Inside this Issue
Glenda J. Hart Scholarship
Application . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 2
President’s Message. . . . . . . . . . . Page 2
It’s Tax Time. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3
Whole Hog Contest Winners. . . . . Page 3
10 ATM Safety Tips. . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 3
We’re Getting a Makeover! . . . . . Page 4
To Better Serve You . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4
A Fresh Start to Savings. . . . . . . . Page 4
Contact Us. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Page 4
Computer
System
Conversion
Coming Soon
Latah Federal Credit Union will
be converting its core processing
computer system to allow us to
bring more services and benefits to
our members through 2012.
See page 4 for details.
Holiday
Reminder
All Latah Federal Credit Union
branches will be closed on the
following holidays:
n Human Rights Day –
Monday, January 16, 2012
n Presidents Day –
Monday, February 20, 2012
Get Your Finances in Shape
The New Year is a great time to assess your financial situation. For many, this means
finding ways to save more, spend less and reduce debt. If you are married or share financial
responsibilities with other people, ask for their cooperation. Here are some simple things
you can do to get back on the road to financial freedom:
n Crunch the numbers: Make a list of all
your debts and minimum payments on
each of them.
n Evaluate spending habits: Take a
look at the last month or two in your
checkbook register to see how much
and where you are spending. You may
want to divide expenses into categories.
n Construct a realistic budget for the
future: This can be done on paper or
with a simple spreadsheet. First, list
your net pay or income. Then, outline
all your fixed expenses such as rent
or mortgage payments, utilities, child
care expenses etc. Then, add in variable
expenses like groceries, entertainment,
clothing, and medical expenses.
n Create a debt reduction plan as part
of your budget: Write down all debts
including credit cards, vehicle loans,
student loans, etc. Starting with the one
with the highest interest rate, figure out
how much extra each month you can
pay toward eliminating that debt. Then,
move onto the next highest interest rate
debt and so on.
n Contact creditors early: If you’re in
a position where you cannot meet all
your monthly obligations, contact
creditors early, before you get behind,
to work out a payment plan.
BALANCE Financial Fitness Program
As a member of Latah Federal Credit Union, you
have access to an innovative financial fitness program
offered through our partnership with BALANCE.
Through BALANCE, you can receive FREE advice from
certified financial counselors including:
n Money Management Counseling
n Credit Report Reviews
n Debt Management Plans
n Debt Consolidation Counseling
n Eliminating Fees, Lowering Payments. and Reducing Interest
n Spending, Savings and Budgeting Plans
For more information, visit our website at
www.LatahFCU.org and click on the BALANCE link.
President’s Message
What’s Coming…
We heard you and the VALUED
SERVICES YOU WANT ARE
COMING! We are taking your
survey results to heart and in
2012 will work to give you what
you asked for. The first thing
happening is increased hours at
the Kendrick Branch, 602 Main
Street. Beginning January 3, 2012,
we will have the branch open until
5:00 PM for all your financial
needs. Come in for that Christmas
consolidation loan, auto loan,
1st and 2nd mortgage loans or that
home equity line of credit.
Glenda J. Hart
Scholarship
Applications for 2012 The
Glenda J. Hart Scholastic
Scholarship to our Members
and their immediate or
extended family is accepting
applications for the 2012 award
year. Established by the Board
of Directors to honor Latah
Federal’s previous, long-time
President and CEO, Glenda
J. Hart, the Credit Union will
award two $500 scholarships
each year, one to a graduating
high school student and one
to an existing college student.
The scholarship is designed
to help the winning students
fulfill their goals to obtain a
college or technical degree.
More information, along with
the application criteria may be
found on the Credit Union’s
website, www.Latahfcu.org.
Page 2
For those in the Deary area, we have
a full-service ATM located at 402
2nd Avenue inside the White Pine
Foods market. Members can make
deposits and withdrawals surcharge
FREE whenever the market is open
for business. Make a deposit to
your savings or checking account or
make your loan payment simply by
transferring the amount. Keep from
incurring NSF fees by using the ATM
to transfer from your Savings to
Checking, again, surcharge FREE. As
an added bonus, we will be placing
four (4) $50.00 bills randomly
throughout cartridges in the month
of January. Come in for a $20 and
you may get a $50!
And don’t forget we have contracted
with Walgreen’s Pharmacy located
in Moscow, Lewiston, Post Falls and
Coeur D’Alene for surcharge FREE
cash withdrawals. Take advantage of
these surcharge FREE transactions
when traveling around Northern
Idaho. For a complete listing of
locations, visit our website at
www.LatahFCU.org.
You also asked for a website that is
easier to navigate! Our new website
will roll out first quarter 2012 in its
new, easier to read format. Watch for
it! All the financial products we offer,
dividend rates, loan interest rates
and our fee schedule can be found
online so you can pick and choose
what works best for you. Compare
our fee structure with other financial
institutions and see that LFCU works
to keep costs low while providing the
services you need. All our locations,
hours, telephone numbers and a
listing of your Credit Union Officers
and Directors will be featured. And
be sure to check it when traveling
for all the surcharge FREE ATMs
available across the United States
and Canada provided through the
CO-OP Financial Services network.
Go to www.LatahFCU.org to find the
surcharge FREE ATM nearest you.
Faster in-branch transactions and
easier to read statements will be
coming your way after we convert
our core processing system
April 1, 2012. This change will also
introduce your much anticipated
and asked for REAL TIME Home
Banking product. Transfers
made online or at any one of our
Branches and ATMs can be seen
online and register at our core
processor immediately. No more
waiting. Card swipes in stores will
register immediately and you will
be able to see your new balance
from the internet log-in or your
mobile banking device immediately!
Keep an eye out for all the updated
products and savings we will bring to
you this coming year!
latah Federal Credit unionN
It’s Tax Time
Tips and Resources
Latah Federal Credit Union has what you need to reduce your tax bill and
prepare your return.
Take Advantage of IRAs
There’s still time to contribute to an IRA and deduct it from your 2011
taxes.* Call or stop by Latah Federal Credit Union to set up an IRA
or make contributions to a current account before April 15th. The
maximum contribution for 2011 is $5,000 for either the Traditional or
Roth IRA. Members 50 and over have the option to “catch up,” with an
additional contribution of up to $1,000.*
File Electronically with Turbo Tax
Top Rated Tax Preparation Software
Visit our web site at www.LatahFCU.org and click on the Turbo Tax
icon to prepare your return and file it electronically. Choose from the
Basic, Deluxe, Premier or Home & Business online preparation packages,
depending on the complexity of your return. Plus, Latah Federal
members receive special pricing!
n Identify deductions and other money-saving opportunities
n Browse important tax tips and articles
n Get answers to your questions via the Live Community forum
With Turbo Tax, your information is quickly and accurately transmitted
for your federal and state tax returns. Your refund will then be directly
deposited into your account in as little as 7-12 days.
Speed Up Your Refund with Direct Deposit
If you’re expecting a refund this year, be sure to use Direct Deposit
to ensure your refund arrives safely and quickly. For depositing your
refund into your Latah Federal Credit Union account, please provide the
following information on your tax return form:
n The Routing and Transit Number to use is 323173368.
n Use your Account Number from the bottom of your personal checks.
Personal Loans Available for Taxes
Tax time can be very stressful, especially if you owe money. If your
bottom line is negative, Latah Federal Credit Union can help with a
Personal Loan as low as 7% APR.**
*Please consult your tax advisor for details.
**Credit restrictions apply
Neighbor to neighbor
Whole Hog
Contest Winners
Congratulations to the Whole Hog Contest
Winners who received one-forth of a whole hog:
n General Membership Winner
Lee Franklin, Princeton
n Member Survey Drawing
Christine Jewell, Bovill
n Bring a Friend Drawing
Brady Dial, Potlatch
n New Loan Drawing
Paul Williams, Moscow
Thank you to everyone that participated!
10 ATM Safety Tips
Next time you go to an ATM, try these tips to protect
yourself:
1. Use ATMs where you feel the most comfortable.
2. Avoid using the ATM if there are any suspiciouslooking individuals around.
3. Have your card ready in your hand before you
approach the ATM.
4. Do not use the ATM if you notice anything
unusual indicating it may have been altered.
5. Be especially cautious when strangers offer to
help you at an ATM, even if you are experiencing
difficulty with the transaction, never allowing
anyone to distract you while you are at the ATM.
6. Do not let anyone see you enter your PIN; you
should shield the keypad with your hand when
entering your PIN.
7. Never disclose your PIN to anybody, not even to
the bank or police.
8. If you feel the ATM is not working normally,
press the Cancel key and withdraw your card and
then proceed to another ATM.
9. If your card gets jammed, retained or lost, or if
you are interfered with at an ATM, report this
immediately to the bank and/or police using the
help line provided or nearest phone.
10. Do not be in a hurry during the transaction, and
carefully secure your card & cash in your wallet,
handbag or pocket before leaving the ATM.
Page 3
We’re Getting
a Makeover!
LFCU’s New Website
Coming Soon
Contact Us
When you visit our website at
www.LatahFCU.org, you will soon
be seeing our new look. We are in the
process of redesigning our website to
make it easier to navigate to the most
requested information and services. The
switch will take place on an upcoming
Friday this winter. HomeCULink, our
Online Banking Service, may not be
available over the weekend as we make
the necessary changes. We apologize for
any inconvenience and appreciate your
cooperation.
Main Office
912 South Washington
P.O. Box 9286
Moscow, ID 83843-1786
Phone: (208) 882-0232
Fax: (208) 882-3250
University of Idaho
Commons Branch
875 Line Street
P.O. Box 44524
Moscow, ID 83844-4501
Phone: (208) 882-0232
Fax: (208) 885-2788
Potlatch Branch
168 Hwy 6
P.O. Box 264
Potlatch, ID 83855-0264
To Better Serve You
Phone: (208) 875-0515
Fax: (208) 875-0740
System Conversion Update
To more efficiently serve members, Latah Federal Credit Union will be replacing its core data
processing system. The conversion is scheduled to take place at the end of the first quarter, on
April 1, 2012. This process has been thoroughly reviewed to ensure minimal disruption to member
services. We will be posting updates in our newsletters and online at www.LatahFCU.org as the
date gets closer. If you have any questions, please give us a call at (208) 882-0232.
Kendrick Branch
602 Main Street
P.O. Box 274
Kendrick, ID 83537-0274
Phone: (208) 289-2448
Fax: (208) 289-2454
ATM
A Fresh Start to Savings
If building savings is on your list of New Year’s resolutions, here are some tips to help you meet
your goal:
n No More Procrastinating. No matter
how much (or how little) you’re earning,
you can save something-even $5 or $10
a paycheck is better than nothing.
n Be Consistent. Pay yourself first out of
every paycheck and have the money go
into a separate account that is not easily
accessible.
n Make it Automatic. Make saving
painless by having your designated
savings amount automatically deducted
from your paycheck.
*Consult your tax advisor for details.
page 4
White Pine Foods
402 2nd Avenue
Deary, ID 83823
Phone: (208) 877-1310
n Set Goals. Decide how much you want
to save and for what purpose, then set a
realistic time frame.
Website
n Build an Emergency Fund. Your first
savings goal should be to build an
emergency fund for unexpected expenses.
E-mail
n Consider an IRA. Even if you have a
retirement plan at work, most people can
benefit from an IRA (Individual Retirement
Account) and it may reduce your tax bill.*
You have until April 15th to open or add to
an account for the 2011 tax year.
www.latahfcu.org
[email protected]