To get a loan in the credit union a shareholder must be not only a formally adopted there, but necessary pay in cash contributions, the amount and order of payment of which approved by the General Assembly and fixed by the charter. 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 of the open type are still controlled by their members, but at the same time provide services to people who are not its members (external customers). The main activities of credit unions, aimed at the organization of mutual aid and social support of citizens is not intended to profit. Taking a decision to join a credit union, citizens create an organization through which they participate in the shared savings by mutual crediting and joint (collective) use of personal savings. In some cases, the initiators of credit unions can be trade unions, associations such as social support centers and others. Credit unions, like today's credit unions, emerged in the 19th century in Germany as a result of crop failure and famine. The right to use the services of the credit union have only its members. U.S. credit unions have another significant difference from the credit cooperatives of farmers: the first have major proportion of short-term loans, the second - long and mostly in real estate. Credit Union - one of the most attractive financial institutions for the public being a non-profit alternative to banks.
Credit unions of the open type are still controlled by their members, but at the same time provide services to people who are not its members (external customers). The main activities of credit unions, aimed at the organization of mutual aid and social support of citizens is not intended to profit. 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.