Member News
Winter 2017
Build Wealth
on Your Own Terms
Online banking and saving with SCU just got a whole lot easier. Using SCU Direct or SCU Mobile App, you
now have the ability to make contributions to your Variable Tax Free Savings Account (TFSA) or Registered
Retirement Savings Account (RRSP). In addition, you can also transfer funds from your Variable TFSA to
another SCU account. This is just one of the ways that SCU helps you save time and money.
How to get started
RRSP contributions for the 2016 tax year
must be made by March 1, 2017. The
maximum contribution limit for 2016 is
$25,370, but you can also carry forward
unused portions of the limit from previous
years. To view the TFSA contribution limits,
please visit www.scu.mb.ca/tfsa-limits.
Sign up for SCU Direct®
Online banking
Log into your account
Transfer funds to a Variable TFSA
or RRSP or transfer funds from a
Variable TFSA to another account
(subject to withdrawal fees)
It's that easy. You can also pay yourself first by
setting up a pre-authorized payment to a savings,
TFSA or RRSP. Call or visit an SCU Branch today!
Drop by your SCU branch today,
call 1.800.728.6440, or log on to SCU
Direct to make a contribution before
the March 1st deadline. Our Wealth
Consultants are experts in helping you
manage your investment portfolio.
SCU Direct is a registered trademark of Steinbach Credit Union Ltd.
®
New Years' Financial Fitness
Beneficiary
Review
Often, this is the time
of year when many people
re-evaluate their investments,
which also makes it a good
time to review designated
beneficiaries. A beneficiary
that has been named through
a designation form will not be
changed automatically by a
change in your personal
status such a marriage or
divorce. Call SCU today at
1.800.728.6440 if you have
any questions or visit any
SCU branch to make changes.
How many of us annually make a resolution to
get more physically fit? We vow to start jogging,
use the stairs instead of the elevator, and cut down
on fat and cholesterol in our diets. Sticking to this
goal takes hard work and commitment, but the
benefit of good health is well worth it.
Our Wealth Consultants will review your present
financial situation and then work with you to
develop an investment planning program that’s in
line with your needs and objectives. During this
“Financial Fitness Checkup” you can get ideas on:
•
Money management
Just as becoming more physically fit requires
a commitment, so does becoming financially fit.
And the reward — a secure financial future — is
definitely worth it! You may want to consider
working with a Wealth Consultant at SCU to aid
you in planning a financial “workout” to help
you become more financially fit.
•
Education funding
•
Wealth protection
•
Retirement and estate planning
Refer a new member and you could win!
As an SCU member, you’ve already
discovered our great rates and
outstanding service. If you spread the
news, you get a chance to win a prize!
e-News
Keep up to date with SCU
News, Product Insights, Market
Updates and More! Sign up
today at www.scu.mb.ca
To find out how to get financially fit, visit or call
1.800.728.6440 to speak to a Wealth Consultant.
Pick up a referral card at any SCU
branch or download a copy at
scu.mb.ca/referral and pass it along
to someone you know who could benefit
from becoming an SCU member. If they
join, you’ll be entered for a chance to
win an Apple® MacBook Pro®! One
prize will be awarded! Draw will be held
on March 31, 2017.
Some restrictions apply. Prize may not be exactly as shown.
SCU in the Community
We all look forward to Christmas, and the wonderful
community and school choirs from the Steinbach area
that join us to make the season so enjoyable. A big
Thank You goes out to each choir member, director,
parent, and SCU member who joined us and helped us
find the spirit of the season with their wonderful voices.
SCU staff was also in the spirit of giving by hosting
various fundraisers and raising over $23,000 for
local community Christmas projects – South East
Helping Hands, Winnipeg Harvest, and Siloam
Missions. In addition, throughout the year, staff
raised just over $19,000 for United Way. A huge
Thank You to all SCU staff.
The Board of Directors and staff congratulate SCU
employee Natasha Vokey on being named Manitoba
Female Athlete of the Year for Special Olympics.
Member News Winter 2017
Top Tips
for Travellers
Winter travel season - a time to escape the chilly Manitoba
winter for warmer climates, sun and sand, and a much needed
break after the holiday rush.
Before you leave for your holiday, here are a few tips to consider:
Inform Us: If you are travelling outside of Manitoba, be
sure to let us know about your travel plans by calling SCU at
1.800.728.6440 and CUETS MasterCard® at 1.800.561.7849.
By informing us before you leave, we can place a note in our
system alerting staff that you are away, which will help guard
you against malicious withdrawals.
Remember ding free®: Ding free is a Canada-wide network
of ATMs that offer credit union members free withdrawals,
deposits, and balance inquiries at any credit union ATM and
other participating ATMs across the country. Download the
ding free ATM locator app, and save on surcharges.
Bring Local Currency: SCU is pleased to provide our
members with foreign currency exchange for most currencies
in the world. We keep pesos, euros, USD, and GBP on hand.
If you need other currencies, call SCU at 1.800.728.6440 to
place an order. If you’re in a rush, each of SCU’s branches
has one ATM equipped to dispense US cash.
Stay Connected Online: If you are going on an extended
trip, be sure to enroll for SCU Direct® and download the SCU
Mobile app on your smartphone. That way, you can easily
monitor your accounts, pay bills, and transfer funds
at any time and anywhere in the world!
Available Worldwide: Your SCU MEMBER CARD® debit
card and CHOICE REWARDS® MasterCard® are accepted
worldwide wherever you see a Cirrus® symbol. Also, you can
use your MasterCard to pay at the pump in the United States.
If prompted for a zip code, use the three numbers in your
postal code and add two zeroes. For example, if your postal
code is R3T 4Y7, use 34700 as your zip code.
Have a safe trip!
The Benefits of Choice
CHOICE REWARDS ®
Earning points is easy with the most flexible rewards
program around! Sign up for CHOICE REWARDS on your
CUETS MasterCard® today and start earning points anytime
and anywhere you make a qualifying retail purchase.
donations, or travel rewards with no blackout periods and
your choice of travel carrier, hotel, or car rental agency.
Choose the CHOICE REWARDS MasterCard credit card
that is right for you.
Redeeming points is easy, too! Choose between cash back
as statement credits, merchandise rewards, charitable
Apply now by visiting:
www.scu.mb.ca/credit-cards
®
MASTERCARD is a registered trademark owned by MasterCard International Incorporated and is used under license.®SCU Direct is a registered trademark of Steinbach Credit Union Ltd. ®CHOICE REWARDS is a
registered trademark of FIA Card Services, National Association used pursuant to license. ®MEMBER CARD Design is a registered certification mark owned by Credit Union Central of Canada, used under license.
Be Wary
of Online Scams
Everyone wants a deal — especially when
Often the cheque sent to the seller
you are purchasing items from the
originates from an unrelated business or
classifieds. So when the individual who has
corporation and/or from another province.
agreed to purchase your goods or service
The reasoning behind the overpayment is
sends a cheque for more than the amount
often explained as covering courier fees
agreed to, alarms bells should be raised!
or taxes. The problem with this is that the
Overpayment scams are quite commonly
carried out on online classified advertising
services such as Kijiji or Craigslist. This
type of scam occurs when the seller receives
payment via a cheque in an amount in excess
of the amount originally agreed to in the
transaction. They are then asked to deposit
the cheque and return the excess funds back
to the originator by wire transfer.
While simple in their approach, these
scams are still proving to be very successful
in victimizing the public. If you are unsure
cheque might be returned for insufficient
funds or flagged as counterfeit, leaving you
on the hook for the entire cheque value...and
also losing your original merchandise as well.
about whether a cheque is fraudulent or not,
the first step is to visit your branch where the
cheque can be verified.
If you are selling items online, it is best to
To learn about fraud protection,
"stay local" where you can meet the buyer in
please visit our website at:
person. It might also be a good idea to stick
www.scu.mb.ca/fraud-protection.
to electronic payment, guaranteed funds
(certified cheques, etc.), or cash transactions
rather than accepting personal cheques.
Vote Now! Annual General Meeting 2017
SCU invites you to our Annual General Meeting at 7:00 p.m.
on Tuesday, March 21, 2017. Our meeting will be held in the
gymnasium at the Steinbach Bible College, 50 PTH 12N,
Steinbach, MB. Registration will begin at 6:30 p.m., with the
meeting beginning at 7:00 p.m.
This January, members will begin receiving ballots in the mail.
Members can vote online and for each online ballot received,
SCU will donate $1 to charity. To vote online, please have your
ballot on hand, visit www.scu.mb.ca and click on the “Vote”
button on our homepage. You can also vote by mailing in your
ballot, visiting any SCU branch, or voting in-person at the AGM.
Reg
Penner
Chairman
Russ
Fast
1st Vice-Chair
Henry
Van de Velde
2nd Vice-Chair
Doris
Martens
Director
This year, members will be electing three 3-year positions, as
well as a 1-year term to replace a retiring Director. Five nominees
have allowed their name to stand.
Russ Fast
(Incumbent)
Henry Van de Velde
(Incumbent)
Robert Dueck
(Incumbent)
Bruce Penner
Tim Giesbrecht
Please join us for the AGM to hear reports on the 2016 year,
as well as election results. Prizes, music and refreshments
will be provided!
Robert
Dueck
Director
Rob
Penner
Director
All information in this newsletter is subject to change without notice and is not binding on decisions made by SCU.
Maria
Reimer
Director
Amanda
Peters
Director