Wheelhouse Credit Union 60-Month CD Available Nationwide
The 60-month Certificate offered by Wheelhouse Credit Union (Wheelhouse) was added to this week’s CD Rates Summary. Unlike all the other Wheelhouse Certificates that only offer a single APY, the 60-month Certificate has three tiered APYs: 1.45% APY ($90k), 1.40% APY ($10k), and 1.35% APY ($500).
The Certificate is also available as an IRA CD (Traditional, Roth, CESA), earning the same APY with the same deposit requirements.
At the beginning of the year, the 60-month Certificate’s top APY was 2.55%. In a series of five rate drops between mid-January and mid-July, a total of 110 bps were lost.
According to CSR, partial withdrawals are allowed, with an Early Withdrawal Penalty (EWP) of “up to 180 days.” CSR explained the “up to” qualifier indicates that the EWP will not invade the principal. For example, if a withdrawal is made from a 60-month Certificate on day 175, the EWP would equal 175 days of dividends; if a withdrawal is made from the same 60-month Certificate on day 181 (or later in the term), the EWP would equal 180 days of dividends.
Funding a Certificate can be done by wire transfer, from a US checking or savings account, or from any Wheelhouse account. Unfortunately, ACH transfers are limited to $500. Maturing funds can be distributed through cashier’s check, wire transfer, or into an existing Wheelhouse checking/savings account. There is a 7 calendar day grace period before a Certificate renews.
Unlimited beneficiaries can be named, with percentages assigned. Social Security numbers are required for all beneficiaries.
Availability
Headquartered in San Diego, California, Wheelhouse Credit Union’s field of membership (FOM) includes an easy membership requirement. According to Wheelhouse’s Join page, “You’re eligible to join Wheelhouse if you live, work or are a Zoological Society member in San Diego County.” According to CSR, any Zoological Society member, regardless of residency status, qualifies for Wheelhouse membership.
The Zoological Society of San Diego is a non-profit organization (tax ID 95-1648219) that operates the San Diego Zoo, the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park, and the department of Conservation and Research for Endangered Species. While the ”Select Your Gift Amount” page lists $100, $250, $500, $1,000 amounts under “Your Gift”, there’s also an “Other” option, which does not list any minimum amount.
A Zoological Society membership must be established before applying for Wheelhouse membership, as the online application asks for the “SD Zoo Membership Number” when choosing the “I'm a member of the Zoological Society of San Diego” option.
Individuals who live or work in San Diego County are also eligible to join, as are family members of current Wheelhouse members. Employees of 14 Partner Employees (listed on the online application) also qualify for membership.
Joining Wheelhouse Credit Union and/or opening a Certificate can be done online, or at any of three California branches located in Chula Vista (walk-ins welcome), El Cajon (walk-ins welcome), and San Diego (appointments are required).
A Regular Shares Savings Account establishes your
lifetime Wheelhouse membership with a $10 deposit.
Wheelhouse participates in the CO-OP Shared Branch and ATM networks.
Members can use the best CO-OP® ATM network with more than 30,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide. Plus, they get the best access to over 5,600 Shared Branch locations throughout the United States.
Credit Union Overview
Wheelhouse Credit Union has an overall health grade of "A" at DepositAccounts.com, with a Texas Ratio of 1.56% (excellent) based on March 31, 2020 data. In the past year, Wheelhouse increased its total non-brokered deposits by $44.64 million, an excellent annual growth rate of 18.17%. Please refer to our financial overview of Wheelhouse Credit Union (NCUA Charter # 61003) for more details.
Founded in 1934 as San Diego Municipal Employees Credit Union, the founding members were “metropolitan workers seeking financial relief during the worst economic period in the nation’s history.” During its 86-year history, the Credit Union changed names a few times, all of which were reflective of the expanding FOM. The Wheelhouse Credit Union rebrand occurred in 2018, adopting “a name that better represents our laid-back and inclusive culture.” Wheelhouse Credit Union is currently the 98th largest credit union headquartered in California, with nearly 22,000 members and assets in excess of $333 million.
How the Certificate Compares
When compared to similar length-of-term CDs tracked by DepositAccounts.com that are available nationwide, Wheelhouse Credit Union’s 60-month Certificate Special APY currently ranks fourth, regardless of minimum deposit requirements.
The above rates are accurate as of 8/27/2020.
To look for the best CD rates, both nationwide and state specific, please refer to our CD Rates Table.
