Annual Members' Meeting 5.23.19
Members are welcome to attend the
Annual Members' Meeting, to be held Thursday, May 23, 2019 at 3:30pm, in the Middlebury Branch.
Agenda will include:
• Board Reports
• Committee Reports
• Members' Q&A with the Board
Special $100 Checking Offer!!
Get $100 when you: (offer available 4.1.19 - 6.30.19)
1. Open a new checking account choose from the 3 options below
2. Establish a recurring Direct Deposit of $250/month minimum
Our Checking Accounts deliver:
Free Visa® Debit Card
Free ATM Transactions*
Free Mobile App with Mobile Check Deposit
Free P2P person to person funds transfer
Free Online Banking, eStatements & Bill Pay
Free Direct Deposit**
Free 1st order of checks
Free 24/7 Telephone Banking
Free Debit Card Security App, CardValet®
Choose from 3 checking account options. A+ Checking, Regular Checking, and
InTunes Checking. (See comparative chart below.) Interest is paid on your WCTFCU checking account funds on deposit, regardless of balance***. No monthly service charges & no minimum balance!
Promotional offer good 4/1/19 – 6/30/19. Available to qualified applicants. When qualifications met, $100 will be deposited to qualified Member’s newly created checking account by 10/31/19. All amounts will be reported to the IRS; Member is responsible for any applicable taxes. Interest is paid on your WCTFCU checking account funds on deposit, regardless of your balance. When qualifications met. ***InTune Checking account earns iTunes® credits in lieu of interest. *ATM fee reimbursement = Free unlimited use of WCTFCU ATMs, & with estatement get automatic reimbursement (up to $15/month with Regular Checking, and $25/month with A+ Checking) maximum $5/transaction. **Direct Deposit transactions must be activated after 4/1/19, between the date checking account is opened and 9/30/19. Direct deposit transactions are limited to Payroll, Social Security, Pension and Government Benefits.
Security Apps!
Fraud protection for WCTFCU Visa Debit & Credit Cards.
WCTFCU Members can get an extra level of security to safeguard their WCTFCU Debit & Visa Credit cards from fraud.
To control access, usage & spending on your WCTFCU debit &/or credit cards, simply use our 2 free mobile Apps on your smartphone & tablet.
Each App is unique to the specific card.
-
CardValet for your debit card
-
SecurLOCK Equip for your credit card
You can decide when, where and how your card is used; set customized alerts and activity limits.
Already using the Debit Card Alerts feature within WCTFCU online banking? For faster Debit Card Alerts, we suggest that you switch to CardValet.
Click below to learn more about each App:
•
Debit Card App CardValet
• Visa Credit Card App SecurLOCK Equip
Get $15 off TurboTax!
...and optimize your 2018 Tax Return.
WCTFCU Members can get up to $15 off their purchase of intuit TurboTax for Tax Year 2018.
Click here for to take advantage of this offer today!
TurboTax has you covered TurboTax is up-to-date on the latest tax laws and guarantees 100% accurate calculations, so you can be confident your taxes are done right.
+ You can snap a photo of your W-2, or import it into TurboTax from over 1 million companies. Either way, you'll save time and get a jump start on your 2018 tax return.
+ Real CPAs review your return With TurboTax Live, you can even talk with a CPA or EA onscreen for aunlimited advice and a final review of your return.
...Just another benefit of WCTFCU Membership!
How To Retrieve 2018 Tax Information
Your 2018 Tax forms (1099’s and 1098’s) are now available. Members can access their forms, and see the amounts that they paid & received on individual accounts, by following these simple steps.
Members that received at least $10, and Members that were paid at least $600, will be able to retrieve their 1099 & 1098's respectively as follows:
- Login to your online banking, click on Accounts widget (on the left-hand side)
- Click on Statements (across the top)
- All available statements and tax forms will show
Members that did not receive at least $10 or were not paid at least $600 will be able to retrieve their tax information as follows:
• Login to your online banking. Click on Accounts widget (on left-hand side)
• Click on a specific savings or loan account
• Click on Account Details (to the right and across the top)
• Scroll down to bottom of the screen to view Interest paid prior YTD
You will also be able to access this information in your estatements.
2018 Mortgage Statement will be mailed to you by our partner, Midwest Loan Services.
2018 IRA Statement will be mailed to you by our partner, ASCENSUS
2018 Student Loan Tax Information 1098-E retrievable on the UAS website, within your Student Loan account.
Questions? Call Member Service for assistance.
Your Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) Plan
WCTFCU is switching AD&D insurance providers.
Have you elected to purchase additional Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) coverage through
CUNA Mutual? (Supplemental to the $3,000 already provided through CUNA Mutual at no cost to WCTFCU Members.)
If so, effective December 1, 2018,
Minnesota Life Insurance Company is your new carrier for your AD&D coverage. This includes the initial $3,000 provided to you at no cost by WCTFCU, as well as any supplemental coverage that you choose to purchase.
Premium Payments You may have noticed that your December 2018 monthly AD&D premium was not deducted. This is because you will no longer pay on a monthly basis; you will now pay quarterly. Due to the change in administrator, the December 2018 billing will be delayed to be billed on or around January 14, 2019. Going forward, your premiums will be billed on a quarterly basis, on or around the third business day of March, June, September and December.
There will be no interruption in coverage. Affinion Benefits Group, LLC will be the new Plan Administrator.
You will be receiving a letter shortly from Minnesota Life with detailed information on these changes.
2018 Scholarships Awarded
2018 WCTFCU Scholarship Recipients (Left to Right) Kayleigh Anne Moses, Alexa Millius, Lauren Stango, John Fontaine Board Member, Missing from the photo is Gaia Mistriel
Teacher’s Credit Union Grants $14,000 in Scholarships
The Waterbury CT Teachers Federal Credit Union granted $14,000 in scholarships to area students. The Credit Union received 62 scholarship applications this year. The Scholarship Committee, a subcommittee of the Board of Directors, carefully evaluated the anonymous Applicants’ Application Form, GPA, Transcript, Essay, and Extracurricular Activities Resume in order to rate each students’ submission, and select the recipients.
The WCTFCU Board of Directors is pleased to introduce, the 2018 WCTFCU Scholarships recipients, all of whom graduated with honors. Alexa Millius, a Thomaston High School graduate, received
The Jean O’Brien Memorial Scholarship named for a former Board Member, this is a 4-year scholarship granted to a student with a declared major in education and plans for a career in teaching. Alexa will attend Central CT State University.
The 3 WCTFCU general Scholarships were granted to the following 2018 graduates. Kayleigh Anne Moses, a graduate of Southington High School who will attend Trinity College, Gaia Mistriel a Danbury High School graduate who will attend Eastern CT State University, Lauren Stango, a Pomperaug High School graduate, will attend Lafayette College.
Additionally, the 2015, 2016 and 2017 recipients of
The Jean O’Brien Memorial Scholarship all received renewals of their 4 year Scholarship.
Congratulations 2018 Scholarship Recipients!
Equifax Breach
UPDATE 02.2018 Equifax has reported to Sen. Elizabeth Warren and the United States Senate Banking Committee, that hackers in the 2017 breach accessed more of consumers' personal information than the company initially disclosed publicly last year. Stolen records include tax ID numbers*, email addresses and additional driver’s license information (driver’s license issue dates and states) beyond the license numbers it originally disclosed.
The additional stolen data could, for example, make it easier for cyber-criminals to access a victim's 401k, and IRS Taxes - in order to submit a fraudulent tax return. It is unclear how many of the 145.5 million people are affected by the additional data stolen. Equifax has sent mail notices to consumers whose credit-card numbers and certain other documents were affected. The fact that hackers accessed even more data shows both the vast amount of information that Equifax holds and the risks at stake for consumers given the level of personal information that has been compromised.
Source: Synopsis of WSJ 02.09.18 Equifax Hack Might Be Worse Than You Think, A Andriotis)
*Tax ID numbers are often assigned to people who do not have Social Security numbers.
Equifax Incident Involves 145.5MM+ Consumers
Equifax offers free identity theft protection & credit file monitoring to all US Consumers.
9.7.17 Equifax Inc. (NYSE: EFX) today announced a cybersecurity incident potentially impacting approximately 145.5 million U.S. consumers. The information accessed primarily includes names, Social Security numbers, birth dates, addresses and, in some instances, driver’s license numbers.
Equifax has established a dedicated website,
www.equifaxsecurity2017.com, to help consumers determine if their information has been potentially impacted, and to sign up for free credit file monitoring and identity theft protection (
TrustedID Premier) whether or not they have been compromised. The website also provides additional information on steps consumers can take to protect their personal information. In addition to availing the website, Equifax will send direct mail notices to consumers whose credit card numbers or dispute documents with personal identifying information were impacted.
The complimentary 12 month monitoring offering, called
TrustedID Premier, includes 3-Bureau credit monitoring of Equifax, Experian and TransUnion credit reports; copies of Equifax credit reports; the ability to lock and unlock Equifax credit reports; identity theft insurance; and Internet scanning for Social Security numbers – all complimentary to U.S. consumers for one year. Due to the severity of the risk associated with this Breach, there is now discussion that this service may in fact be extended as a free life-time service for all who enroll (update to follow). Consumers must enroll by January 31, 2018 to receive this free 12 month credit protection service. (this date was extended from the original November 2017 date)
How to enroll in TrustedID Premier:
1) Go to
https://www.equifaxsecurity2017.com/ read info provided, FAQs etc.
2) Select
ENROLL & read info provided, select
BEGIN ENROLLMENT enter your Last Name, and the last 6 digits of your SS#
3) Activate Service: Within a few weeks, you will receive an email with a link to activate
TrustedID Premier. (check your Spam & Junk email folders for this email) When the email arrives, follow the link to verify your email address and complete your enrollment. You will create a password and verify your identity by answering a few brief questions that only you should know.
TrustedID Premier will then be active. Keep your password in a safe and secure location.
You may/may not immediately see a notice that your data was/was not compromised. Regardless of whether or not your data was compromised, you are given the option to enroll in the 12 months of free
TrustedID Premier service. WCTFCU strongly encourages Members to sign up for this free service. If you do so, you will be shown a date on which you should return to the equifax website to complete your enrollment.
Enrollment period has been extended to Wednesday, January 31, 2018.
Questions? Call Equifax at 866-447-7559, as WCTFCU does not have further information.
Equifax recommends that consumers with additional questions visit
www.equifaxsecurity2017.com or contact the dedicated call center at 866-447-7559, which the company set up to assist consumers every day (including weekends) from 7:00 a.m. – 1:00 a.m. EST.
Source: www.equifaxsecurity2017.com
What else can I do?
Freeze Your Credit Report or Fraud Alerts You can elect to freeze your credit report at all 3 major bureaus: Equifax, TransUnion and Experan. Credit freezes typically cost $3 to $10 per bureau to place and remove. If you decide against a freeze, you should place a fraud alert on your credit reports at all 3 bureaus.
Get your free reports You can get your free credit report from each of the 3 credit bureaus once per calendar year. Do so in order to check for irregularities.
SS# and/or Identity Stolen? File an identity theft police report, and send a copy of it to each of the 3 credit bureaus along with any correspondence you have with the bureaus, the government and businesses.
The Gift of Time!
You will save time when you use these free, time-saving and secure resources:
- Online Banking: Real time, live account info & transactions, accessible on-demand; anywhere, anytime, from your smartphone, computer & tablet
- Account Activity Alerts: for whatever you want to track, such as transactions over a certain amount
- Monthly Estatements: email alerts when your statement is available in online banking
- Automatic Bill-pay: simply select the payee, select the pay-on date(s) & designate amount you'll pay
- Direct Deposit: into checking &/or savings then set transfers into your holiday & vacation club, taxes and other accounts
- WCTFCU App featuring:
- Mobile Check Deposit
- Person to Person Pay
- VISA Website: ezcardinfo.com to set alerts, monitor account activity & pay your Visa credit card bill
How will you spend your newly found time!?
2017 Scholarships Awarded
2017 WCTFCU Scholarship Recipients (Left to Right) John Fontaine Board Member, Shannon Goggin, Damaris Cabrera’s Mother (rep), Heather Brown, John Cronan Chairman WCTFCU Board of Directors, Katelyn Brodeur, Gary Huckins Board Member.
Teacher’s Credit Union Grants $12,500 in Scholarships
The Waterbury CT Teachers Federal Credit Union granted $12,500 in scholarships to 4 area students The Credit Union received 55 scholarship applications this year. The Scholarship Committee, a subcommittee of the Board of Directors, carefully evaluated the anonymous Applicants’ Application Form, GPA, Transcript, Essay, and Extracurricular Activities to rate each students’ submission, and select the recipients.
There were some stand-out themes among this year’s scholarship recipients. All started saving for college at a young age, and each wrote of the importance of personal responsibility and hard work.
Furthermore, their personal commitment to hard work within academics, areas of interest, and volunteerism has resulted in a very high level of performance.
The WCTFCU Board of Directors is pleased to introduce, the 2017 WCTFCU Scholarships recipients, all of whom graduated with honors. Katelyn Brodeur, a Naugatuck High School graduate, received The Jean O’Brien Memorial Scholarship a 4-year scholarship granted to a student with a declared major in education and plans for a career in teaching. Katelyn will attend Southern CT State University. The 3 Waterbury CT Teachers Federal Credit Union $1,500 Scholarships were granted to the following 2017 graduates. Damaris Cabrera, a graduate of John F. Kennedy High School. Damaris will attend the University of Connecticut. Heather Brown, a graduate of Sacred Heart High School, will attend the University of Connecticut. Shannon Goggin, a graduate of Nonnewaug High School will attend Texas A&M University.
Enhanced Share Certificates Portfolio (CDs)!
New term lengths & New earned interest rates!
New ways to save! A Share Certificate is a Credit Union’s version of a ‘CD or Certificate of Deposit’. Our newly expanded offering includes competitive rates on existing Share Certificates, and new term-lengths of 24, 36 & 48 months.
A smart, secure way to save. Now with more choices of term lengths & improved earned interest rates!
For more details on share certificates click here!
Gifts that keep on giving, 24/7!
3 secure, digital resources for our Members! Convenient, easy to use tools. Improving you 24/7 Member Experience.
Our Website
Simplified. Intuitive. Member-friendly. Comparative loan resources, rates, calculators, AutoSMART® car research & buying tool, videos & more!
Online Banking
Secure. State of the Art. Easy to Use. Customizable accounts dashboard, person to person pay, budgeting & savings goals tools & more!
WCTFCU App with P2P & Mobile Deposit
Whenever & Wherever! Mobile deposit, transfer funds, view transactions, person-to-person payment, check accounts & more!
Free VISA Credit Card Activity Alerts. Opt-in now!
VISA Alerts are easy to set up by cardholders who want to receive text &/or email, near real-time, notifications of the card activities that they select. You can:
- track specified card activity (ex. charges, payments, etc.)
- track your spending habits (ex. charges over a set $ amount)
- monitor your account for fraudulent activity (unfamiliar charges)
Alerts contain important information including purchase amount, retailer & location (if available), and the last 4 digits of your VISA card. Free for WCTFCU VISA cardholders, VISA Alerts can be a fraud alert tool, and a helpful budgeting resource. VISA Alerts are a valuable tool for managing your account.
2018 - 2019 Board of Directors
(L to R) Susan Troupe, Robert Brown, Tom Fava, Jack Cronan, John Fontaine, Lory Park-Knowles, Gary Huckins, Robert Migliorisi, Peter McCasland