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.). Today in the UK there are about 700 credit unions with assets exceeding 200 million pounds. The uniqueness of credit unions is that they put together the principles and benefits of financial cooperatives, consumer cooperatives and mutual aid funds, born once by trade unions. Among the U.S. credit unions, there are three groups that differ in terms of assets, shareholders, and business services. 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. To reduce the risk of default on loans members of the credit union shall the joint guarantee. Credit unions appeared in England in the 19th century. In 1844 a group of workers from Rochdale established the first cooperative. In the case of default the shareholder - individual will respond with its property and, in addition, is jointly and severally liable with the credit union's commitments. To increase the number of credit unions in 1979 was adopted the corresponding law that serves as the legal basis of their activity.