The first credit union in the United States was founded in 1909. by the group of Franco-American Catholics in Manchester, New Hampshire, and was called "Cooperative Credit Association of St. Mary. " The economic basis of credit unions - finances of a household. The main objective of the credit union - to ensure financial stability of a household, to ensure the priority of their shareholders' financial interests. Credit unions encourage savings of citizens, setting compensation payments (interest) on savings and provide from these savings loans to their members. The number of shareholders of a credit union is limited and formalized by a list. Limit of the number is defined by the assembly and such assembly establishes the charter. The main advantage of credit unions consists in transparency, controllability, governance for shareholders. Credit unions are competitors of savings institutions, adding interest on deposits of members. This applies to the shares, as well as to additional funds transferred to the account in the credit union. Credit unions base their activities on savings of shareholders, their shares and savings contributions, which make up the fund of mutual financial assistance - a source of cash loans to shareholders. Credit unions encourage the proper use of shareholders savings, developing social programs (education, health, recreation, housing, etc.). Corporate alliances are intermediaries between credit unions and financial markets.