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. 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. " Typically new members of the credit union become citizens having suretyship or recommendations from their friends - members of the credit union. Among the U.S. credit unions, there are three groups that differ in terms of assets, shareholders, and business services. Until the mid-XX century, credit unions in the United States had little assets that did not exceed, as a rule, 100 thousand dollars 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.