In the U.S., credit unions have a clear organizational structure. All credit unions belong to one or the other parent credit union (there are 35 of them in the U.S.). Credit unions attract people in the first place by the opportunity to get cash loan (credit) - quickly and relatively inexpensively. All the members of the credit union, regardless of gender, ethnicity, religious and political beliefs, as well as the size of the monetary share have equal rights. Over 30% of the assets of credit unions are investments in government securities, certificates of deposit of banks and savings loan associations, as well as in the parent credit unions, and other risk-free investments. Credit unions appeared in England in the 19th century. In 1844 a group of workers from Rochdale established the first cooperative. 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 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. To increase the number of credit unions in 1979 was adopted the corresponding law that serves as the legal basis of their activity.