Q. What is a credit union? A credit union is a not-for-profit financial organization that is owned by its members and controlled by its Board of Directors, not shareholders. The credit union’s Board of Directors are not paid, but rather, serve on a voluntary basis and work as a team with the membership to run the credit union. Federal credit unions are regulated by the NCUA (National Credit Union Administration), which is the government organization equivalent to the FDIC for banks.

Q. How do I become a Liberty Savings member? Joining Liberty Savings is easy. Click here to start online enrollment. It’s fast and easy.

Q. How can a financial institution be “not-for-profit”? Credit unions generate capital for operating costs by receiving deposits and from repayment of loans. They do not generate capital through the sale of stocks to stockholders. A portion of the profits are paid out in the form of dividends to the members. “For-profit” institutions retain all profits received.

Q. Why choose a credit union over a bank? Credit unions are popularly recognized for their lower loan rates and lower-to-no fees on many of the traditional products and services offered by traditional, for–profit financial institutions. Credit unions are member-owned. Each member has voting rights and receives dividends from CU profits paid on a monthly basis. Federal credit unions participate in a network of shared branches providing members with many alternatives to finding a service center/branch when they are not within the vicinity of their credit union’s offices. Credit unions invest time and interest in building the communities where they are based since many are established by local businesses and interest groups.

Q. Are my funds insured at a credit union? All funds deposited at federal credit unions are federally insured up to $250,000 through the NCUA (National Credit Union Administration), an agency of the Federal Government.

General Membership

Q. Who can join Liberty Savings Federal Credit Union? If you work for an employer who has joined Liberty Savings FCU, a Select Employer Group (SEG) or if you are the family member of an existing member (living at the same address) you may apply for membership at the credit union. Additionally, anyone who lives, works, worships or attends school in Hudson County, New Jersey is also welcome to apply for membership.

Q. How do I join the credit union? Membership applications may be downloaded and printed from our website or picked up at any of our Liberty Savings FCU service centers. There are three ways to join; In person, by mail or at your place of employment (SEGs only).

IN PERSON: Bring the membership application to one of our service centers with a current driver’s license or state ID with photo. A current passport with photo, accompanied by a recent utility bill-gas, electric or water with the name and address of the person applying for membership on it are also acceptable forms of ID when presented together. The ID bearing the applicant’s address MUST have the current residential address on it (DMV address change stickers are acceptable). Cash, money order or check for the initial deposit ($25.) plus the one-time membership fee ($10.) will be requested to activate your account.

BY MAIL: Send the completed and signed application to Liberty Savings FCU, 666 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306, ATTENTION: Branch Manager. Attach a photocopy of your current driver’s license or state ID with picture showing your current address, and a check or money order for the initial deposit and one-time membership fee. Please DO NOT send cash.

AT YOUR JOB: If you work for one of Liberty Savings FCU’s Select Employer Groups (SEGs) (see list from HOME page on our website) you may apply for membership through your Human Resource department by speaking to your company’s representative responsible for employee benefits.

Products and Services

Q. What kinds of products and services does a credit union offer? Liberty Savings FCU offers a wide variety of deposit, insurance and loan products to our members. From youth accounts to savings accounts to checking products; we offer money market accounts, vacation and holiday accounts, Certificates of Deposit (CD), safety deposit boxes, lines of credit and loans of all types. Your funds are accessible to you in-person at our service centers, online and via phone. Additionally, we offer members discounts on Sprint,  Aflac Insurance products and many more. For a more extensive list, please visit the home page of our website.

Q. Can I apply for a loan or use other credit union services without having an account? At the credit union we believe that an invested member holds the best interest of the credit union family at heart. In order to be a “member-owner”, all members must open a Savings account and maintain no less than $25.00 in the account. With the Share Savings account open the member may enjoy all credit union services available.

Q. How soon after opening my account may I apply for a loan? There is no waiting period required. As soon as the $25 initial deposit and $10 one-time, membership fee is realized, the member may apply for a loan.

Q. What must I do to apply for a loan? Loan applications may be downloaded and printed from the Home page of our website or picked up at one of our service centers. (At this time we do not offer an online application process.) Applying in person is always the most personal form of application however; loan applications are also received via mail. Mail to Liberty Savings Federal Credit Union, 666 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306, ATTENTION: Branch Manager. Please have copies of the applicant’s two most recent paystubs attached to the application (if you have a co-applicant, please also attach copies of their documentation). Be sure to sign the application and have a valid phone number at which we can contact you with further questions or to set up a follow up appointment.

Q. Can I pay bills from my account online? Yes. You can set up automatic BillPay once you are registered online for LibertyLink Online Banking. Keep in mind that if you authorize a third party to access your account for the purpose of payment and at any time wish to stop this arrangement, you must contact the third party. The credit union has no authorization to act on your behalf in these types of agreements.

ATMs and Shared Branching Services

Q. How do I find a Liberty Savings FCU ATM or avoid fees at other ATMs? There are no ATM fees when you use your Liberty Savings FCU ATM or Visa Check Card at a Liberty Savings FCU ATM or any Co-Op or Allpoint Network Machines. To locate ATMs in the Co-Op and Allpoint networks, use the link on the Home page of our website under locations and hours. The Co-op and Allpoint symbols are also located on the reverse side of your ATM and/or Visa Check Card and can be found on any participating ATM.

Q. What do I do if I’m far away from a Liberty Savings FCU branch and I need to make a transaction? Liberty Savings FCU is part of a larger network of federal credit unions throughout the United States. If you need to make a transaction on one of your accounts at a service center but are not near one of our three offices at the time, finding a Shared Branch Service Center is only a click away. From our Home page select ‘Locations and Hours’ and then, ‘Find a Shared Branch Service Center’. A screen will populate with a form for your current location’s address. Fill out the fields and hit submit. With your Liberty Savings FCU account number and your picture ID, you can go to a listed Shared Branch service center and make deposits, withdrawals and/or payment to your Visa card or loans as easily as if you were standing in a Liberty Saving’s FCU lobby.

Q. Why does it seem like there’s a difference between the balance I get at the ATM or on LibertyLink and what is available for me to withdraw or spend? Financial institutions use the terms “actual balance” and “available balance” to describe the status of funds in an account. The actual balance on your account is the total amount of money you have in the account at that given moment. The available balance is the difference between your actual balance and any pending transactions that haven’t posted yet. It’s a safeguard to keep you from over-drafting your account.

Q. I am retiring. Do I have to close out my credit union account since I am leaving my place of employment? My family moved out of Hudson County and the credit union is too far away now. How can I keep my account open? Retiring from your job or profession or moving out of Hudson County doesn’t have to mean the end of your financial relationship with Liberty Savings FCU. If you are retiring, consider the tremendous benefits of lower rates and fees that will help you manage your retirement budget. Moving out of Hudson County? With over 55,000 ATMs and 5,075 Shared Branch locations nationwide your ability to access your money is always right around the corner.

Managing Accounts and Balances

Q. How can I find out about my account balances? Managing your accounts can be done online by registering for LibertyLink online banking from the Home page of our website. You will need to register online and set up your own personal security features. Once registered, you can access your account online at www.libertylink.org or from the website at www.lsfcu.org. If you prefer the telephone, you can also phone Tellerphone at (201) 659-3131. These are the quickest and most convenient forms of checking your balances. If you check your balance at an ATM, please bear in mind that the balance may not reflect any pending transactions.

Q. Does Liberty Savings FCU keep a list of my passwords in case I lose them? No. For the privacy and security of our members, we do not keep such records. We strongly encourage our members to keep their passwords and security question answers confidential and in a secure location. If you lose, forget or misplace such information, we can reset your accounts for a minimal fee.

Q. I forgot my password and locked myself out of my account. What can I do? During business hours, call (201) 659-3900 Ext. 7 to speak with a Member Service Representative or stop by one of our offices. We will be glad to restore the settings so that you can reset the password. Minimal fees may apply.

Q. Is there an alternative way to access my account online rather than going through the website? Yes. Go to www.libertylink.org

Q. What is an inactivity fee and how do I avoid being charged? Inactivity fees are charged on accounts that have become dormant. A dormant account is one that has not had any activity recorded on it within 12 months. Members can avoid inactivity fees by making a simple deposit on their accounts no less than once per year.

Q. Does Liberty Savings FCU have a list of any and all fees that I could incur on my accounts? Yes, this is referred to as a Fee Schedule. All applicants receive one when they become new members. You may ask for a recent copy on your next visit.

Q. Where can I check my credit card balance and available credit? You may use our toll free 24 hour number (800) 240-0224.

Q. How would I report my credit card as lost or stolen? Please call (800) 240-0224 (available 24/7/365) IMMEDIATELY if your card is lost or stolen, or you suspect that there is unauthorized activity. You will also need to contact us directly at (201) 659-3900 so we may issue you a new card.

Q. How would I report my ATM or debit card as lost or stolen? Please call (833) 917-2185, (available 24/7/365) IMMEDIATELY if your card is lost or stolen, or you suspect there is unauthorized activity. You will also need to contact us directly at (201) 659-3900 so we may issue you a new card.

Q. Should I contact the credit union when I will be traveling? Yes. Give us a quick call at (201) 659-3900 Ext. 7 so we may note your account and let you know if we have a fraud block in the area you will be traveling, which would prevent you from using your ATM or debit card.

Direct Deposit and Electronic Deposit of other funds

Q. How do I set up Direct Deposit to my Liberty Saving’s account? To set up direct deposit please see your payroll representative at your place of employment. You will need to ask if the company has a designated payroll form. If they do not, the credit union can provide you with a generic form. You will also need to provide your employer with your Liberty Savings account number of choice (0-6 digits) and the credit union’s ABA Transit or Routing Number (221276118).

Q. What if my pay goes to another financial institution. Can I have a partial amount of my paycheck deposited electronically to my Liberty Savings account? Yes. Most employers give the option of splitting the employee’s paycheck between multiple financial institutions. You will need to provide your employer with your Liberty Saving’s Share Savings or Checking account number (0-6 digits) and the credit union’s ABA Transit or Routing Number (22-1276118). Liberty Savings FCU address is 666 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306. You may use this address regardless of the location at which you bank.

Q. How long does it take for my payroll to start depositing electronically to my Liberty Savings account? In most cases, 1-2 pay periods from the time you give your employer the completed payroll forms.

Q. Can I have my tax refund, child support, alimony, pension, social security and other benefits electronically deposited to my account? Yes. You will need to contact the agency providing the benefits and provide the appropriate parties with your Liberty Saving’s Share Savings or Checking account number (0-6 digits) and the credit union’s ABA Transit or Routing Number (22-1276118). Liberty Savings FCU address is 666 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306. You may use this address regardless of the location at which you bank.

General

Q. How long does it take for a deposit to post to my account? Funds deposited before 12 noon Monday-Friday are available for withdrawal within 24 hours. Funds deposited on Saturday before 12 noon will be available on Monday. Checks may be subject to a hold period.

Q. What is Liberty Saving’s Routing Number? 221276118