Like the credit cooperatives, credit unions form associations of a higher level, which are called corporate credit unions. Credit unions encourage savings of citizens, setting compensation payments (interest) on savings and provide from these savings loans to their members. Typically new members of the credit union become citizens having suretyship or recommendations from their friends - members of the credit union. 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. Important specifics of creating a credit union - an initiative order of organization: people do not receive any instructions, orders or regulations, the unification into a credit union occurs by their will and decision. Credit unions encourage the proper use of shareholders savings, developing social programs (education, health, recreation, housing, etc.). 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.