Mountain America Credit Union Review: Members Get Rewarded
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Fees
5.0
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Rates
4.5
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Opening Deposit Requirements
5.0
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Accessibility
4.5
A good way to begin this Mountain American Credit Union review is with a quick look at some of its strengths and weaknesses:
Pros
- Low or no minimum balance requirements
- Competitive interest rates
- No or low monthly maintenance fees that can be easily waived
- Options for teen and youth checking, savings and certificate of deposit accounts
Cons
- Limited geographic reach
- Restricted membership
About Mountain America Credit Union
Mountain America Credit Union is headquartered in Sandy, Utah, and has more than 95 branches in Utah, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico and Nevada. Members have access to over 50,000 ATMs nationwide through the CO-OP network.
Membership is available to Utah residents who live in Salt Lake County, Duchesne County, Wasatch County and Uintah County; employees or volunteers of a Select Employer Group or affiliated association; and family members of or those sharing a home with an existing member.
Mountain America Credit Union Products
Mountain America Credit Union has a full suite of banking and financial services products, including checking and savings accounts, certificates, credit cards, home loans, insurance and investment products. Interest rates are competitive with other financial institutions since Mountain America, like all credit unions, is a not-for-profit cooperative owned by members and therefore not concerned with returning profits for shareholders. Here’s an overview of its product lineup:
| Product | Features |
|---|---|
| Checking Accounts |
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| Savings Accounts |
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| Money Market Accounts |
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| Certificates |
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| Insurance |
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| Investments |
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The breadth of products offered by Mountain America Credit Union, along with the competitive interest rates, make it a good choice if you like to keep all of your accounts in one place.
Mountain America Credit Union Checking Accounts
Mountain America Credit Union offers three checking accounts: MyFree Checking, MyStyle Checking and Student Checking, which is designed for customers ages 16 to 24. Here’s what you need to know:
Features
- No monthly service fee or minimum balance requirement for MyFree Checking and Student Checking
- MyStyle Checking has a $4 monthly service fee, but waived with either $1,000 in direct deposits each month, at least 10 debit or credit card transactions each month, or an average daily balance of $2,500
- Rewards points included with MyStyle Checking and Student Checking
Pros
- No or low monthly service fees that can be waived
- No minimum opening balance requirements
- Rewards for MyStyle and Student Checking can be used for cash back, travel rebates, gift cards and more
Cons
- No interest-bearing option
- $2-a-month charge for paper statements
Mountain America Credit Union Savings Accounts
Mountain America Credit Union offers a Primary Savings account, which earns 0.05% APY. You can open an account with as little as $5 but a $100 average daily balance is required to earn interest. You can also open a secondary savings account to save for a specific goal. This account, which is part of your primary account, has no minimum balance requirement and earns 0.05% APY regardless of the balance. Youth Savings and Teen Savings accounts are available as well to help young savers build good savings habits.
Features
- 0.05% APY
- $100 minimum balance on Primary savings
- $25 minimum balance on Youth and Teen savings
- Primary Savings account includes optional secondary account to save for specific goals
Pros
- No monthly service fees
- Secondary account option to earmark funds for a specific goal
- APY higher than many other banks
Cons
- $100 balance required to earn interest on Primary Savings
- No high-yield options
Mountain America Credit Union Money Market Account
Mountain America Credit Union’s money market account pays tiered interest ranging from 0.05% to 0.10% APY, depending on your balance. The opening amount is only $1.
Features
- Higher rate on higher balances
- Access to your money
- APY ranges from 0.05% to 0.10%
Pros
- Ability to add or withdraw funds at any time
- Competitive APY vs. many other banks
Cons
- Deposits of $50,00 or more required for highest interest rate
Mountain America Credit Union Certificates
As a credit union, Mountain America offers certificates rather than CDs. They both work the same, offering a fixed rate of interest over a fixed period of time. In most cases, you cannot add funds to the certificate during the term, and there is usually a penalty if you withdraw funds before the end of the term.
Mountain America offers a Traditional certificate, Growth certificate, Youth certificate and Christmas Club certificate. Traditional certificates have a $500 minimum account opening balance and offer a rate bump of one increase in the interest rate if it becomes available during the term. The Growth certificate has a minimum balance of $5 and lets you add funds at any time during the term, up to a cumulative cap of $100,000.
The 12-month Youth certificate is available to members under age 28 and requires only a $5 minimum balance. Additional deposits of up to $10,000 per year are allowed. The Christmas Club certificate is similar — you can open the account with as little as $5 and add funds whenever you want, up to $10,000. It matures on Nov. 1 and automatically converts to a secondary savings account at the end of the term in case you need to access the money for holiday shopping.
Features
- Terms from six months to five years
- APY from 0.20% to 0.80% APY
- Ability to add funds to Growth, Youth and Christmas Club certificates
Pros
- Competitive APY
- Youth certificate pays highest rate
- Numerous types and terms to choose from
- Low minimum balances for Growth, Youth and Christmas Club certificates
Cons
- Penalty may be assessed for early withdrawal
Banking Experience
Mountain America has branches in just six states, but members have access to ATMs nationwide through the CO-OP network. Branch hours may vary, so check online or call ahead to find out the hours for your local branch.
Live customer service reps are available six days a week by calling 800-748-4302. Hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. MST Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. MST on Saturday. Online chat is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Mountain America Credit Union also offers online and mobile banking. The MACU Mobile Banking app is available on the App Store, where it has rating of 4.7 stars out of 5; and on Google Play, where it has a rating of 4.3 stars.
How To Open an Account
You can open an account online in minutes. Here’s what you’ll need to provide:
- Name, address and ID (driver’s license, state ID or passport)
- Phone number
- Date of birth
- Employment status and employer (if employed)
- Social Security or Taxpayer Identification Number
Mountain America will determine your eligibility for membership when you apply to open an account. You can also open an account at a branch, but you’ll need to make an appointment to do so.
Key Information
Customer Service Number: 800-748-4302
Routing Number: 324079555
Mountain America Credit Union Fees
While Mountain America Credit Union’s account fees are reasonable, you might face other fees for certain activities and services. Here are some of the fees that cannot be waived:
| Type | Amount |
|---|---|
| Incoming wire transfer | $10 |
| Outgoing wire transfer | $15 |
| International wire transfer | $30 |
| NSF fee | $25 |
Mountain America Credit Union vs. Competitors
When deciding which bank to choose, you want to make sure you’re choosing the best one for your specific needs. Here’s how Mountain America Credit Union stacks up to the competition.
| Bank | Best For |
|---|---|
| Mountain America Credit Union | Competitive rates and youth accounts for Utah residents |
| Zions Bank | Military customers in Utah |
| Chase Bank | Credit card options |
| Bank of America | Nationwide branches |
Mountain America Credit Union vs. Zions Bank
Zions Bank is also based in Utah and similar in size to Mountain America Credit Union, and has a special checking account for military customers. Mountain America Credit Union offers higher interest rates on its savings accounts and has more products available for young customers.
Mountain America Credit Union vs. Chase Bank
Chase Bank has a national presence and wide variety of credit cards, some with bonus rewards points and miles. Mountain America Credit Union offers rewards points for making loan payments and using online services. It also offers higher APY on its savings accounts.
Mountain America Credit Union vs. Bank of America
You’re never far from Bank of America, which has about 4,300 retail banking locations and 17,000 ATMs nationwide. But Mountain America Credit Union offers better interest rates on its savings accounts.
Final Take
If you qualify to be a member of Mountain America Credit Union, it’s worth a look because of the breadth of products, competitive interest rates and modest fees. Opening an account is easy, and you can do all your banking in one place.
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Mountain America Credit Union FAQ
Here are the answers to some commonly asked questions about Mountain America Credit Union.- Is Mountain America Credit Union FDIC insured?
- Because it's a credit union, Mountain America's deposits are insured by the National Credit Union Administration rather than the FDIC. Both work the same and are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, up to $250,000 per depositor.
- Who owns Mountain America Credit Union?
- Mountain America is owned by its members. This means that it has no shareholders, so the profits generated by operations are returned to members in the form of lower loan rates and higher deposit rates.
- Which states have Mountain America Credit Union branches?
- Mountain America Credit Union has branches in Utah, Arizona, Idaho, Montana, New Mexico and Nevada. Members also have access to more than 50,000 ATMs nationwide.
- Does Mountain America Credit Union offer free money for signing up for an account?
- Mountain America Credit Union doesn't currently offer free money for signing up for an account, but its MyRewards program offers cash back for making loan payments and using mobile deposit and online bill pay.
Rates are subject to change. Information on accounts is accurate as of Feb 4., 2021.
This content is not provided by Mountain America Credit Union. Any opinions, analyses, reviews or recommendations expressed in this article are those of the author alone and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by Mountain America Credit Union.
