Education

We will continue to update this page to keep members informed of any changes.
You can also visit our Facebook or Twitter pages.     4/30/2020

BRANCH INFORMATION
Achieve Financial branch lobby services are by appointment only.
Members should wear a mask when coming in for their scheduled appointment.

• Appointments will not be taken for:
  withdrawals, deposits, transfers and loan or visa payments.
• Cash withdrawals and deposits can be done at our ATMs. 
• Deposits can also be done through mobile check deposit with our mobile banking app.
• Transfers and loan and visa payments can be done through online banking.
• For transactions that are normally done with a teller,  you can easily do those online or, we are still offering those transactions through our New Britain branch drive-up.

Appointments for other matters may be made by calling:
New Britain Branch - 860.828.2790 ext. 8121
Meriden Branch -      860.828.2790 ext. 8320

For questions regarding loans, call 860.828.2790 option 2.

YOUR MONEY IS SAFE
Member deposits are federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration our equivalent to banks FDIC. Click here for more information.

PARTNER NEWS
For Achieve Financial members who have purchased an auto insurance policy through our partner, Liberty Mutual, they have announced that they are giving members a 15% refund on two months of their annual auto premium through the Personal Auto Customer Relief Refund. For additional information visit the Liberty Mutual COVID-19 website.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. WE ARE HERE TO HELP.
If you have been impacted by COVID-19 and need our financial support, we are here to help. Here's what we're doing:

Auto Loan Refinancing - Refinance your auto loan from another lender and make no payments for 90 days. Find out more.

Financial Relief Loans - Take out a personal loan and you won’t need to make your first payment for 90 days. Find out more. 

Home Equity Loans - Consolidate debt into one convenient monthly payment using your home's equity. Find out more. 

Online Account Transfers - Effective immediately through June 30th, online account transfers will not be subject to the six electronic withdrawal/transfer limit per month.

Skip-A-Pay Loan Program - All Achieve loans, except Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOC's), are eligible for this program at this time. We are waiving the fee and loans will be processed to skip two months of payments. Fill out our online form to get started. For more information click here.

Postponed Fee Increase- Fees that were scheduled to increase on April 1st will be delayed until July 1st.

KEEPING STAFF AND MEMBERS SAFE
The credit union continues to take the necessary steps to keep both members and employees safe by:

• Having employees practice proper hand washing protocol.
• Asking staff to wear masks and disposable gloves when necessary.
• Daily cleaning and sanitizing of all offices and branches including counter surfaces, door handles, ATMs and more.
• Encouraging members to use electronic documents and forms versus in-person communication.

TOOLS TO BANK FROM HOME

Online banking and our Mobile banking App.
These services will allow you to check balances, transfer funds, deposit checks, pay bills, make loan and credit card payments, apply for loans and more. If you haven't signed up for Online Banking yet - Sign up today. 

Debit Cards - AFCU offers members surcharge-free ATM access at CO-OP and Sum ATMs.  Use our mobile banking app to find an ATM near you.

Mobile Deposits - Use our mobile banking app to deposit checks.

ATM Deposits - Use our debit card to make cash or check deposits at a Credit Union ATM. The first $200 is immediately available to withdraw in cash.

Apply for loan - Use your desktop, laptop, tablet or mobile phone to apply for a personal, auto or home loan.

STAY INFORMED:
Unfortunately, scammers are taking advantage of the current situation. Be aware.  Be informed. Be extra cautious.

• Learn more about COVID-19 scams.
• Read about the best practices to manage your money safely.
• Fraudsters will continue to look to take advantage of the COVID -19 emergency to propagate scams.
• Be vigilant if you receive something that seems out of the ordinary.
• Achieve Financial will never contact you to ask for your online/mobile banking login, password or other personal identifying information.
• NEVER respond to emails asking you to verify information or provide login credentials unless you personally generated the request.
• If you are unsure if a phone call or email from Achieve Financial is genuine, please call our Member Service Center at 860.828.2790 option 5.  

KEEPING STAFF AND MEMBERS SAFE
The credit union continues to take the necessary steps to keep both members and employees safe by:

• Having employees practice proper hand washing protocol.
• Asking staff to wear masks and disposable gloves when necessary.
• Daily cleaning and sanitizing of all offices and branches including counter surfaces, door handles, ATMs and more.
• Encouraging members to use electronic documents and forms versus in-person communication.

For additional information about COVID-19, click here for the latest reports from the CDC and the State of Connecticut.

Tips on How to Maintain Financial Health during COVID

Maintaining financial health now, can help you be better prepared for whatever life throws your way in the coming weeks and months. Here are a few things to keep in mind.

Review your budget and find areas to trim spending
Trimming discretionary spending now can be good practice for making it through the month on a smaller income. Scrutinize every dollar you spend.  Are there subscriptions you can cancel or services you can downgrade?  Bundle your insurances to see if you can find any savings.  There are many apps and online programs available to help you create a budget. No matter what application you use, tailor it to your specific needs. Print this worksheet to get started.

Establish an emergency savings account. 
Any amount that you can start putting aside for unexpected expenses will help you when you need it most in the future. Set-up automatic transfers so money goes into an extra savings account every month.
View this fun video as a reminder of why an emergency fund is so important.

Continue to Pay your Bills.
There are ways to get help if you are struggling to pay your bills due to the current crisis, but if you can still pay your bills on-time, you will be better off. If you decide to use a program that lets you pause or reduce payments, remember that you will still owe the money you have not paid once the program ends.

If your financial condition has been negatively impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19), and you’re unable to pay your Achieve loan on time, please call us at 860.828.2790, option 2, to discuss payment arrangements.

Or, if you are having difficulty paying your mortgage or rent due to the current situation, see what options are available to help assist you.

Keep Investing for Retirement
It’s important to remain calm when it comes to your 401K and investments. Ask any financial advisor and they’ll likely remind you that investing is a long-term game. So, if you can, try to avoid making any rash investing decisions right now – and that includes not pulling back on your monthly 401k contributions.

Consider a Refinance
The silver lining of an economic environment like this is falling interest rates. Refinancing an existing mortgage at a lower rate can potentially save homeowners several hundreds of dollars a month. That extra breathing room in a budget can be a real boon in a time like this.

The coronavirus has already impacted the economy tremendously,and will likely continue to do so for a while. Keep your own finances safe by remaining calm, putting your health first and taking some of the practical steps mentioned above. And remember, your credit union is here to help.

Credit Unions are Making a Difference in their Members Financial Lives

Every story matters. Every action counts. We can all make a difference.  In a time of uncertainty, sharing stories of how we are helping each other can give us comfort and reassurance.  

We are here for you.  No matter what the financial need.
Big or small. Let's work together.  #FinancialFirstResponders

For many, we are forced to change the way that we normally do things, like our banking.  A large percentage of people have jumped on the bandwagon of the virtual world and electronic banking. Some have not.

We are seeing members who have never used an ATM or Debit card. Our Branch staff assisted a member who needed to access her funds but had always gone into the branch before to do so and would now need to figure out a new way to get cash. We were there to help.

As we have heard so often lately, facts not fear.  Nowadays, this seems to apply to almost every aspect of our lives.  People can have a fear of being forced to do something in a new way. As financial first responders, our job is to give you the facts and help guide you through that fear to accomplish your financial needs.

Our staff was able to build the member’s confidence by guiding them with the knowledge they would need to learn a new way to access their money. It was critically important to that member that they learn this new skill. We gave them the tools. Every step, every action we take, along with kindness, can help you through financial uncertainty.

Being patient, kind and understanding during this difficult time is something our staff does well.  One member was scammed for several hundred dollars. Our staff was able to make a payment arrangement and redirect funds so the member would have access to their money over the weekend making the member extremely grateful.

Another Achieve member’s entire household is out of work because of COVID-19.  Through our Skip-A-Pay loan program; this member is able to skip the next two months of her loan payments giving her peace of mind.

One member called to report fraud. We immediately sprang into action by blocking their card and printed a new one right away. Using extra security precautions, we were able to reopen the member’s online banking account so they could access their accounts in a timely manner. This was all done while showing the member empathy and kindness. The member was so appreciative because of how helpful the staff was and how quickly it was taken care of. They felt such relief after having to deal with a scary situation such as fraud.

WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.  What can we do to help?