The State Employees' Credit Union in North Carolina (SECU) can help you save both time and resources if you qualify for membership. Look for information about the state employee credit union North Carolina workers are eligible to join in order to benefit business financial interests with lines of credit, checking accounts and building loans.

Information about the state employees' credit unions in North Carolina is available online and through the North Carolina workplace. Only employees of the state of North Carolina and their families can join SECU. Those who can should take advantage of the options available through the North Carolina employees' credit union for a number of reasons.

1. Get start-up financing through the main North Carolina state employee credit union.

2. Finance property through the North Carolina State Employees' Credit Union.

3. Use the free services of advisors at the State Employees' Credit Union in North Carolina.

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Find small business services at State Employees' Credit Union, NC

Membership in SECU is limited to state employees and other closely affiliated organizations to the state of North Carolina. A retired state employee or family member could open an account at one of the credit unions for state employees in North Carolina and use a line of credit to start a small business.

I recommend: Find out if you are eligible for membership in SECU through an affiliation that is honored by the state financial institution. Read about the benefits of credit union membership and the many ways you can take advantage of the services at Bankrate.

Take advantage of low interest rates at state employees' credit unions in North Carolina

By joining the state employee credit union, NC state employees' family members take advantage of low interest rates on loans and the availability of ATMs and offices all over the state. Finance a commercial or residential property with interest rates that are typically lower then the market average.

I recommend: Read up about the changes and consumer protections made by the National Credit Union Administration. Purchase residential homes for rental property and make them energy efficient with a "green loan" from SECU.

Use financial planning services at the NC state employee credit union

Credit union executives are trained and certified to sell mutual funds and other investment vehicles. There is no charge to credit union members for these services and the agents do not receive any commission. Small administrative fees apply for some accounts.

I recommend: A special service for State Employees' Credit Union members is free financial investment advisory services. Use your membership in SECU's ShareBuilder program to buy stocks from trained brokers.

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• •  You can join the North Carolina State Employees' Credit Union by buying shares with as little as $25. This is the lowest paying savings account, so keep share accounts above the minimum to maintain membership.

If you are looking for a credit union, the North Carolina State Employees Credit Union will be a good choice. The credit union, open to state employees and relatives of state employees, has several branches and offers many advantages to banking there.

If you are unsure about a credit union, there are many advantages to joining State Employees' Credit Unions in North Carolina. Consider the following when you research NC state employee credit union options:

1. At the North Carolina State Employee Credit Union, every member can vote for the board and the bylaws of the credit union.

2. You will receive more personalized service because a North Carolina employees credit union is often smaller than a traditional bank.

3. An NC state employees credit union often will offer lower interest rates on loans and lower fees than traditional banks.

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Find out if you can join the North Carolina state credit union

Because credit unions are run by their members, they are restrictive in who they will accept as members. Find out if you are eligible to join. If you are, then find out if it's a good fit to join the state employee credit union. North Carolina has several other options even if you don't qualify for the employees' credit union.

I recommend: Look at the eligibility requirements for members of the NC state employee credit union. If you don't qualify for the state employees credit union, NC has other options through the North Carolina Credit Union League.

Select a North Carolina state credit union for city or federal employees

Many state employee credit unions in North Carolina are open to city or federal employees. See if you qualify for one.

I recommend: The Local Government Federal Credit Union is open to all employees, elected officials and volunteers of local governments. Also, cities including Winston-Salem, have credit unions for local government employees. If you are still having trouble finding a place that you qualify for, search at FindACreditUnion.com which lists the credit unions that you can join.

Consider getting a loan through the North Carolina state employment credit union

One of the benefits to being a member of a credit union is that the fees and interest rates on loans are often more reasonable than traditional options. Research the rates of North Carolina State Employees Credit Union with other banks around.

I recommend: The website for the North Carolina State Employees Credit Union lists the requirements for: auto loans, mortgage loans and personal loans.

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• •  Even if you don't think you would be eligible for State Employees' Credit Unions in North Carolina, NC has other credit union offers. Look around and you might be surprised at your options.

Obtaining state employees’ credit unions in North Carolina education and training can provide you and your employees with access to a range of banking and insurance services. The North Carolina state employee credit union is a member-owned, nonprofit financial institution. Founded in 1937, the North Carolina state credit union serves the needs of 1.4 million members.

Members of State Employees' Credit Unions in North Carolina enjoy access to low loan rates, low fees and high deposit rates. To help you obtain the state employees’ credit unions in North Carolina education and training you need, you need to:

1. Learn more about state employees credit union NC membership criteria.

2. Research the various services offered by the North Carolina state employee credit union.

3. Provide staff with education on how to access services provided by North Carolina state employment credit union.

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Read more about state employees credit union NC membership requirements

The North Carolina state employee credit union has specific criteria on membership eligibility. For example, membership is available to North Carolina state and federal employees, employees of associations created for the benefit of the state of North Carolina and all members of the National Guard. Membership is also available to individuals retired from state and federal employers or associations affiliated with state agencies and family members of currently employed or retired individuals.

I recommend: Read more about member eligibility by visiting the North Carolina State Employees’ Credit Union Membership Eligibility webpage. You can also obtain membership information by checking out Associated Content.

Learn about state employee credit union North Carolina services

In addition to being a full-service banking institution, the North Carolina state employee credit union also offers its members personal line insurance coverage through its partnership with AAA, one of the largest personal lines insurers in North Carolina. Members of the North Carolina state employment credit unioncan also apply for car and mortgage loans, credit cards and obtain financial planning assistance. The credit union is also a supporter of renewable energy projects.

I recommend: Read more about how the North Carolina employees credit union supports earth preservation by checking out the U.S. Department of Energy. You can also read more about services provided by the credit union by visiting Credit Union Access.

Train staff on the North Carolina state employee credit union services

Joining the North Carolina state employee credit union can be a benefit to your employees. They can open an account for just $5 and enroll in payroll direct deposit and participate in various other online, automated and branch services provided by the credit union.

I recommend: Learn more about various services offered by the NC state employees credit union by checking out USA Today. Check out NCGA to read more about how the North Carolina state employee credit union provides affordable rates and one-on-one services to help individuals meet their financial goals.

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• •  You don't have to be a North Carolina state employee credit union member to enjoy the benefits of the institution. Non-members can also benefit from the nearly 1,000 North Carolina state employee credit union ATMs that offer low fees. Non-members can also take advantage of the many community-focused projects sponsored by the North Carolina state employees credit union.

If you are a North Carolina teacher or another type of state employees, or a family member of someone who is, the State Employees' Credit Union can be a valuable resource for managing your money. Credit unions are owned by their members and do not exist to make a profit. That's why at SECU, like most other credit unions, you can usually get better credit card interest rates, lower car loans, lower mortgage rates and higher interest on certificates of deposit. SECU also offers many unique services that have been designed to meet the needs of their members.

Here are just a few:

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Green loans

The North Carolina state employees credit union (SECU) offers two types of 'green' loans: one for vehicles and one for home mortgages. To qualify, vehicles must get a combined total of 28 miles per gallon, and homes must have an Energy Star rating. Vehicles and homes that meet these requirements qualify for better rates from SECU.

I recommend: To learn more about vehicle fuel economy, SECU recommends the fueleconomy.gov website. To learn more about Energy Star ratings for homes, SECU suggests the ENERGY STAR website.

Holiday cash club account

The SECU holiday cash club account allows members to save money for their annual holiday shopping spree. Members can set aside cash each month through October. At the end of October, the accumulated funds automatically transfer to the account specified by the member.

I recommend: You can find the details about the holiday cash club account at the SECU website.

Zard

Zard is SECU's Life Stages program for teens. Members ages 13-19 learn money management skills through Zard. Zard offers interest-bearing checking accounts, first-time car buyer loans, a Zard Card Visa check card, computer loans and many other options geared to the needs and interests of teens.

I recommend: Check out teenzard.org, SECU's website just for teens members. You don't need a user name and password to browse the site's features.

Golden Circle Club

The Golden Circle Club is one of SECU's Life Stages deposit accounts. It is offered to members who are age 50 and older. Golden Circle Club members enjoy many benefits including free notary services, free money orders, two free boxes of checks per year, free cashier's checks and two free wire transfers per month.

I recommend: You can learn more about the Golden Circle Club at the SECU website.

CESA

Parents, grandparents, and others can establish a Coverdell Education Savings Account (CESA) for a beneficiary under the age of 18. A CESA is a tax-deferred way to pay for elementary, secondary and college education expenses. Up to $2000 per tax year may be contributed.

I recommend: To learn more about Coverdell Education Savings Accounts visit the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website.

Summer cash program

The summer cash program is an aid to public school system and community college employees who do not receive paychecks 12 months out of the year. During the months when they are paid, participants designate a portion of their income to be set aside for the summer months when they do not receive paychecks. This money earns interest as cash accumulates.

I recommend: To learn more about the summer cash program, visit the SECU website.