Spring 2023 Newsletter - Acclaim Federal Credit Union

A QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER FOR ACCLAIM FEDERAL CREDIT UNION MEMBERS

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Lifetime Achievement Award

Acclaim FCU CEO/President, Valerie Marsh

Acclaim FCU is proud to to announce that our very own CEO/President, Valerie Marsh, was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Carolinas Credit Union Foundation Awards Gala last month.

Valerie started her credit union career at American Partners Federal Credit Union in 1980, as one of two employees. She has never shied away from a challenge. She fondly tells the story of how “she fell in love with the credit union movement, immediately”. During her tenure at American Partners she held various titles, Assistant Manager, Operation Manager and Director of Finance to name a few. Valerie spent her days and some nights working hard for the members and she thrived in the areas of operations and accounting.

In 2002, Valerie moved into her new role at Acclaim FCU, as the VP of Accounting. Very quickly management realized that Valerie had a niche for stream-lining processes and increasing efficiencies. She

led the accounting department and assisted in operations. Valerie can bring out the best in her employees, this is an attribute that has served her well in her career. When the opportunity presented itself in 2007, Valerie was appointed as President/CEO of Acclaim Federal Credit Union.

Under Valerie’s leadership, Acclaim Federal Credit Union has grown in assets from 23 million to 60 million in 2022. Valerie is a pioneer of innovation and technology. She’s always made sure that, even though we are a small credit union, our members had the newest advancements.

During her career, Valerie has trained, equipped, and inspired numerous credit union employees to value the credit union movement and to never forget the member comes first, always. She has empowered her staff by sharing her credit union knowledge and always promoting our mission, vision, and values. Valerie is more than a President/CEO, she is our mentor, our teacher, and our inspiration to help our members. We congratulate her work for achieving this prestigious award!

Introducing Our New Contactless Debit Card

Tap. Pay. Go.

Introducing Acclaim FCU’s all new vertically redesigned Contactless Debit Card! A card designed for the way they are used. Contactless payments are an alternative to swiping or inserting a chip into a card terminal. It is a no touch form of payment using a debit, credit, or gift card on a point-of-sale system. They use technologies called radio frequency identification (RFID) and near-field communication (NFC) to process transactions.

Contactless cards are often called “tap and go” or “tap to pay”, although no tapping is actually needed. These cards have a small embedded chip that is different from the “insert” chip which emits electromagnetic waves that transmit payment information. To make a contactless payment, the merchant must have a contactless-enabled terminal. You will see the contactless indicator symbol on your card which looks similar to the wifi signal on its side. The same symbol will appear on the point-of-sale terminal indicating that it accepts contactless payments. To make the payment, simply hold your card over the terminal for a second or two. The terminal will usually beep indicating the payment has been made.

Contactless cards have many benefits. It is a more secure way to do a transaction since your information is encrypted with a one-time code. They are up to ten times faster than other methods such as inserting your card. It reduces contact with surfaces which has been a concern of the general public since the onset of Covid-19. And, there is less wear and tear on your card, particularly your chip and magnetic strip since you don’t have to insert or swipe as much. We hope you are as excited about this fast, easy, and secure contactless cards as we are!

Credit Card Conversion

All new vertically redesigned!

Acclaim FCU works everyday to ensure our members have the highest quality financial products. In an effort to enhance our credit card product, we are changing our credit card processor to bring our credit cards “in-house.” Our debit and credit cards will now be under the same card processor. This change will occur on Monday, April 24, 2023.

With this change, you will now be able to view your transactions in your Acclaim FCU Online Banking. You will no longer need to access the details through EZ Card Info. Payments will post in real-time” and you will not have to wait a day to see or use your updated available credit.

Acclaim FCU Credit Cardholders will be receiving a newly designed credit card in the mail. If you have co-signers or authorized users, each person will receive a new card with their own unique card number as a security feature. Your credit card statements will be combined with your regular Acclaim account statements. Please note that your Credit Card Statement eDocument preferences will convert to what you you have chosen for your regular Acclaim account statement.

The new payment address will be:

PO Box 29527
Greensboro, NC 27429

For more important changes and frequently asked questions, please visit https://www.acclaimfcu.org/services-tools/credit-card-changes/

Budget-friendly Meals Under $8

French Onion Frittata

All the best parts of French onion soup packed into a one-pan meal!

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
2 cups day-old bread, diced
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
8 large eggs
1/4 cup whole milk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup Gruyère cheese, diced

Directions:

Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven. Heat to 400°F.
Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet over medium heat until bubbling. Add the bread cubes to the pan, toss to coat with butter, and arrange in a single layer. Toast the bread, tossing every minute or so, repeating until cubes are golden-brown on all sides, about 5 minutes total. Transfer the croutons to a bowl; set aside.
Reduce heat to low. Add oil, onions and 1/2 teaspoon of the salt to the skillet. Cook, stirring every 5-10 minutes until the onions are soft and deeply browned, about 40 minutes total. Add vinegar and scrape up the browned bits at the bottom of the pan.
Whisk together the eggs, milk, mustard, remaining 1 teaspoon salt and pepper in a large bowl. Stir the remaining butter and croutons into the skillet, then spread in an even layer. Pour the egg mixture over the croutons and tilt the pan so the eggs settle evenly. Top with the cheese. Cook until the eggs at the edges of the skillet begin to set, approximately 4 minutes.
Bake in the preheated oven until the eggs are set, 8 to 10 minutes.
Cool for 5 minutes. Slice into wedges and serve warm.

Yield: 4-6

Prep time: 30 min

Cook time: 1 hour 10 min

Pro Tip: Top with fresh spinach, tomatoes, or bacon.

All You Need to Know About Buying a Home in 2023

If you’re planning to buy a home this year, you likely know you won’t be dealing with typical circumstances. The real estate market has been completely upended by the pandemic along with its ensuing financial fallout, and it has yet to recover. While the extreme market conditions that characterized the last two years are beginning to settle down, the market is still far from stable.

Here’s what to expect when buying a home this year, and how to make the most out of the current market conditions.

Flattening home prices

Home prices shot up by 18.2% year-over-year in 2021, and then a generous 9.6% in 2022. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) predicts median existing home prices will inch up just 0.3%, and new homes will rise by 1.3% in 2023. This is fabulous news for buyers who were looking at inflated prices on homes these last two years.

Stabilizing mortgage rates

Mortgage rates more than doubled in 2022, from approximately 3% to more than 6%, further driving up the price of buying and owning a home. In contrast, the 30-year fixed mortgage is expected to average between 5.2% and 6.8% in 2023, according to recent predictions by

Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac, the Mortgage Bankers Association and the NAR. While the Federal Reserve still plans to raise rates, it’s slowed its pace, with the most recent increase in December being just 0.50%, as opposed to previous 0.75% hikes. Lenders will likely slow down their interest rate increases as well.

More negotiating room for buyers

In recent years, the home-buying process was characterized by

fierce bidding wars, which left little to no room for buyers to negotiate. That’s about to change. With the supply of available

houses on the market creeping closer to matching the demand, buyers will have more negotiating power and will be able to stand firm on their personal preferences, like home inspections and a lower price.

Tips for buying a house in 2023

If you plan to buy a new house this year, here’s how to prepare for and ensure a smooth and successful process.

Get your finances in order. It’s a good idea to verify you can afford to buy a new home before you start your search. If it’s possible, take a good look at your finances for at least
Boost your credit score. You’ll need a minimum credit score of 670 to qualify for a home loan from most lenders, so make sure your score is up to par before you hit the market. Work on paying down debt, paying your bills on time or early and lowering your credit utilization in the months leading up to your search. You’ll also want to avoid opening new cards at this time.
Understand your mortgage options. Depending on your personal circumstances, you may benefit from a mortgage backed by the Federal Housing Administration (FHA), which only requires a 3.5% down payment, or a VA mortgage, which requires no down payment. Similarly, a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage may be in your best interest, or consider going with a 15-year adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM). Make sure you know your options well so you can make an informed choice.

Shop around for a mortgage lender. Do your research before choosing a lender. Look for a lender that offers the kind of mortgage you need, and ask for referrals from recent clients. You’ll also want to compare the loan estimates you get from different lenders, looking at the rates, fees, estimated closing costs and anticipated monthly mortgage payment.
Get your pre-approval before you start your search. This way, you’ll know exactly how much house you can afford, and sellers will regard you as a serious buyer.
Move quickly when you’ve found a possible yes. The market may be cooling down, but it’s still competitive. If you want to buy a home this year and have your finances worked out before you start shopping, it’s a good idea to make an immediate offer on the home you like.

If you plan to buy a home in 2023, you’ll be dealing with a market that’s slowly settling down, but is still far from stable. Use this guide to learn what kind of market conditions you’ll be facing and how to prepare for the process.