National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) - an independent federal agency, based in Washington (State of Columbia), established by the U.S. Congress to oversee the federal credit union system. Like any financial institution, credit unions have the financial resources. Like the credit cooperatives, credit unions form associations of a higher level, which are called corporate credit unions. Principles of cooperative democracy and interaction were adequate to the purposes for which people joined credit unions. A potential new member of a credit union must submit a recommendation of shareholders in which the referee becomes a warrant of a future member of the credit union. Initially, the target groups of credit unions were farmers (Raiffeisen), and now they include both individuals (credit unions), and organizations. The supreme body of the World Council of Credit Unions is the Assembly, which elects the president and the board of directors of WOCCU. Credit Union - a non-profit financial institution specialized in mutual financial assistance by providing savings and credit services to their members. On the consumer credit market in the U.S. credit unions are on the third place after the commercial banks and finance companies and are ahead of savings institutions, not taking into account the loans on real estate.