The Difference between a Bank, a Credit Union and a Savings Institution

Terms like bank, credit union, and savings institution may seem interchangeable today. But there are some distinct differences between them in terms of business purpose, ownership and governance.

Chartering Authority, Deposit Insurance and Regulatory Examination

Banks, Credit Unions and Savings Instituions operate under federal or state charters. Their deposits, up to $100,000, are insured by one of two federal agenciesthe Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). All institutions are subject to periodic regulatory and federal insurance examination.

Ownership and Governance

Bank

Banks are community, regional or national for-profit business corporations owned by private investors and governed by a board of directors chosen by the stockholders.Credit Union--Credit unions are non-profit financial cooperatives owned by their members and governed by a board of directors elected by, and from among, those members. Usually there is a common bond among the members, such as belonging to the same organization or living in the same geographical area. Credit unions accept deposits from their members and use them to make short-term loans. Deposits are regarded as purchases of shares, and all earnings of the credit union are paid out as dividends to members.

Savings Institution

Savings institutions (also called savings & loans or savings banks) specialize in real estate financing. They can be either corporations or mutuals (a type of business where making a deposit is like purchasing stock in the organization). Savings institutions always have the letters SSB or FSB after the name to indicate whether they are a state savings bank or a federal savings bank, respectively. Both types are governed by an elected board of directors.

Range of services

Depending on size, all financial institutions usually offer basic banking services (checking and savings accounts, consumer loans, etc.) and many offer a fuller range of services (credit cards, mortgages, etc.). Each has some special features:

Banks emphasize business and consumer accounts, and many provide trust services
Credit unions emphasize consumer deposit and loan services
Savings institutions emphasize real estate financing