APRIL 2024
Giving Back to the Community
APL FCU is sponsoring a Food Drive to support the Howard County Food Bank. We will be collecting canned and dry goods at all three branches through May 4th. Please consider making a donation during your next branch visit or during our May 4th Shred Day event. More Info
 Has Your ID Recently Been Stolen?
If your Driver's License or other Government-Issued Identification has been stolen from you, contact the issuing agency and follow their procedures to cancel the ID and get a replacement. Ask the agency to "flag" your file to keep anyone else from getting a license or another identification document in your name.
In addition to alerting the issuing agency, please alert the Credit Union. We will make a note on your account(s) so that extra precautions will be taken to protect your funds.
 Once you've taken these precautions, watch for signs that your information might be being misused. If you are not using our Bill Pay Service and mailed bills did not arrive on time, follow up with the creditors. A missing bill could mean an identity thief has taken over your account and changed your billing address to cover his tracks. Other signs include receiving credit cards that you didn't apply for or getting calls or letter from debt collectors about merchandise you didn't purchase.
Continue to read your financial account statements promptly and carefully, and to monitor your credit reports with the free Saavy Money tool within Digital Banking.
If your information has been misused, file a report about your identity theft with the police. Additional help can be found here.
 Kids Accounts - A Savings Plan
For all of us, having a purchase in mind, setting goals, and saving for it can be the secret to getting what we want. Helping our children get what they want by using this method can also work. Help them create a goal and to persevere until the desired amount of savings is achieved. As an incentive to focus on saving, consider making a matching contribution by adding 50 cents for every dollar your child saves. Open a Kids Account at APL FCU
To get started, log into our Digital Banking platform and click the Show My Score in the Credit Score Box in the upper right hand corner. From the landing page, scroll to the middle of the page to locate the Take an Assessment button within the Financial Checkup box.
Create a Savings Goal:
Help your child set a saving goal. Children's goals vary a ton based on their age, but might include toys, sports equipment, electronic devices, special clothes, or other big-ticket items. Let them discover for themselves that not all goals are worth the time and effort it takes to reach them. Once they’ve set a goal, create a clear way for them to track their progress. The more visible, the better. For example, a jar in the living room or a paper chain that you cut pieces off of for each milestone. This will remind them of their goal and give you both the chance to celebrate progress. |
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Open a Savings Account:
Take a trip to one of our branches and help your child open their first savings account. You can even ask one of our Member Service Reps to explain how interest works and why it’s wise to store your money in an account. Encourage your child to ask other questions about how financial institutions work. You may even choose to contribute a little to help get their fund started. But remember, the child needs to learn how important it is to regularly add money to the account. Interest won’t be enough on its own to reach their goals.
Open a Kids Account
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Do you know someone who lives, works or attends school in Howard County that is looking for a better banking solution?
Did you know your family members - even the ones that don't live or work in Howard County - are also eligible to join?
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