on the financial stability of other banks and credit unions. Nevertheless, their collapse is a timely reminder to learn more about the financial health of your own credit union or bank. Here are a few tips for evaluating how safe your money is. If you have less than $250,000 in deposits with a single NCUA- or FDIC-insured financial institution, you’re not at risk. If you have less than a total of $250,000 deposited among your accounts (including checking, savings, money market, CD, IRA, and Revocable Trust accounts), your funds are protected. If you share any of those accounts with another person, then both of you are individually insured up to $250,000 in deposits. That means that if you and your spouse share a checking account and a savings account, then you’re protected up to $500,000 of deposits. Three account owners? Then you’re protected up to $750,000. How do you find out if your financial institution is NCUA- or FDIC-insured? Deposit insurance for credit union members is provided by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). All federal credit unions and nearly all state-chartered credit unions (including Vibrant) are protected by NCUA deposit insurance. You can confirm your credit union’s NCUA status by searching the NCUA member database . You should also see notices about its NCUA insurance posted on its website and on its premises. Deposit insurance for U.S. banks is provided by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC). Nearly all U.S. banks are FDIC-insured. As with the NCUA, the FDIC also requires member institutions to post notices about its FDIC membership on its website and on its premises. You can also confirm a bank’s FDIC status through the FDIC website. If you DO have deposits in excess of FDIC or NCUA limits, take a closer look at your financial institution’s performance. There may be situations where you need to maintain a total balance above the deposit insurance limit of $250,000 — for instance, if you’re running a business with large cash requirements for payroll or inventory or if you're trying to maximize your interest earnings by consolidating your money in a single account with the best available rate. If that’s the case, here are some ways to assess your financial institution’s overall health. 1. Find out where your credit union or bank invests its deposits. Financial institutions generate revenue in two ways — either by lending money out and earning interest on those loans or by investing in other forms of equity — stocks, bonds, and other securities. You can look at Vibrant’s statement of financial condition to get a broad overview of where we invest deposits. In the case of Silicon Valley Bank, by comparison, more than 40 percent of its income came from investments — many in the form of long-term Treasury bonds, which have lost value as interest rates have risen in the last year. Meanwhile, Signature and Silvergate heavily invested in cryptocurrency, which has also lost significant value in the past year. 2. Look for steady deposit growth. When people and businesses continue to deposit their money with an institution, it’s a sign there’s strong confidence in how the institution manages its assets. In Vibrant’s case, total deposits have grown from about $407 million at the end of 2012 to about $774 million at the end of 2022 — a 47 percent increase in deposits over the last decade. (You can access past financial statements for Vibrant or any credit union via the NCUA website if you really want to get in the weeds.) 3. Look at the institution’s capitalization classification. Every NCUA- or FDIC-insured financial institution must meet certain capital requirements that ensure it has enough cash on hand to meet its depositors' needs. NCUA considers a credit union “well capitalized” if it has a net worth ratio above 7 and a capital ratio above 10. For reference, Vibrant’s current net worth ratio of 9.48 and capital ratio of 14.93 place it well within the "well capitalized" category. (Capitalization classifications are available for every credit union within the quarterly call reports posted on the NCUA website.) Why a credit union can be a less risky choice than a bank The bank run that led to the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank resulted from widespread panic among depositors after its financial reporting showed the bank might not have funds available to meet all its financial obligations. Rather than risk losing any deposits in excess of FDIC insurance limits, many customers decided to withdraw their funds while they could and move them elsewhere — making Silicon Valley Bank’s existing issues even worse. In general, credit unions like Vibrant are far less likely to experience bank runs because the overwhelming majority of their deposits are federally guaranteed. More than 90 percent of credit union deposits fall within deposit insurance limits, while only about 50 percent of bank deposits do. Additionally, credit unions tend to prioritize safe, sound, and fiscally responsible investments over the pursuit of the ever-higher profits expected by bank shareholders. As member-owned nonprofits, credit unions don’t answer to Wall Street — only to their members. For Vibrant, that means lending money at affordable rates and providing a fair return for members who put their savings into money market accounts and certificates of deposit. If you’re considering moving your money now, talk to us about how we can help safeguard your deposits while enabling you to meet your financial needs. Open an account today . Next Item Previous Item