UNFCU is one of our favourite banks (“credit union”) for UN staff. It is non-profit but provides us with excellent products like the UNFCU Elite credit card and USD Share Certificate. We have talked about UNFCU extensively in our other posts. We have introduced a practical guide about UNFCU, the best credit card from UNFCU and why UNFCU is the best bank for UN Staff.
If you need to keep cash in USD or have an emergency fund, then the UNFCU USD Share Certificate is a good way to have a higher-yield and capital protection.
Disclaimer: The terms and conditions of the UNFCU Share Certificates may change at any moment. Please do your own research before opening an account.
What is a Share Certificate?
A UNFCU USD Share Certificate is like a fixed deposit. You deposit money into the USD Share Certificate account, then you set a fixedperiod to hold this money in that account. In return, you will get a dividend or interest paid into your account every month. Furthermore, your capital is protected. So, it is one of the safest ways to grow your money.
Are Share Certificates safe?
Yes! UNFCU USD Share Certificates are insured for up to USD250,000. You can read the details of the insurance here.
How much yield or return can I get from the Share Certificate?
In June 2022, you can get up to 2.5% if you hold USD50,000 of newly deposited money for 60 months (5 years). For smaller amounts, you can expect around 1% for 30 months (2.5 years).
Before signing up for the Share Certificate, check the latest interest rates from UNFCU.
What is the minimum amount I should invest?
For a minimum of USD500, you can open a Standard or a Flex Rate account. There are other variations of the Share Certificates such as Impact and Simple Saver but their dividends are extremely low currently. So stick to either Standard or Flex Rate.
Here is a complete list of the various Share Certificate accounts that you could open:
- Standard Share Certificate – Minimum of USD500, up to 60 months lock in period.
- Simple Saver Share Certificate – Minimum of USD250 for 24 months.
- Impact Share Certificate – Minimum of USD500 for 12 months lock in period.
- Flex Rate Share Certificate – Minimum of USD500 for 30 months lock in period. You may request for a one-time rate increase, if the interest rates increases during the lock in period.
Are there penalties for early withdrawals?
In general, yes. But you can withdraw the interest every month without any penalty. But as soon as you withdraw more than that, you will be penalized. Don’t worry your capital remains safe. The penalty only forfeits the dividend.
What is the optimum term or period I should apply?
Based on the current rates of June 2022, expect to hold your money for at least 2.5 to 5 years for a decent 1% to 2.5%.
How do I open a Share Certificate account?
First you need to open a UNFCU bank account. Here are the steps to set up your Share Certificates in your UNFCU account:
Step 1: Login to your UNFCU account. The select “Account Services” > “Open Deposit Accounts”
Step 2: Select “Share Certificates”
Step 3: Select the checkboxes and click “Next”
Step 4: Here you will have 4 options to choose from. Based on the current rates, it is recommended to either use “Standard” or “Flex” for the best annual interest yield.
Step 5: Then you just need to decide how long and how much money to put in. Continue and simply follow the guided steps to open your account.
Conclusion
It is always better to invest your money in stocks (ETFs) for the best yield. However, you need to keep cash if you are saving up for a house or for emergencies. Instead of leaving the money in a normal bank account, you can get higher yield in the UNFCU USD Share Certificate account.
Benefits include higher yield up to 2.5% and capital protection up to USD250,000.
Let us know what you think about UNFCU in the comment section below and don’t forget to subscribe to the Money Monkey!
