BCU is headquartered in Vernon Hills and is the 3rd largest credit union in the state of Illinois. It is also the 57th largest credit union in the nation. It was established in 1980 and as of June of 2023, it had grown to 824 employees and 347,640 members at 52 locations. BCU's money market rates are 10X the national average, and it has a B health rating.
Membership in BCU is open to those who live or work in the Illinois counties of Cook (north of 95th Street South in Chicago), DuPage, McHenry, Lake, or Kane; Kenosha County, Wisconsin; or Puerto Rico. Employees of Boston Scientific, Centegra Health Care, Rust-Oleum Corporation and other area Select Employer Groups are also eligible. Immediate and extended family members of a current BCU member also qualify for membership.
See current membership details
Everything about this credit union is great! They offer early direct deposit so I have access to my paycheck early. Great savings rates. Enjoy their credit card, and a very easy process I went thru to get a credit line increase. Everyone is always very friendly when I have called in, and the mobile deposit process is a breeze. There are not any branches around me, however, I like the fact that I can make ATM deposits at PNC bank, or I can visit any shared branch credit union. BCU called me also and told me they were able to save me a large amount of money if I switched over my auto loan from Wells Fargo. I gave them the chance, and my monthly payment went down $90.00 a month without an extension in my loan term. On top of this when my loan closed they gave me $100.00 as a thank you for bringing my loan over. BCU has earned my membership for life!
I like how my credit union seems to function. Puts it's members first before it's profits. BCU has a check deposit system on the phone, a mobile app that lets me view my balance anywhere. Though I don't use one of their physical buildings anywhere near me, the ability to do all my banking online is a very valuable asset.
I love being a member of BCU because it feels a lot more personal than banking with a huge institution. Even the things that could be considered downsides, like fewer ATMs, are mitigated by the fact that the credit union does not charge huge fees for many other services. Additionally, different credit unions usually have an agreement with one another, so if you can find a credit union ATM, you usually won't be charged a fee, even it it's not YOUR credit union. My only beef with BCU is that cashier's checks used to be free, but they started charging a $3 fee for them a year or two ago. Now, it's not that big a deal, because I only need cashier's checks once or twice a year, but I liked that they were free. I feel like $3 for a piece of paper is a little outrageous. That being said, the "big bank" I used to use charged $10, so I suppose $3 isn't too bad in comparison!
I have been banking with Baxter Credit Union for just under a year now. They do not operate any branches in my state, so I have become very familiar with their customer service department. Recently my employer changed payroll companies and I was asked to submit a blank check or direct deposit form. I do not use paper checks so I called BCU and was immediately connected to an extremely helpful representative. I explained my issue and that I could not wait on a form to be mailed to me. The representative immediately typed up a direct deposit verification form and securely emailed it to me via Docusign. The entire process took less than ten minutes to complete and I have never been more pleased with a financial institution. I highly recommend BCU to anyone who is eligible for membership.
Overall | |
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NCUA # | 68187 |
Year Chartered | 1980 |
Employees | 824 |
Primary Regulator |
Profit Margin | |
---|---|
Return on Assets - YTD | 0.72% |
Return on Equity - YTD | 8.38% |
Annual Interest Income | $157.3MM |
Assets and Liabilities | ||
---|---|---|
Assets | Q2 2023vs Q2 2022 | $5.82B$5.43B |
Loans | Q2 2023vs Q2 2022 | $4.87B$4.50B |
Deposits | Q2 2023vs Q2 2022 | $4.54B$4.52B |
Equity Capital | Q2 2023vs Q2 2022 | $501.0MM$481.2MM |
Loan Loss Allowance | Q2 2023vs Q2 2022 | $0$31.2MM |
Unbacked Noncurrent Loans | Q2 2023vs Q2 2022 | $28.3MM$14.2MM |
Real Estate Owned | Q2 2023vs Q2 2022 | $0$0 |
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* The APY shown varies based on the deposit amount. Expand the listing to see APYs for other deposit amounts.