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. " Like the credit cooperatives, credit unions form associations of a higher level, which are called corporate credit unions. Credit union services are available only to its shareholders. Cooperation between credit unions, how they would not have been named, took place always, from the moment when the movement moved outside one credit union. The main activities of credit unions, aimed at the organization of mutual aid and social support of citizens is not intended to profit. Shareholders in corporate organizations are basic credit unions, besides the same union can be a shareholder of several corporate organizations. 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.
Credit union services are available only to its shareholders. Cooperation between credit unions, how they would not have been named, took place always, from the moment when the movement moved outside one credit union. Like the credit cooperatives, credit unions form associations of a higher level, which are called corporate credit unions.