Membership in the credit union is voluntary and is open to all citizens bound by with joint work or residence, who wished to create a credit union to use its services and are willing to take on relevant commitments and responsibilities. Credit unions of the open type are still controlled by their members, but at the same time provide services to people who are not its members (external customers). 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. The supreme body of the World Council of Credit Unions is the Assembly, which elects the president and the board of directors of WOCCU. 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.