Associated Credit Union

Author: Kaitlyn Short

Associated Credit Union is one of Georgia's oldest financial institutions. The credit union was chartered in 1930 and has since grown to serve nationwide and international customers and is federally insured up to $250,000 by the National Credit Union Administration. Associated Credit Union offers a number of different credit card options with interest rates ranging from 9.9 to 12 percent.

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The Good

• Rewards
• No annual fees
• No balance transfer fees

Rewards

Individuals who hold Associated Credit Union's Platinum Visa credit card are automatically enrolled in a rewards program that gives members one point for every dollar spent across credit and checking accounts with the credit union. There is an additional program called ScoreMore Rewards that allows cardholders to earn additional points on online and in-store purchases with approved and participating retailers. Points can be redeemed online for travel or merchandise.

No Annual Fees

The Platinum Visa credit card offered through Associated Credit Union does not have any annual or startup fees attached, which can save cardholders hundreds of dollars.

No Balance Transfer Fees

Credit card companies, banks, and credit unions often allow card balance transfers from other accounts. This is beneficial because individuals can transfer their balance from an account with a higher APR to one with a lower APR to save money on interest and get out of debt faster. Balance transfers sometimes incur a fee, but Associated Credit Union allows consumers to transfer a credit card balance for free.

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The Bad

• Late payment penalties
• No free credit scores
• Undisclosed fraud safeguards
• No introductory APRs

Late Payment Penalties

When payments are made late on credit card accounts, a penalty fee is often incurred. Some companies charge late payment fees as low as $5, but Associated Credit Union charges a fee of up to $35.

No Free Credit Scores

Several credit card providers have formed partnerships with credit monitoring companies to provide their cardholders with monthly credit scores and reports. This service is beneficial because it allows customers to stay on top of their credit and watch for fraudulent activity that may not have been caught by the company. Unfortunately, Associated Credit Union does not offer free credit score tracking.

Undisclosed Fraud Safeguards

Credit unions typically have some type of security measure in place to protect members from fraud and theft. Such measures might include zero liability guarantees, emergency card replacement, account freezes, emergency call centers, suspicious activity scans, and fraudulent activity notifications. Associated Credit Union has not disclosed whether or not it provides any fraud safeguards on its corporate website.

No Introductory APRs

Oftentimes, credit card providers offer a low introductory APR on new purchases and balance transfers for a certain amount of time. This is often helpful for individuals who wish to make a card balance transfer to pay off debts during an introductory period with a nonexistent or low APR. Sadly, Associated Credit Union does not offer any introductory promotions.

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The Bottom Line

Aside from the lack of annual and balance transfer fees, Associated Credit Union does not offer any exceptional features that set it apart from the pack. The credit union's rewards program is average and no free credit score tracking or introductory APRs are offered. Further, Associated Credit Union charges a relatively high late payment penalty.