The right to use the services of the credit union have only its 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. Income derived from the provision of services to its members, does not become the profit of credit union and is distributed among its members in proportion to their savings. 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.). International cooperation has been particularly felt since the days when Alphonse Desjardins began the activity on development of credit union movement in North America. To date, credit unions - virtually the only form of financial institution where people can quickly and without any problems get a relatively inexpensive cash loan. Credit unions encourage the proper use of shareholders savings, developing social programs (education, health, recreation, housing, etc.). Corporate credit unions are united on a cooperative basis in the Central Credit Union (US Central Credit Union).
Income derived from the provision of services to its members, does not become the profit of credit union and is distributed among its members in proportion to their savings. 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.). 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.