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Navy Fed Ends a Backdoor Way To Qualify for Membership

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Last December I reported on a little-known way to qualify for Navy Federal Credit Union (Navy Fed) membership. This backdoor to Navy Fed membership has been closed. The backdoor involved joining the Navy League, San Diego Council and then going through a special Navy Fed membership application process. This weekend I confirmed the closure of this backdoor with a Navy Fed membership service rep in an online chat session:

Ken: Can one join navy league of San Diego and become eligible to join NFCU?

Rep: Unfortunately, no. We had a membership change.

In December, I had speculated that this backdoor may not last. As the largest credit union in the nation, Navy Fed probably doesn’t see the need to aggressively pursue new members. There’s little to gain with promoting a backdoor to membership, and there’s a lot of potential bad publicity if the backdoor makes news.

Another Backdoor, But It Doesn’t Allow Everyone In

If you’re not yet a Navy Fed member, you may still be able to join even though you’re not in the military. In February, Navy Fed announced an expansion of its field of membership to include veterans and their families. If you have an immediate family member who has ever been in the military, you are eligible to join. Immediate family members include grandparents, parents, spouses, siblings, grandchildren, and children. Veterans and their family members can join via all channels; however, if your veteran family member is not already a Navy Federal member, you have to apply by phone or at a branch. It can’t be done online.

I have more details in this February blog post.

Once a Member, Always a Member

Navy Fed members who have already joined using this backdoor should not be concerned about losing their membership. One fundamental principle of credit unions is that “once a member, always a member”. The qualification to join doesn’t have to be maintained to continue to be a member of the credit union. You just have to maintain the minimum balance in the share savings account to keep the membership active. This principle is stated in the Federal Credit Union Act:

1759 e (2) Retention of membership.—Except as provided in section 1764 of this title, once a person becomes a member of a credit union in accordance with this subchapter, that person or organization may remain a member of that credit union until the person or organization chooses to withdraw from the membership of the credit union

It should also be noted that the Navy League backdoor used to be a legitimate method of gaining Navy Fed membership. The backdoor rules were disclosed by Navy Fed representatives. Thus, everyone who had joined by following these rules should feel that they’re legitimate members.

Thanks to the DA readers who posted in the forum and comments of these changes, and thanks to DA reader, Kaight, who posted the excerpt of the Federal Credit Union Act.

Credit Unions Anyone Can Join

Due to this change, we removed Navy Fed from the "big list" of credit unions anyone can join. You can use this "big list" to find other credit unions that have easy membership requirements.

Update 5/16/17: Edits made in the "another backdoor" section to improve accuracy and clarity.

Comments
111
  |     |   Comment #1
More useful, and timely, information. Thanks, Ken!
gregk
  |     |   Comment #2
I'd intended to join Navy via the back door process but just never got around to it (I'm jaded from joining too many CU's over the last year and simply couldn't generate the needed energy). Will I regret it? Though from time to time they might offer an attractive rate on something, it's rarely if ever truly exceptional.
mrvirgo
  |     |   Comment #3
I'm glad I joined Navy Federal while it was still possible for a non military person like me. I am impressed by their special rates and customer service. Since becoming a member I've had no problems.
jennifer
  |     |   Comment #4
I simply adore navy federal since joining a few months ago! I could never have qualified through the traditional methods and now i will be a member for life thanks to this forum!!
deplorable 1
  |     |   Comment #5
I'm keeping my NFCU membership since they allowed all veterans in. They seem to have very good CD specials from time to time.
Bogey
  |     |   Comment #6
Yes, I believe that was long over due.
Kaight
  |     |   Comment #7
Very pleased I got in back when I did. Over the years NFCU has had SO many great CD deals. It's a "gotta have" membership. Feel bad for anyone who hesitated and missed out. Ken forecast this might happen. I didn't think so. I was wrong.
tbradnc
  |     |   Comment #8
I'm a member and they do have good certificate rates from time to time but they're generally limited to $5000-$50,000 and 1 certificate per promo so definitely not a one-stop shop.
Ava amphibs
  |     |   Comment #10
Kind of ridiculous to allow a back door membership while veterans had to wait for so long to be eligible. Also, with all these credit unions around, why would anyone not affiliated want to join this military bank? I joined NFCU out of necessity because that was the only game in town in Diego Garcia. And Navy Federal was the primary banking facility on Naval bases. So I just kept my membership for the past 31 years.
Ava amphibs
  |     |   Comment #11
Allow me to add. Navy Federal used to be only for officers of the Navy and Marine Corps. Or enlisted men, Department of Defense employees or DOD contractors assigned to Naval installations overseas where there was no other credit union aside NFCU. Family members could always join too. They’ve since opened up their doors to all branches of the military and reserve, National Guard components. But the huge push in membership came with the adding of eligibility to Veterans. This was due to new laws by congress favoring veterans ease of joining credit unions. Therefore, membership has grown exponentially not only by veterans but by their family members being automatically eligible to. The bigger, the better rates and products Navy Federal can put out. I see in the Houston area, they are opening up 8 branches. Plus I notice CVS has Navy Federal atm machines all over Houston. It just keeps getting more convenient. It was not always like this.
IwantNAVYFED
  |     |   Comment #12
Is there some type of way of getting alerts as to when backdoor opportunities may arise?
Jose
  |     |   Comment #25
Let's us know if you find a back door to join
JOhn
  |     |   Comment #13
Can my sister in law join?
Nicky
  |     |   Comment #14
Would I be able to join even though my brother who was in the army passed away?
willy12
  |     |   Comment #15
My understanding is if your brother was a member off Navy Fed, maybe.

Particularly if his account is still there awaiting probate or whatever.

I spoke with a rep a few months ago and he went over a ton of ways but I could not join.

Apparently, you could rent a room to someone who is a vet and who joins, you would then be able to join.

I keep seeing Navy Fed advertise on TV.

If they are spending that much money to attract deposits, how hard could it be to do like Penfed or NASA or Andrews and allow ways for others to join?
Nosubsidies
  |     |   Comment #24
Desparate impact if you ask me. tax payers bailed them out during the melt down, yet they exclude tax payers
Tyson
  |     |   Comment #26
Can someone please help me get in with Navy Federal
Sam Ridh
  |     |   Comment #27
Call a recruiter, or marry a patriot.
Kelbsuna
  |     |   Comment #31
Can I open a account?
I'm not a veteran but my father was,he was never a member,he passed away in 1974
I have his discharge papers and SSI#
Choice
  |     |   Comment #32
Go in person and take more paper than you think you need including your b-cert. Good luck!
Kelbsuna
  |     |   Comment #33
Thanks for taking the time to help..I will do that

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