Marin County Federal Credit Union

What Marin County Federal Credit Union does

Marin County Federal Credit Union (MCFCU) is a federally chartered, member-owned cooperative credit union headquartered in a single branch at 30 N. San Pedro Road #115, San Rafael, California. Founded in 1963 as San Rafael Federal Credit Union and granted a Community Charter in 1999, the institution serves anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in Marin County, along with their family members, and had grown to approximately $100 million in total assets by its 2024 Annual Report. The credit union is regulated by the NCUA, federally insured to $250,000, and led by President/CEO Elesja Callaghan, with a volunteer Board of Directors and Supervisory Committee elected by members.

The product set spans core consumer banking: a 100% Free Checking account, Share Savings, Certificates of Deposit (3 to 36 months) and IRAs; lending products including new and used auto/RV/motorcycle loans (as low as 4.49% APR), Home Equity Lines of Credit up to $360,000 (as low as 6.25% APR), unsecured and share-secured personal loans up to $25,000, lease buyout loans, a single-rate 12.4% APR Visa Credit Card (with a Secured Visa variant), and mortgage products through a dedicated Mortgage Center; and add-on protection products including Mechanical Breakdown Protection and GAP coverage. Underlying technology consists of a cloud-hosted digital banking platform (Home Banking at mobicint.net), a Mobile Banking app for iOS and Android with mobile check deposit, Remote Control card on/off functionality, free bill pay, e-statements, and a 24-hour phone teller, all supplemented by access to 30,000+ free CO-OP Network ATMs across 50 states and 10 countries.

The revenue model is that of a traditional consumer credit union, dominated by net interest income on the loan portfolio (auto, HELOC, personal, credit card) and supplemented by transaction and penalty fees (wires, NSF, stop payment, ATM after five free monthly transactions), Visa credit card interchange, and referral fees from a strategic alliance with MML Investors Services (17.5% of dealer concessions, commissions, and advisory fees). Distribution combines the single San Rafael branch, the digital platform, the CO-OP ATM network, the phone teller, and partner channels including BALANCE Financial Fitness (free counseling) and True North Financial Group/MMLIS (investment and insurance). Customer acquisition relies on community presence, word-of-mouth, a $50-to-both-parties member-get-member referral program, Marin IJ earned-media recognition, and community sponsorships via the Good Plastic program, which donates 1% of Visa Credit Card net income to Marin County nonprofits.

Name

Marin County Federal Credit Union

Legal name

Marin County Federal Credit Union

Website

https://marincu.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1963

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Marin County Federal Credit Union is a federally chartered, member-owned cooperative credit union founded in 1963 and headquartered in San Rafael, California, serving residents and workers of Marin County with deposit accounts, consumer and mortgage loans, a Visa credit card, and digital banking via its mobile app and 30,000+ CO-OP ATMs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Retail Banking

NAICS

Credit Unions (52213), Credit Unions (522130)

SIC

Savings Institution, Federally Chartered (6035)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Credit Unions (Retail/Consumer Focus) (FSABAEAA)

Keywords

• Consumer banking services
• Credit union lending
• Deposit accounts
• Digital banking
• Home equity loans

Headquarters

HQ city

San Rafael

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Interest Income on Loans: Primary revenue source. The credit union earns interest on auto loans, home equity lines and loans, credit cards, personal loans, and RV/motorcycle loans. Rates range from 4.49% APR for new auto (720+ credit score, 36 months) to 17.99% APR for unsecured personal loans.
2. Banking and Transaction Fees: Fees include outgoing domestic wire transfers ($20), outgoing international wire ($35), incoming wires ($10/$20), ATM fees at non-MCFCU ATMs after 5 free per month ($1 each), returned deposit ($25), NSF fees ($25), stop payment orders ($20), account closure within 90 days ($25), and various card fees.
3. Visa Credit Card Income: Credit card interest income and interchange. 1% of net credit card income is donated back to community organizations (Marin Humane, Downtown Streets Team) via the Good Plastic Program.
4. Referral Fees from Financial Services Partners: Marin County FCU receives compensation from MML Investors Services (17.5% of dealer concessions, commissions, and advisory fees) for referring clients to MMLIS and its representatives for financial planning, investments, and insurance products.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Marin County Federal Credit Union is a not-for-profit, member-owned cooperative that provides full-service consumer banking products to residents of Marin County, California. Its core offering includes deposit accounts (Free Checking, Share Savings, Certificates of Deposit, IRAs), consumer loans (auto, RV, motorcycle, HELOC, mortgage, personal), credit cards (Visa and Secured Visa), and digital banking services backed by 30,000+ free CO-OP ATMs nationwide. Revenue is generated primarily through interest income on loans, with secondary income from transaction fees, credit card interchange, and referral commissions from affiliated financial planning partners.

Product overview

Marin County Federal Credit Union offers a comprehensive suite of banking products and services primarily focused on serving members in Marin County, California. The credit union's core offerings include deposit products (Free Checking, Share Savings, Certificates of Deposit, and IRAs), a variety of loan products (Vehicle Loans including Auto and RV, Home Equity Lines of Credit, Mortgage products through a dedicated Mortgage Center, Personal Loans, and Visa Credit Cards), and digital banking services (Home Banking, Mobile Banking with Mobile Check Deposit, Bill Pay, and E-Statements). The credit union also provides card management tools (Remote Control Cards), access to the CO-OP ATM Network, and partners with BALANCE Financial Fitness for counseling and True North Financial Group/MML Investors Services for investment and insurance products. Products like Mechanical Breakdown Protection and Guaranteed Auto Protection (GAP) are offered as add-on coverage for vehicle loan customers. The structure is a traditional credit union model with a full range of consumer banking products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Kirby Kangaroo Savings Club: A children's savings program that teaches kids the value of money, rewards them with prizes at various savings levels, and includes a special Kirby teller desk at the branch.

Products and services

• 100% Free Checking Account A fee-free consumer checking account with a free Visa Debit Card, mobile check deposit, and access to 30,000 free ATMs and 5,000 CO-OP Shared Branches; targeted at Marin County consumer members.
• Share Savings Account Primary savings account required for membership with a $10 minimum to open; balances over $100 earn dividends and can secure lending rates for member borrowers.
• Certificates of Deposit Term-based savings products from 3 to 36 months, opening with as little as $1,000, with federally insured deposits and competitive APYs ranging from 2.00% to 3.75%.
• Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) Traditional and Roth IRA savings options with no account setup fees and potential tax advantages for retirement savings.
• Kirby Kangaroo Savings Club Youth savings club for children up to age 12 with a $5 initial deposit funded by the credit union, a special teller desk at the branch, and prizes awarded as balances grow.
• New and Used Auto, RV, and Motorcycle Loans Consumer vehicle financing with free preapproval, zero-down options, flexible terms, and competitive APRs (as low as 4.49% APR for new auto on 720+ credit, 36-month term).
• Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) Revolving credit line secured by home equity with lines up to $360,000, no annual fee, and competitive rates (as low as 6.25% APR first position) for first- and second-position liens.
• Home Loans / Mortgage Center Mortgage loan products for home purchase and refinancing, delivered through a dedicated Mortgage Center with local service for fast answers.
• Personal Loans Unsecured signature, debt consolidation, and share/certificate-secured personal loans up to $25,000 and terms up to 60 months (120 months for share-secured) with rates as low as 6.99% APR unsecured.
• Visa Credit Card Low-rate Visa credit card with flat 12.4% APR, no annual fee, no balance transfer fee, no cash advance fee, no penalty rate, and credit lines up to $25,000; 1% of net income is donated to Marin Humane.
• Secured Visa Credit Card Secured credit card for building or rebuilding credit, with same 12.4% APR as the regular Visa, no annual fee, and payments reported to credit bureaus.
• Lease Buyout Loans Loans for buying out existing vehicle leases at competitive rates with no application fee, allowing members to own their leased vehicles.
• CO-OP ATM Network Access Surcharge-free access to 30,000+ CO-OP Network ATMs across all 50 states plus 10 countries, plus text-to-91989 ATM locator service for members.
• Home Banking Web-based online banking platform for viewing balances and histories, transferring funds, setting up alerts, and reviewing cleared checks via mobicint.net.
• Mobile Banking Native mobile banking app for Apple iOS and Android devices featuring account access on the go and Mobile Check Deposit, available on the App Store and Google Play.
• Remote Control Cards Free service allowing members to turn their Credit and Debit cards on or off from their smartphone, with options to temporarily disable or permanently block lost/stolen cards via the Mobile Banking app.
• True North Financial Group / MML Investors Services Financial Planning Onsite financial planning services through registered representatives offering mutual funds, fixed and variable annuities, life insurance, disability income insurance, long-term care insurance, retirement products, IRAs, estate planning, and business continuation strategies.
• BALANCE Financial Fitness Complimentary financial counseling, resources, education, live webinars, and online tools for developing spending plans and reaching financial goals, available online, by phone, or chat.

Quantifiable outcome

• Auto loan refinancing saves members approximately $100 per month on average when refinancing from another lender
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• True North Financial Group / MML Investors Services, LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarin County FCU has a strategic alliance with True North Financial Group and MML Investors Services, LLC (a FINRA member broker-dealer). Registered representatives are available at the credit union to offer securities, investment advisory, and financial planning services. Products include mutual funds, fixed and variable annuities, life insurance, disability income insurance, long-term care insurance, estate planning, and business continuation strategies. MCFCU receives 17.5% of dealer concessions, commissions, and advisory fees from MMLIS as compensation for referrals.
• BALANCE Financial FitnesscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMarin County CU has partnered with BALANCE to provide complimentary and confidential financial counseling, resources, and education to members and Marin County residents. BALANCE counselors help members develop spending plans, build savings, reach financial goals, and avoid bankruptcy. Monthly live webinars are offered. Counseling is available online, by phone, or chat. Member information is kept confidential from the credit union.
• CO-OP ATM NetworkcoreTechnology or IntegrationMarin County FCU is a member of the CO-OP ATM Network, providing members access to 30,000+ free ATMs across all 50 states plus 10 countries. ATMs are primarily at credit unions and 7-Elevens. Members can also locate ATMs by texting their zip code to 91989. This network is a key differentiator, giving MCFCU more free ATMs than any bank.
• ADU Marin (Partnership between ten cities and County of Marin)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerADU Marin is a partnership between ten cities and the County of Marin to inform residents about Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs). MCFCU refers members to ADU Marin for information on ADU design, building, and planning, and offers HELOC financing to help members build ADUs. MCFCU is not affiliated with or a sponsor of ADU Marin — links are provided for reference only.
• Marin HumaneminorGTM or Marketing PartnerMarin Humane is the annual recipient of 1% of Marin County CU's Visa Credit Card net income through the Good Plastic Donation Program. MCFCU has sponsored dozens of animals including special-needs pup Willow. The credit union also sponsored Marin Humane's second Free Mobile Clinic at the West Marin School in Point Reyes Station, providing free vaccinations, microchips, and pet food.
• Downtown Streets TeamminorGTM or Marketing PartnerDowntown Streets Team supports homeless and at-risk individuals in San Rafael through a one-year transitional work program into permanent housing and employment. MCFCU donated 20 solar-powered phone and device chargers to DST Team Members through the Visa Credit Card's Good Plastic donation program. The CEO Elesja Callaghan observes DST crews on her commute and values the organization's community work.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• First Technology Federal Credit Union: Large technology and community-charter credit union with comparable consumer loan, HELOC, and digital banking offerings; competes for high-income Bay Area tech workers residing in or near Marin County.
• Patelco Credit Union: Large Bay Area credit union offering a similar full-service consumer product suite (checking, savings, auto, HELOC, Visa). Operates a broader footprint than MCFCU but competes for the same Marin County residents.
• California Credit Union: Statewide California credit union offering consumer checking, savings, auto loans, and Visa cards with a similar member-owned value proposition but materially larger scale and broader geographic reach.
• BECU (Boeing Employees Credit Union): Large community-charter credit union offering a comparable full-service consumer product suite with strong digital banking. Different founding field of membership but same member-owned cooperative operating model.

Regional players

• Redwood Credit Union: Northern California community credit union with a comparable consumer-banking, auto-loan, and HELOC product set serving a similar geography north of San Francisco. Closest like-for-like community-charter competitor to MCFCU.
• Kinecta Federal Credit Union: Southern California community credit union with comparable full-service consumer banking, auto, HELOC, and Visa offerings; relevant as a size-and-product-set benchmark for MCFCU's growth trajectory.
• SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union: California-based community-charter credit union with similar cooperative governance, member-referral programs, and consumer deposit/loan products, though serving a different occupational community.
• San Mateo Credit Union: Peninsula community credit union with overlapping Bay Area consumer base and a comparable not-for-profit cooperative model. Direct competitor for Marin-adjacent members and similar digital/mobile product offering.

Direct peers

• Travis Credit Union: California community credit union offering the same core consumer banking products (free checking, auto, Visa, HELOC) with a comparable community-charter orientation and member-get-member growth approach.
• Self-Help Federal Credit Union: Community-development credit union with a comparable cooperative, member-owned structure and focus on underserved markets. Similar deposit/loan product mix and Bauer-rated stability profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/MarinCountyCU
• Instagraminstagram.com/marincountycu
• Xx.com/MarinCountyCU
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mcfcu

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Marin County Federal Credit Union