NFCU... do you need an in?

[McNugget]

Can anybody app for a Federal Navy Credit Union loan or credit card, or do you need a military background or some other sort of "in"?

[Anonymous]

There needs to be military affiliation in the family to get in, past or present. NFCU doesn’t have any back doors. 

https://www.navyfederal.org/resources/articles/personal-finance/are-you-eligible-to-join-navy-federa...

[Anonymous]

If I couldn't have done Navy Fed, I was going to try PenFed. PenFed will let you give a small donation to an organization to get in.

[Anonymous]

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@Anonymous wrote:
If I couldn't have done Navy Fed, I was going to try PenFed. PenFed will let you give a small donation to an organization to get in.

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PenFed has gotten super strict lately... I tried PenFed first back in September and they shot me down for two new accounts in March. NFCU a week later and yeah, I have more credit with them than anyone else and more than I ever thought possible for my income too. 

[McNugget]

Thank you, @Saeren.

My father-in-law is a (deceased) Army veteran so maybe that would meet the qualifications, but I don't think my husband and I will open an account with FNCU anyway. It doesn't feel right with him having passed.

[Repairman]

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@Anonymous wrote:

There needs to be military affiliation in the family to get in, past or present. NFCU doesn’t have any back doors. 

https://www.navyfederal.org/resources/articles/personal-finance/are-you-eligible-to-join-navy-federal.php

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I'm confused from reading their site. My affiliation would be through a family member, but does that family member have to join 1st, for me to be able to join? Or can I join, without that family member ever have joined?

[Anonymous]

They don't have to join first. They just need the information about who they are. They don't need to be living either.

[Anonymous]

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@McNugget wrote:
Thank you, @Saeren.

My father-in-law is a (deceased) Army veteran so maybe that would meet the qualifications, but I don't think my husband and I will open an account with FNCU anyway. It doesn't feel right with him having passed.

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Your husband has the right to be a NFCU member for his father’s service and your husband can sponsor you for membership. 

As for not feeling right about using the service of someone who has passed away, this is a benefit they left behind for their family. The way I looked at it using my grandfather’s service as retired Air Force is that he would be more than happy to help me get my finances on track if he was still alive. It’s up to you in the end but NFCU blew the doors wide open for me. In just over 3 months of membership, they extended me $15,200 in unsecured credit at their lowest APR on the two credit cards which is amazing for my low $18K disability income and since then my Discover crossed $10K in response and I am now primed for any card I want when my BK falls next year plus I have a $12,700 card with an 8.24% interest rate for any unexpected emergencies in a sea of 21+% APR cards. 

NFCU is an amazing financial institution and they wouldn’t have the family benefit if they didn’t feel that service should be rewarded by making family members eligible as well. 

[Anonymous]

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@Repairman wrote:

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@Anonymous wrote:

There needs to be military affiliation in the family to get in, past or present. NFCU doesn’t have any back doors. 

https://www.navyfederal.org/resources/articles/personal-finance/are-you-eligible-to-join-navy-federal.php

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I'm confused from reading their site. My affiliation would be through a family member, but does that family member have to join 1st, for me to be able to join? Or can I join, without that family member ever have joined?

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You can join without them having to join but just beware that doing so they may ask you for their service record, form DD-214, so it may just be easier to have them join and get the DD-214 filed and sponsor you after unless they are deceased. 

[Repairman]

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@Anonymous wrote:

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@McNugget wrote:
Thank you, @Saeren.

My father-in-law is a (deceased) Army veteran so maybe that would meet the qualifications, but I don't think my husband and I will open an account with FNCU anyway. It doesn't feel right with him having passed.

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Your husband has the right to be a NFCU member for his father’s service and your husband can sponsor you for membership. 

As for not feeling right about using the service of someone who has passed away, this is a benefit they left behind for their family. The way I looked at it using my grandfather’s service as retired Air Force is that he would be more than happy to help me get my finances on track if he was still alive. It’s up to you in the end but NFCU blew the doors wide open for me. In just over 3 months of membership, they extended me $15,200 in unsecured credit at their lowest APR on the two credit cards which is amazing for my low $18K disability income and since then my Discover crossed $10K in response and I am now primed for any card I want when my BK falls next year plus I have a $12,700 card with an 8.24% interest rate for any unexpected emergencies in a sea of 21+% APR cards. 

NFCU is an amazing financial institution and they wouldn’t have the family benefit if they didn’t feel that service should be rewarded by making family members eligible as well. 

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Thanks for sharing your amazing perspective and experience.