U S Federal Credit Union

What U S Federal Credit Union does

U S Federal Credit Union (legal name U S #1364 Federal Credit Union, DBA USFCU) is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative founded in 1936 in Merrillville, Indiana, originally as Sheet & Tin Credit Union serving steel workers. Today the institution is open to anyone who lives, works, worships, or attends school in Lake or Porter County, Indiana, and serves approximately 12,000 members through four branches (Merrillville HQ, Valparaiso main, Valparaiso Meijer in-store, Portage) plus comprehensive digital channels.

The product mix is the standard full-service community credit union suite: deposit products (regular share savings, checking, money market, share certificates, Christmas Club, traditional/Roth/rollover IRAs, and youth accounts), consumer loan products (auto loans up to 72 months, motorcycle, recreational vehicle, mortgages with ARM options, home equity, signature loans up to $5,000, secured loans, and Sallie Mae-referred private student loans), fee-free checking with free debit cards, and digital banking through iOS/Android apps, web banking, Zelle P2P, text-message banking (short code 454545), mobile remote deposit, debit-card on/off controls, and a touch-tone IVR ("Suzie Teller"). Member perks include access to 35,000+ surcharge-free ATMs via CO-OP Network and Alliance One, free notary and cashier checks, and add-on partnerships (TruStage life/AD&D insurance, Trustage mechanical repair coverage, Working Advantage discounts, CarQuotes auto buying, Deluxe Provent identity protection).

The business model is a credit union cooperative: member-owned with no shareholders, profits returned via better deposit yields and lower loan rates instead of dividends; primary revenue from net interest income across the loan portfolio, supplemented by fee income (overdraft transfers $20, NSF/courtesy pay $32, stop payment $32, card replacement $10, Skip-A-Pay $30, $7.50 monthly service charge on under-minimum savings accounts). All deposits are federally insured by NCUA up to $250,000 per member ($500,000 for IRAs). Marketing is community-led, anchored on local events (Popcorn Fest), member referrals ($100–$150 per conversion), social channels (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram), and a quarterly member newsletter.

Name

U S Federal Credit Union

Legal name

U S #1364 Federal Credit Union

Website

https://usfederalcu.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1936

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

U S Federal Credit Union is a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative chartered in 1936, serving about 12,000 members in Lake and Porter County, Indiana through four branches, full digital banking, deposit accounts, consumer loans, and NCUA-insured products.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Credit Union Banking and Consumer Lending

NAICS

Credit Unions (52213), Credit Unions (522130)

SIC

Savings Institution, Federally Chartered (6035)

akta.pro primary industry

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

akta.pro secondary industry

Bank & Credit Union Personal Loans (Unsecured Installment) (FSAKAAAL)

Keywords

• Retail banking services
• Consumer lending
• Mortgage loans
• Savings accounts
• Credit union services

Headquarters

HQ city

Merrillville

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

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 from Loans: Primary revenue source from auto loans, mortgages, home equity loans, signature loans, secured loans, student loans, and recreational vehicle loans. Credit union returns profits to members through better rates rather than distributing to shareholders.
2. Fee Income: Various service fees including overdraft transfer ($20), NSF/returned item ($32), stop payment ($32), courtesy pay ($32), ATM fees at non-network ATMs, card replacement ($10), Skip-a-Pay processing ($30), and monthly service fees for accounts not meeting minimum balance requirements.
3. NCUA Insurance: Federally insured by National Credit Union Administration up to $250,000 per member. IRA accounts insured for additional $250,000.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

U S Federal Credit Union is a member-owned, not-for-profit financial cooperative that delivers retail banking products and consumer lending services to approximately 12,000 members in Lake and Porter County, Indiana. Its core offerings span deposit accounts (checking, savings, money market, share certificates, IRAs, youth accounts), consumer loans (auto, motorcycle, RV, mortgage, home equity, signature, secured, and student loans), and digital banking services supported by four physical branches and a 24/7 digital channel stack.

Product overview

U S Federal Credit Union is a member-owned financial cooperative established in 1936, serving residents of Lake and Porter counties in Northwest Indiana. The institution operates as a single-platform banking provider offering a comprehensive suite of financial products organized into three primary categories: deposit accounts (checking, savings, money market, share certificates, IRAs, and youth accounts), loan products (auto, motorcycle, RV, mortgage, home equity, signature, secured, and student loans), and digital banking services (online banking, mobile app, bill pay, Zelle, text banking, and money management). Core membership benefits include fee-free checking, free debit cards, access to 35,000 surcharge-free ATMs, lower loan rates, and member discounts. The institution supplements its core offerings with insurance products (life, AD&D, mechanical repair coverage), purchase rewards, referral incentives, and exclusive member discounts through Working Advantage.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Regular Share Savings Account

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration14 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sallie MaecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership with Sallie Mae to provide private student loans for undergraduate and graduate students. Sallie Mae offers competitive interest rates, no origination fees, no prepayment penalties, and multiple repayment options including deferred, interest-only, and fixed monthly payments during school.
• TruStagecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorProvides Accidental Death & Dismemberment (AD&D) insurance and life insurance products to members. Coverage amounts from $10,000 to $300,000 for AD&D. Life insurance helps cover funeral costs, mortgages, and unpaid debts.
• TrustagecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMechanical Repair Coverage program offering protection against costly vehicle repairs. Benefits include repair at any authorized facility in US or Canada, rental reimbursement up to $35/day for 5 days, 24-hour roadside assistance up to $100, and travel expense reimbursement up to $500.
• ZellecoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegrated person-to-person payment service allowing members to send and receive money using email or mobile phone numbers. Funds transfer directly between bank accounts typically within minutes. Available through online and mobile banking.
• CO-OP NetworkcoreTechnology or IntegrationSurcharge-free ATM network providing members access to over 35,000 ATMs nationwide at no additional cost.
• Alliance One ATMscoreTechnology or IntegrationAdditional surcharge-free ATM network partner expanding access to fee-free cash withdrawals across the nation.
• Working AdvantageminorGTM or Marketing PartnerExclusive member discount program offering savings on electronics, appliances, theme parks, hotels, movie tickets, rental cars, apparel, flowers, fitness memberships, groceries, and more. Access using company code USFCU.
• Deluxe ProventminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorIdentity protection service offered through Deluxe Provent providing peace of mind with affordable identity theft protection for members.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Indiana Members Credit Union: Large Indiana-based community-charter credit union operating statewide with a broader retail/consumer focus. Comparable cooperative structure, similar deposit and consumer-loan product mix, but materially larger scale.
• Purdue Federal Credit Union: Indiana-based federal credit union serving Purdue-affiliated members and broader Indiana community. Comparable depository/credit union model with digital and consumer-lending focus.
• Teachers Credit Union: Indiana-headquartered credit union serving educators and broader Indiana community with full retail banking services. Comparable cooperative structure and Indiana geographic scope.

Direct peers

• Self-Help Federal Credit Union: Federally chartered, community development-focused credit union serving a defined low- and moderate-income geography. Comparable regulatory framework, membership restriction, and product offerings.
• Evansville Teachers Federal Credit Union: Federal credit union with occupational origins (educators) that has expanded to broader community membership. Highly comparable in operating model, product offerings, and size relative to U S FCU.
• NorthPointe Federal Credit Union: Federal credit union serving Northwest Ohio and Southeast Michigan communities with a comparable small-scale, community-focused member-owned model and similar product breadth.
• Notre Dame Federal Credit Union: Indiana-headquartered federal credit union serving a defined membership base with a comparable community development credit union (CDCU) heritage. Similar product suite (savings, consumer loans, mortgages, digital banking).

Regional players

• Horizon Bank: Community bank with significant Northwest Indiana branch presence in Lake and Porter counties. Direct geographic competitor for retail deposits, mortgages, and consumer lending.
• Centier Bank: Indiana-headquartered community bank with deep Northwest Indiana branch presence and a member-focused relationship model. Direct geographic overlap with U S FCU's Lake and Porter county footprint, comparable community-banking culture.
• First Financial Bank (Indiana): Indiana-anchored community bank providing consumer deposit and loan products in Northwest Indiana markets. Comparable retail/community banking footprint and product mix.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/usfederalcu
• Facebookfacebook.com/usfederalcu
• Instagraminstagram.com/usfederalcu
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/u-s-federal-cu-1364

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 U S Federal Credit Union