Signature Federal Credit Union 6-Month CD Has Rate-Leading APY
For a limited time, Virginia-based Signature Federal Credit Union (Signature FCU) is offering 5.00% APY on its 6-month Certificate. The minimum opening deposit is $500 with a maximum deposit of $250k. There is also a limit of one 6-month Certificate per member account.
As stated in the Share Certificate Disclosure, the Early Withdrawal Penalty for the 6-Month Certificate is 90 days of dividends. The disclosure further states,
We will impose a penalty based on the chart above if you withdraw any funds before the maturity date. Penalties will only be taken from dividends earned unless dividends are not automatically reinvested into the certificate. In these cases, penalties may be withdrawn from the principal. Members have the option to partially withdraw from the share certificate. The penalty will only be assessed for the amount of the withdrawal.
Many thanks to DA reader, IGR, for the Forum post about this great rate.
Availability
Headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, Signature Federal Credit Union’s field of membership (FOM) provides a way to join for almost any U.S. citizen or permanent resident. (Note: the FOM requirements listed on the online application and in the FAQs don’t match. According to CSR, the membership application requirements are up-to-date.)
USPS: Employees of the United States Postal Service qualify for membership.
Employment/Affiliation: Employees and members of 28 Washington, D.C. area businesses and organizations are eligible to join.
Sponsorship: Individuals who are sponsored by current Signature FCU members also qualify.
Family Relationship: Immediate family members and household members of current Signature FCU members are welcome to apply.
Easy Membership: The fifth option on the online application reads,
Still need another way to join? By selecting this option Signature FCU will enroll you into American Consumer Council (ACC), at no cost to you, therefore making you eligible for membership.
Account Opening
Joining Signature FCU can be done online or at the sole branch, located in the Alexandria (VA) Potomac West neighborhood. The Membership Application is also available for download and can be returned by mail.
Membership begins with a $5.00 minimum deposit into your basic Share Savings account.
While checking, savings, and Money Market accounts can be opened online during the membership application process, CDs cannot. According to CSR, opening a CD for new members is a two-step process: the Membership Application must be approved before a CD can be opened either online (using the Account Update form) or over the phone.
A new application is not required to add a Certificate to your account, please contact our
Member Services Department at (800) 336-0284 ext. 684, or
[email protected], or
Fill out the Account Update form below.
According to CSR, the APY in effect at the time a membership application is submitted will be the rate applied to a newly opened CD. CSR stated you can indicate which CD you are interested in on the online membership application, but it’s your responsibility to know what the CD rate was when your membership application is submitted.
Signature FCU participates in both the CO-OP Shared Branch network and ATM network.
National Shared Branching allows us to combine resources with other credit unions and serve members at over 5,000 physical branch locations. As a member of Signature Federal Credit Union, you can visit any one of these Shared Branches or Service Centers to conduct your financial transactions.
Funding and Other Details
The following information is from a conversation with CSR.
- Funding – ACH, wire transfer, check, internal transfer, shared branch transaction. Certificates not funded within 30 days of application will automatically be closed.
- CO-OP Shared Branch Participant – Yes.
- Dividends – Compounded/credited monthly and can be distributed by check to the address on file.
- Maturing Funds – Wire ($15 fee), cashier's check to address on file, or internal transfer to checking/savings account.
- Beneficiaries – Using the Account Update Form, unlimited beneficiaries can be designated; percentages can be assigned; Social Security numbers required.
- Grace Period – 10 calendar days before automatic renewal.
- Credit Check – Soft pull when joining.
Credit Union Overview
Signature Federal Credit Union has an overall health grade of "B+" at DepositAccounts.com, with a Texas Ratio of 1.22% (excellent), based on September 30, 2022 data. Signature FCU has an above average annual capitalization level (10.90%), the result of holding $365.62 million in assets with $39.84 million in equity. Please refer to our financial overview of Signature Federal Credit Union (NCUA Charter # 20061) for more details.
Signature Federal Credit Union was originally chartered in 1970 as NAPUS (National Association of Postmasters of the United States) Federal Credit Union. The “Signature” rebrand was reflective of a change in the charter and the scope of membership. Signature FCU is currently the 29th largest credit union headquartered in Virginia, with more than 25,000 members and deposits in excess of $303 million.
How the 6-Month Certificate Compares
When compared to similar length-of-term CDs tracked by DepositAccounts.com that are available within the market area and have minimum deposit requirements of $10k or less, no credit unions or banks have a higher rate than currently offered on the Signature FCU 6-Month Certificate. The following table compares the 6-Month Certificate to the two highest-rate CDs from banks and the two highest-rate CDs from other credit unions.
The above information and rates are accurate as of 1/28/2023.
To look for the best CD rates, both nationwide and state specific, please refer to our CD Rates Table page.
In retrospect, it was likely designed to service existing members.
Regular 6 months is now 2.5%.
I happened to be in front of the computer and managed to secure last CD at the Special Rate 30 minutes past the expiration?
I was a member, the membership was dormant, but getting new account around ChexS was a deal breaker.
i was sent final explanation how to open and fund the CD along with the comment that in 17 minutes it would not be available.
When I replied sarcastically, it was after hours, but some Rep pickup the chat and offered to open the Account and give me 5 days to fund it.
It is a Wild West, however draws first gets a shot to open account.
I think the Special lasted 10-12 days... not long enough to decide, establish membership, link accounts, transfer and fund.
I keep wondering how Ken stays in the race and maintains his blog relevant!
In any case, don't forget that the Wild West, as you call it, is what ultimately made this country great! The frontier! (or as Harry Markowitz later proved with his Nobel, the “efficient frontier” (I'll let ya'll reference that insomuch as you are able.) At least that's the way some of us see it.
Disclosure: didn't do this deal.
My wrong, I wasn't intellectually prepared to such creativity.
Perhaps, I was to busy mapping the Frontier since 1719
This is the most relevant his blog has ever been. He has made more money for more people during these last few months (including for this poster) than ever before.
In what was said there is no denial that Ken's blog has help to improve the return for some, over last few Years!
During last few Months Ken's undeniable contribution is that DA forum strengthened my ability to be oblivious....
Of the posters whos only purpose of participation is to be making themselves feel relevant.
you can have it... what else do you!
Is this a Freudian slip?
.......