start the new year with a solid financial plan – free ...start the new year with a solid financial...

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WINTER 2016 Start the New Year with a Solid Financial Plan – Free Personal Finance Consultation Happy New Year! 2016 has arrived and there is no better time to review your personal finances and goals. Whether you need help balancing your budget, buying a home, or putting a retirement plan in place for the future, Infinity FCU Specialists are always available sit with you one-on-one. To make an appointment for a FREE Personal Finance Meeting, Call 1-800-499-8401 Ext: 4135. Need Extra Money to Cover Holiday Expenses? Skip-A-Payment Service is available! Are you receiving holiday bills? Are you realizing that you might have exceeded your gift giving budget? IFCU encourages our members to make responsible financial choices, but we also know there are times in life when making your monthly loan payment might be difficult due to certain situations. IFCU’s Skip-A-Payment service provides a way to manage these special circumstances. Instead of cutting corners to make your monthly payment on your loan, we allow you to skip your payment and use those funds for other needs. To qualify for the program, you must meet the following criteria: • All IFCU loans and accounts must be current and in good standing. • All requests must come through the website, or in writing directly from our member. • You may ‘skip’ each eligible loan one time per year. • Loan to be skipped must be current for six months prior to skipped payment per loan per calendar year (one skipped payment = one monthly payment, two consecutive bi-weekly payments, or four consecutive weekly payments). • Interest will continue to accrue during the period to be skipped, which will extend the term of the loan. • Program does not apply to Mortgage loans, Home Equity loans, Revolving Line of Credit, MasterCard credit card balances. • A $25.00 fee will be charged with each Skip-A-Payment. ** Fee will be waived for skipped payments in JANUARY 2016! To request a payment skip, simply complete a Skip Application under the “services” page of our website. If you require any additional information, or would like to speak with an Infinity representative, call 1-800-499-8401 extension 4120. *Request form and fee must be received by IFCU at least five (5) business days before your loan payment is due. Finance charges will continue to accrue and will extend the term of your loan. A $25.00 processing fee is charged for each loan you request to skip. Fee will be waived for loans skipped in December 2015 or January 2016. This offer is NOT applicable to mortgage loans, home equity loans, home equity lines of credit, MasterCard credit card balances, unsecured lines of credit or past due loans. You are limited to one skipped payment per loan during each calendar year. Contact our lending department for full details at 1-800-499-8401 ext 4120 Jan 2016 Newsletter.indd 1 12/17/2015 1:33:44 PM

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Page 1: Start the New Year with a Solid Financial Plan – Free ...Start the New Year with a Solid Financial Plan – Free Personal Finance Consultation Happy New Year! 2016 has arrived and

W I N T E R 2 0 1 6

Start the New Year with a Solid Financial Plan – Free Personal Finance Consultation Happy New Year! 2016 has arrived and there is no better time to review your personal finances and goals. Whether you need help balancing your budget, buying a home, or putting a retirement plan in place for the future, Infinity FCU Specialists are always available sit with you one-on-one. To make an appointment for a FREE Personal Finance Meeting, Call 1-800-499-8401 Ext: 4135.

Need Extra Money to Cover Holiday Expenses? Skip-A-Payment Service is available! Are you receiving holiday bills? Are you realizing that you might have exceeded your gift giving budget? IFCU encourages our members to make responsible financial choices, but we also know there are times in life when making your monthly loan payment might be difficult due to certain situations.

IFCU’s Skip-A-Payment service provides a way to manage these special circumstances. Instead of cutting corners to make your monthly payment on your loan, we allow you to skip your payment and use those funds for other needs.

To qualify for the program, you must meet the following criteria:• All IFCU loans and accounts must be current and in good standing.• All requests must come through the website, or in writing directly from our member.• You may ‘skip’ each eligible loan one time per year.• Loan to be skipped must be current for six months prior to skipped payment per loan per calendar

year (one skipped payment = one monthly payment, two consecutive bi-weekly payments, or four consecutive weekly payments).

• Interest will continue to accrue during the period to be skipped, which will extend the term of the loan.• Program does not apply to Mortgage loans, Home Equity loans, Revolving Line of Credit,

MasterCard credit card balances.• A $25.00 fee will be charged with each Skip-A-Payment. ** Fee will be waived for skipped

payments in JANUARY 2016!

To request a payment skip, simply complete a Skip Application under the “services” page of our website. If you require any additional information, or would like to speak with an Infinity representative, call 1-800-499-8401 extension 4120.*Request form and fee must be received by IFCU at least five (5) business days before your loan payment is due. Finance charges will continue to accrue and will extend the term of your loan. A $25.00 processing fee is charged for each loan you request to skip. Fee will be waived for loans skipped in December 2015 or January 2016. This offer is NOT applicable to mortgage loans, home equity loans, home equity lines of credit, MasterCard credit card balances, unsecured lines of credit or past due loans. You are limited to one skipped payment per loan during each calendar year. Contact our lending department for full details at 1-800-499-8401 ext 4120

Jan 2016 Newsletter.indd 1 12/17/2015 1:33:44 PM

Page 2: Start the New Year with a Solid Financial Plan – Free ...Start the New Year with a Solid Financial Plan – Free Personal Finance Consultation Happy New Year! 2016 has arrived and

IRAs: Even A Little Can Add Up To A Lot Even if you think you’ll never retire, or it’s so far off you rarely think of retiring, opening or adding to your Individual Retirement Account is a smart thing to do. That’s because according to the Internal Revenue Service, there are two tax advantages of an IRA:

1. Contributions you make to an IRA may be fully or partially deductible, depending on which type of IRA you have and on your circumstances, and

2. Generally, amounts in your IRA (including earnings and gains) are not taxed until distributed. In some cases, amounts are not taxed at all if distributed according to the rules.

You can open and contribute to a Traditional IRA if you (or if you file a joint return, your spouse) received taxable compensation during the year and you were younger than age 70 1/2. If you designate your IRA as a Roth IRA, you can’t claim a deduction for it, but generally, distributions from it are tax-free. See your tax advisor for details, then contact the credit union to open or add to your IRA.

Debt Consolidation Downsize Your Bills With An Infinity Federal Credit Union Consolidation Loan.

Life has a way of throwing curve balls, and, sometimes, it seems you get more than your fair share of them. The furnace needs repair at the same time the roof springs a leak. The insurance bill is overdue. Tires won’t last the winter...

It’s time to visit INFINITY to apply for a consolidation loan! With a Consolidation Loan, you can pay off your bills and make only one low monthly payment. A Consolidation Loan may protect your credit rating, too. With just one payment to make instead of juggling payments on multiple bills, you’ll be in a better position to pay on time. A Consolidation Loan may save you money as well, especially if you are carrying a balance on a high-interest-rate credit card or on the amount owed to a creditor.

INFINITY Debt Consolidation Loan, with rates as low as: 5.50% APR*

So call, click, or stop by INFINITY to find out more about how a Consolidation Loan can get you back on track.

* Annual Percentage Rate varies based on credit qualifications and participation in other Infinity services. Monthly payment example: 1 year loan for $1,000 at 5.50%=$85.84. Rates may change without notice.

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Look for our “Infinity Inbox” emails: Credit Union News - You Can Use! Our inaugural issue of the “Infinity Inbox” was sent in October. This bi-monthly emailed correspondence features Credit Union News - You Can Use. We deliver financial tips, insightful articles, promotional offers, links to helpful tutorials and relay upcoming events. If you wish to receive these e-mails, please contact your local branch to update or add your e-mail address. As with any e-mail correspondence, you have the ability to unsubscribe at any time.

Jan 2016 Newsletter.indd 2 12/17/2015 1:33:45 PM

Page 3: Start the New Year with a Solid Financial Plan – Free ...Start the New Year with a Solid Financial Plan – Free Personal Finance Consultation Happy New Year! 2016 has arrived and

Notice of Vacancies on INFINITY’s Board of Directors In accordance with the Bylaws of Infinity Federal Credit Union, this serves as the official notice of the 95th Annual Meeting to be held on Thursday May 5, 2016, at 6:00 p.m., at a location yet to be determined.

The Nominating committee has submitted three candidates for the three vacant positions on the Board of Directors. The candidates are Pamela Lemieux, Samuel Novick, and Kate Caron. As per the Bylaws, the Secretary will

Don’t Let It Happen to You! The fastest growing crime in America is Identity Theft, and the best protection is prevention. Here are some tips to safeguard your good name:

• Protect your Social Security number; don’t carry your card in your wallet.

• Do not give out your personal information unless you made the contact. Scam artists “phish” for victims by pretending to be credit unions, banks, stores, government agencies, etc. They do it by phone, email, and snail mail.

• Shred papers with personal information. Always shred credit card offers that you don’t use. Also, shred those “convenience checks” you don’t use.

• Open your credit card bills and bank statements right away. Check for unauthorized charges or withdrawals and report them immediately.

• Protect your computer from viruses and malware. Use firewall, virus, and spyware protection software - make sure it is updated regularly. Always use “strong” passwords.

• When you’re online, always click with caution. Only enter personal information on secure web pages with “https” in the address bar and a padlock symbol at the top or bottom of your browser window.

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collect other nominations by petition. The petition must be signed by 1% of the membership, with a minimum of 150 and a maximum of 500 member signatures. Nominations by petition must be given to the Secretary on or before February 12, 2015, by 5:00 p.m., at Infinity’s 202 Larrabee Road office in Westbrook, ME 04092, accompanied by a statement of qualifications and biographical data.

Community Corner Giving Trees - INFINITY Branches each sponsored local organizations with “Giving Trees” in their lobbies during the month of December:Arundel – Salvation Army and the Town of Arundel Fuel Assistance ProgramBangor – Salvation ArmyPortland – The Center for Grieving ChildrenWestbrook - Westbrook Community Center

Casual Jeans Fridays – Ending HungerBy donating $2 for the privilege, INFINITY staff can wear jeans on Fridays, with the proceeds to benefit local food banks through the Maine Credit Unions’ Campaign for Ending Hunger. We are proud to announce we raised a total of $754 for the 3rd Quarter 2015!

Jan 2016 Newsletter.indd 3 12/17/2015 1:33:46 PM

Page 4: Start the New Year with a Solid Financial Plan – Free ...Start the New Year with a Solid Financial Plan – Free Personal Finance Consultation Happy New Year! 2016 has arrived and

Holiday ClosingsFriday, January 1 New Year’s DayMonday, January 18 Martin Luther King, Jr. DayMonday, February 15 President’s Day

We may be closed, but our automated services are

always available:

• Online/Mobile Banking• ATM/Debit Card• Telephone Banking• 24-7 Loan Applications

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Office Hours and TDD AccessMonday through Friday

9:00 AM to 5:00 PMSaturday 9:00 AM to Noon

(Lobby service in Westbrook, Bangor, & Arundel)

Main Telephone: 854-6000Toll Free: 1-800-499-8401

24-7 Loan ApplicationsPhone: 1-800-499-8401

Online: www.infinityfcu.com

FAXWestbrook: 854-6054Portland: 854-6074Bangor: 945-4857Arundel: 282-4927

Lending Department: 854-6064

Mailing AddressP.O. Box 9742

Portland, ME 04104-5060

Branches202 Larrabee Road • Westbrook, Maine

854-60004 Davis Farm Road • Portland, Maine

854-6000193 Broad Street • Suite 1 • Bangor, Maine

945-42841298 Alfred Road • Arundel, Maine

571-1753

http://www.infinityfcu.com

All rates subject to change without notice.

Earn UChoose Rewards® with Infinity’s MasterCard® Infinity has a FREE rewards program! Earn points every time and everywhere you use your Infinity FCU MasterCard®! Points can be redeemed for travel, merchandise, gift cards, and even cash! Earn 1 point per every $1.00 spent on your Infinity MasterCard®. The more you shop, the more points you earn! Register your card(s) online at www.uchooserewards.com!

Winters are SNOW much Fun! Snowmobile Loan

• As low as 3.50% APR*• New, Used or refinanced

Snowmobiles* Annual percentage rate as of 12/12/15; rate varies based on your credit qualifications, amount borrowed) and participation in other INFINITY services. Payment example: 1 year at 3.50%=$84.92 per $1,000. Rates may change without notice.

2012 - 2015

Individual Retirement Account Withholding Notice Payments from your IRA are subject to federal income tax withholding, unless you elect no withholding.

You may change your withholding election at any time prior to your receipt of a payment. To change your withholding election, complete the appropriate form provided by your credit union.

Withholding from IRA payments, when combined with other withholding, MAY relieve you from payment of estimated income taxes. However, your withholding election does not affect the amount of income tax you pay.

You may incur penalties under the estimated tax rules if your withholding and estimated tax payments are insufficient.

Jan 2016 Newsletter.indd 4 12/17/2015 1:33:55 PM