1) A credit union is owned by its members, who use its financial services.

2) Because credit unions are not-for-profit, every credit union always has lower fees and loan rates than every bank.

3) Before joining a Jacksonville credit union, you should check its membership eligibility rules.

4) The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) provides the federal share insurance for credit unions.

5) At a federally insured credit union, eligible single-owner deposits are generally insured up to $250,000 per owner, per insured credit union, in that ownership category.

6) One person has $180,000 in ordinary single-owner checking and $100,000 in ordinary single-owner savings at the same federally insured credit union. Both have no beneficiaries and there are no other deposits. The full $280,000 is federally insured.

7) Opening another single-owner savings account at a different branch of the same insured institution automatically gives you another $250,000 insurance limit.

8) When comparing auto loans, use the same loan amount and term, and compare the approved annual percentage rate (APR), fees, and total payments.

9) A larger total asset balance proves that an institution is the safest choice and offers the best checking account for a JU student.

10) Stocks and mutual funds sold through an insured bank or credit union are not protected by FDIC deposit insurance or NCUA share insurance.