Royal Credit Union (MN/WI) Has Top 5-Year CD Rate

DA has been tracking the 60-month CD offered by Wisconsin-based Royal Credit Union (Royal) for almost two years. The initial 2.73% APY lasted about two months before falling to 2.43% APY. Between December 2019 and August 2020, there were four rate decreases and one rate increase, with the 60-month CD currently earning 1.51% APY. There is no minimum opening deposit requirement, but the CD is capped at $250k.

The 60-month CD is also offered as an IRA CD (Traditional and Roth), earning the same APY with the same deposit requirements.

The 72-month CD currently has the same rate as the 60-month. These CDs currently have the highest APY offered of any Royal CD; the next highest rate is 0.90% APY, offered on the 36- and 48-month CDs.

As stated in the Truth-in-Savings disclosure, the Early Withdrawal Penalty reads as follows:

Penalty for certificates greater than three years - equivalent of one year’s dividends.

Funding a CD can be done through ACH transfer, wire transfer, or transfer from another Royal account. Maturing funds can be distributed through a cashier’s check or transferred to an existing Royal checking/savings account. There is a 10-day grace period before the CD automatically renews.

Availability

Headquartered in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, Royal Credit Union’s field of membership (FOM) is primarily residency based, with individuals who live, work, or attend school in any of the following counties eligible to join.

Minnesota Counties – Anoka, Carver, Chisago, Dakota, Goodhue, Hennepin, Isanti, Olmsted, Pine, Ramsey, Scott, Sherburne, Wabasha, Washington, Winona, or Wright.

Wisconsin Counties - Adams, Ashland, Barron, Bayfield, Burnett, Buffalo, Chippewa, Clark, Douglas, Dunn, Eau Claire, Jackson, Lincoln, Marathon, Pepin, Pierce, Portage, Polk, Price, Rusk, Sawyer, St. Croix, Taylor, Trempealeau, Washburn, or Wood.

Employees of Marten Transport, Tenneco-Packaging Corporation (Appleton, WI), and the former Uniroyal plant qualify for membership, as do employees/affiliates of the Realtor Associations of Minnesota and Wisconsin. Members of the UWEC Alumni Association are also membership eligible.

Immediate family members of any eligible individual are welcome to apply, even if the eligible individual is not a current Royal member.

Joining Royal and/or opening a CD can be done online, or at any of five Minnesota branches, located in Apple Valley, Eden Prairie, Edina, Oak Park, and Saint Paul, or 45 Wisconsin branches, located in Balsam Lake, Chippewa Falls (8), Colby (4), Eau Claire (17), Hudson, Menomonie (2), New Richmond, Osceola, Rice Lake (3), River Falls (2), Saint Croix (3), Somerset, and Whitehall.

Opening a Primary Savings Account with a minimum $5 deposit is required to establish a Royal membership.

Royal Credit Union’s Wisconsin office lobbies are open by appointment only starting on Thursday, October 8, 2020, to comply with the Wisconsin Governor’s Emergency Order #3. Wisconsin lobbies will continue to be open by appointment only for the duration of the WI Governor’s order, which is currently through November 6, 2020. This by appointment only status will continue in the event that the order is extended.

Royal Credit Union’s Minnesota office lobbies remain open at this time, but appointments are encouraged.

Royal participates in CO-OP’s Shared Branch and ATM networks.

Because Royal Credit Union belongs to the CO-OP network, our Members can access their funds in person at any credit union that is also a part of the CO-OP network. These other credit union locations are called shared branches, and the CO-OP network includes over 5,000 shared branches across the Unites States. This means our Members can access their money at more locations than most banks.

As an added bonus, CO-OP credit unions share their ATMs, too. You can make surcharge-free transactions at nearly 30,000 ATMs nationwide. Even if you’re across the country, you’re probably not far from a shared branch or ATM.

Credit Union Overview

Royal Credit Union has an overall health grade of "A+" at DepositAccounts.com, with a Texas Ratio of 1.64% (excellent), based on June 30, 2020 data. In the past year, Royal increased its total non-brokered deposits by $661.55 million, an excellent annual growth rate of 30.22%. Please refer to our financial overview of Royal Credit Union (NCUA Charter # 66834) for more details.

Royal Credit Union is currently Wisconsin’s fifth largest credit union, with nearly 230,000 members and assets in excess of $3.2 billion. Founded in 1964, the original FOM was exclusive to the employees of Uniroyal. Between 1972 and 1974, an additional 27 SEGs were added to the FOM. A community charter was adopted in 1975, expanding Royal’s footprint across Minnesota and Wisconsin.

As part of the Credit Union’s community commitment, the RCU Foundation was established in 2012.

The RCU Foundation is a perfect example of how we are striving to live out our core purpose of creating a positive impact in the lives we touch. The Foundation awards grant funds to organizations in the communities Royal serves across Western Wisconsin and Eastern Minnesota. Since it began in 2012, the RCU Foundation has given more than $4 million to our communities.

How the CD Compares

When compared to the similar length-of-term CDs tracked by DepositAccounts.com that require a similar minimum deposit and are available within the FOM, Royal Credit Union’s 60-month CD APY currently shares the top spot with Barksdale Federal Credit Union’s 60-month Certificate APY.

The above rates are accurate as of 10/26/2020.

To look for the best CD rates, both nationwide and state specific, please refer to our CD Rates Table page.