- Overall Rating
- Pros and Cons
- Savings Review
- Checking Review
- Certificate Review
- Money Market Account Review
- About Signature Federal Credit Union
- FAQs
- Methodology
- How Signature Federal Credit Union Compares
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Compare Signature FCU AccountsSignature Federal Credit Union Savings Account
The bottom line: Signature Federal Credit Union might be a good choice if you're looking for a high-yield checking account or CD (what Signature calls "share certificates"). Both offer competitive interest rates. Its savings accounts, however, offer lower rates than national averages.
Signature Federal Credit Union Overall Rating
| Feature | Personal Finance Insider rating (out of 5) |
| Savings | 3.5 |
| Checking | 4 |
| Certificates | 4 |
| Money market account | 4 |
| Trustworthiness | 4.75 |
| Total | 4 |
Signature Federal Credit Union Pros and Cons
| Pros | Cons |
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Signature Federal Credit Union Savings Account Review
Signature Federal Credit Union Savings Account Start saving On Signature Federal Credit Union's website Insider’s Rating A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star Feesno monthly service fee
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)up to 0.15%
Minimum Opening Deposit$5
Pros- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No monthly service fees
- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. $5 minimum opening deposit
- con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Low interest rate
- con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Dividends compounded quarterly, not monthly or daily
- Open accounts online; you must open a Signature FCU Savings Account to become a member
- Over 5,000 shared branches in the Co-op network; tens of thousands of free ATMs combined in the Co-op and CULIANCE networks
- To join, be an immediate family/household member of an existing Signature FCU member; be a U.S. Postal Service postmaster, postmaster relief, supervisor, or officer in charge; be a Marymount University Alumni Association member or employee; be an employee of an approved organization; or join the American Consumer Council for $8 per year
- Earn dividends on balances of $100 or more
- Dividends compounded and paid quarterly
- Federally insured by the NCUA
Signature Federal Credit Union offers a variety of savings accounts, but its most basic one offers very low APYs (Annual Percentage Yields). With a balance of $5 to $99, account holders earn zero interest. At balances of $100 or more, the APY increases to 0.15% — lower than the national average rate for savings accounts.
If you want a high-yield savings account, you're better off looking elsewhere.
On the upside, Signature's savings accounts have no monthly fees, and there are options to help your children save. The credit union's Youth Savings account pays a little interest and offers up to a $20 annual bonus for earning all A's in school.
Compare Today's Rates
Signature Federal Credit Union High-Yield Checking Account Review
Signature Federal Credit Union High-Yield Checking Account Insider’s Rating A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star Feesno monthly service fee
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)up to 4.00%
Minimum Opening Deposit$0
Pros- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Earn a high interest rate
- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No minimum opening deposit
- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No monthly service fees
- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Free overdraft protection that sweeps money from savings to checking
- con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. $30 overdraft fee
- con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Dividends compounded monthly, not daily
- con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Doesn’t refund any fees charged by out-of-network ATM providers
- Open accounts online; you must open a Signature FCU Savings Account to become a member
- Over 5,000 shared branches in the Co-op network; tens of thousands of free ATMs combined in the Co-op and CULIANCE networks
- To join, be an immediate family/household member of an existing Signature FCU member; be a U.S. Postal Service postmaster, postmaster relief, supervisor, or officer in charge; be a Marymount University Alumni Association member or employee; be an employee of an approved organization; or join the American Consumer Council for $8 per year
- To qualify for the High-Yield Checking Account, complete the following each month: be enrolled in e-statements, receive at least $1,000 in direct deposits, and use your debit card for purchases at least 15 times
- You won’t earn interest on months you don’t meet the qualifications; you won’t earn interest on balances over $40,000
- Dividends compounded and paid monthly
- Federally insured by the NCUA
Signature Federal Credit Union offers a variety of checking accounts, but the high-yield option is its standout. The account pays up to 4.00% APY. Its highest APY is one of the best high-yield checking rates out there.
Signature's high-yield checking account doesn't require a minimum balance, but you do need direct deposits totaling at least $1,000 per month to qualify for the highest available APY. You also must use your account debit card at least 15 times per month and be enrolled in e-statements. Balances above $40,000 do not earn interest.
Along with its high-yield account, Signature also offers standard checking accounts, youth checking accounts, reward-earning accounts, and checking accounts for seniors.
Signature Federal Credit Union Certificate Review
Signature Federal Credit Union Certificate Start saving On Signature Federal Credit Union's website Insider’s Rating A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star Annual Percentage Yield (APY)3.00% to 4.75%
Minimum Opening Deposit$500
Pros- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Competitive APY
- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. $500 opening deposit
- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Standard early withdrawal penalties
- con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Interest compounded monthly, not daily
- con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. No terms over 5 years
- Become a Signature FCU member by depositing $5 in a Signature savings account
- Terms ranging from 3 months to 5 years
- 45 days to 900 days interest early withdrawal penalty
- Interest compounded monthly and paid monthly
Signature Federal Credit Union offers share certificates, which is what credit unions call certificates of deposit (CDs). Signature's terms range from three months to 60 months and require a minimum balance of $500. You'll earn 3.00% to 4.75% APY, depending on the term, and Signature is featured in our best CD rates guide.
Signature also offers a one-year EZ Save certificate, which offers a competitive APY with a minimum $50 deposit. You can deposit more into the account — a rare feature for certificates — throughout the one-year term.
Signature Federal Credit Union Money Market Account Review
Signature Federal Credit Union Money Market Account Start banking On Signature Federal Credit Union's website Insider’s Rating A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star A five pointed star Feesno monthly service fee
Annual Percentage Yield (APY)0.90% to 1.25%
Minimum Opening Deposit$0
Pros- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No minimum opening deposit
- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. No monthly service fees
- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Above-average interest rate
- Check mark icon A check mark. It indicates a confirmation of your intended interaction. Includes a debit card
- con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Access to paper checks, but they cost $45 per book
- con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Interest compounds monthly, not daily
- con icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. Doesn’t refund any fees charged by out-of-network ATM providers
- Open accounts online; you must open a Signature FCU Savings Account to become a member
- Over 5,000 shared branches in the Co-op network; tens of thousands of free ATMs combined in the Co-op and CULIANCE networks
- To join, be an immediate family/household member of an existing Signature FCU member; be a U.S. Postal Service postmaster, postmaster relief, supervisor, or officer in charge; be a Marymount University Alumni Association member or employee; be an employee of an approved organization; or join the American Consumer Council for $8 per year
- Tiered interest rate system: no interest earned on balances under $500, and your interest rate increases when your balance reaches $10,000 and $50,000
- Dividends compounded and paid monthly
- Federally insured by the NCUA
The Signature Federal Credit Union Money Market Account has a tiered interest rate system based on balance. You'll earn 0.90% to 1.25%. You won't earn interest on balance below $500, and your rate increases when your balance reaches $10,000 and $50,000.
There are no early withdrawal penalties on Signature's money market accounts, though account holders are subject to a six-withdrawal limit each month.
About Signature Federal Credit Union
Signature Federal Credit Union is a credit union based in Alexandria, Virginia. It opened in 1970 and offers a variety of checking accounts, savings accounts, certificates (CDs), loans, and other financial products. Even if you don't live in Virginia, you can open these accounts online.
Signature is a member of the Co-op Shared Branching network, which gives members access to more than 5,000 physical branch locations across the country. Members also have access to an online banking dashboard and mobile banking app, which currently has a 4.6 out of 5 stars in the Google Play store and a 4.8 out of 5 stars in the Apple store.
Customer service is available over the phone between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and via email. Deposits at Signature Federal Credit Union are insured by the National Credit Union Association (NCUA) for up to $250,000 per account ($500,000 for a joint account).
How to Join Signature Federal Credit Union
To open an account with Signature Federal Credit Union, you first must become a member. Membership is open to:
- Immediate family and household members of existing Signature FCU members
- U.S. Postal Service postmasters, postmasters relief, supervisors, or officers in charge
- Marymount University Alumni Association members and employees
- Employees of the National Association of Postmasters of the United States, the National Association of Postal Supervisors, Signature Federal Credit Union, the Enlisted Association of the National Guard of the United States, the National Enlisted Reserve Association, Case Design/Remodeling, Martin Communications, Mass Benefits Consultants, The PrintShop, FirstMark Financial Resources, the DC Coalition for the Homeless, Pet Assure, the Del Ray Business Association, the International Interior Design Association, and the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Washington
- Members of the American Consumer Council (you can become a member of this for $8 annually)
Once you've applied for membership, you'll need to open a Signature Federal Credit Union Savings Account and deposit $5 before you can use any of Signature's other products.
Is Signature Federal Credit Union Trustworthy?
At Personal Finance Insider, we typically look at Better Business Bureau ratings to see how a bank or credit union interacts with its customers. Signature Federal Credit Union has an A- rating from the BBB. The highest possible grade is an A+ but Signature FCU has an A- because it hasn't responded to one customer complaint on the bureau's website.
Signature Federal Credit Union has no recent public controversies.
Signature Federal Credit Union FAQs
Is Signature Federal Credit Union legitimate? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.Yes, Signature Federal Credit Union is a legitimate financial institution based in Alexandria, Virginia. It opened in 1970 and is insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA).
What is the Signature Federal Credit Union savings rate? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.Signature FCU's savings rates depend on what type of account you open. The Signature Federal Credit Union Savings Account, which you must open to become a member, pays up to 0.15% APY.
How are Signature Federal Credit Union's reviews? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.Signature Federal Credit Union currently has 3.4 stars on Google. It is not yet rated with the Better Business Bureau or Trustpilot.
Where are Signature Federal Credit Union's locations? Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options.Signature Federal Credit Union is headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, but it's primarily an online bank. It is a member of the Co-op Shared Branching network, which gives members access to 5,000-plus shared physical locations nationwide.
Methodology: How We Reviewed Signature Federal Credit Union
To review Signature Federal Credit Union, we rated its checking, savings, and money market accounts using Personal Finance Insider's bank account methodology, and its certificates using Personal Finance Insider's certificate of deposit methodology.
In general, we look at ethics, customer support, and mobile apps when rating an institution. Other factors we consider depend on which type of account we're reviewing. For example, we look at overdraft protection for checking accounts and early withdrawal penalties for CDs.
How Signature Federal Credit Union Compares
Signature Federal Credit Union vs. Redneck Bank
Both Signature Federal Credit Union and Redneck Bank offer high-yield checking accounts, though Redneck Bank pays a much higher APY.
Signature's high-yield checking account currently pays up to 4.00%, and it requires at least $1,000 in direct deposits and 15 debit transactions minimum each month to earn the best rate. Redneck Bank's account, on the other hand, offers up to 5.00% APY. You'll need a $500 minimum deposit and only 10 transactions per month.
While Redneck Bank is the clear choice if you're looking for a high-yield checking account, the same isn't true if you want to explore other products. Redneck only offers two products: the high-yield checking account and a money market account. Signature FCU's products include several savings, checking, and money market accounts, as well as certificates, loans, mortgages, and more.
Signature Federal Credit Union vs. Bread Savings
Signature Federal Credit Union and Bread Savings both offer certificates with high interest rates. Signature pays 3.00% to 4.75% APY, with terms from three months to six years. Bread pays 4.05% to 5.15% APY on terms between one and five years.
Bread only offers CDs that are one year or longer, so if you're looking for shorter terms, Signature may be the better choice. Signature also offers more products overall. Bread's products include only CDs and a high-yield savings account.
Aly J. Yale Aly J. Yale is a writer and editor with more than 10 years of experience covering personal finance topics including mortgages and real estate. She contributes to Personal Finance Insider’s mortgages and loans coverage.ExperienceAly began her journalism career as reporter, and later an editor, for several neighborhood sections of the Dallas Morning News.Her work has been published in several national publications, including Bankrate, CBS, Forbes, Fortune, Money, Newsweek, US News and World Report, the Wall Street Journal, and Yahoo Finance. She’s also contributed to a variety of mortgage and real-estate publications, such as The Balance, Builder Magazine, Housingwire, MReport, and The Mortgage Reports. Her favorite personal finance tip is to schedule regular check-ins to make sure your credit cards, savings accounts, and other financial vehicles still align with your budget and financial goals. She is a member of the National Association of Real Estate Editors (NAREE).ExpertiseAly’s areas of personal finance expertise include:- Mortgages
- Loans
- Real estate
- Insurance
Evelyn He Compliance and Operations Associate Evelyn He is a Compliance and Operations Associate on the Personal Finance team to ensure content accuracy and editorial independence so readers get up-to-date and objective financial advice.The compliance team's mission is to provide readers with fact-checked and current stories so they can make informed financial decisions. The team also works to minimize risk for partners by ensuring language is clear, precise, and fully compliant with regulatory and partner marketing guidelines that align with the editorial team. Read more Read less Top Offers From Our Partners 
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