|
|
What's New – February 2010
On This Page
 Earn Cash Back This Valentine’s Day with Rainbow Rewards!
Build Your Savings with an Automatic Savings Plan.
It's never too late to teach your children how to be money smart!
Today, retirement planning is more critical than ever.
Falcon Service Center - relocating in early 2010!
Online Banking Upgrade. Look for more information to come in 2010!
Have you reviewed your contact information on file with us lately?
Home Buyer Tax Credits
Don't let your personal financial information fall into the wrong hands.
Credit Problems? How Ent can help...
(Updated 2/2/10) An Update From Our CEO, Charles Emmer
Earn Cash Back This Valentine’s Day with Rainbow Rewards!
Your loved ones are important every day, but this year, why not show them just how much on Valentine’s Day?
This year plan your Valentine’s Day surprises ahead of time. And what better surprise is there than free cash back? Earn up to 20% cash back every time you make a signature based transaction with your Ent Visa® Debit Card at participating local merchants or when you shop online at Rainbow Rewards' eMarketPlace.
Did you know? All Ent Visa Debit Cards are automatically enrolled to earn Rainbow Rewards, but to watch your money grow you must verify your account at: RainbowRewards.com/Ent. Your rewards may already be waiting!
If you prefer not to participate in this free member benefit, please visit RainbowRewards.com/Ent or call 1-866-Get-Give (1-866-438-4483) to opt out.
Keep your New Year's Resolution to Build Your Savings with an Automatic Savings Plan.
If your resolution is to save more this year, take advantage of Ent’s free Automatic Savings Plan, which makes saving for the future simple, convenient and automatic.
Schedule regular transfers of funds to your savings account, building a strong financial foundation for:
- Reducing debt
- Meeting future needs
- Retirement
- Emergencies that might require extra funds
Ent gives you a wide variety of options for setting up your savings plan such as "scheduling a transfer" in Online Banking, contacting our call center, or visiting one of our convenient service center locations. You control when the transfer
happens and what account receives the funds. It not only makes it easy to save, but removes the temptation not to. It’s a smart thing you can do today to ensure a more stable financial future tomorrow.
Visit your nearest Ent Service Center, or call (719) 574-1100 or 800-525-9623, or log-in to Online Banking to set up your Automatic Savings Plan and start saving today!
It's never too late to teach your children how to be money smart!
If one of your New Year's resolutions is to be smarter about money, why not include teaching your children good money management habits as well. February is the perfect time to open a youth savings account at Ent – especially if the little ones
in your house received holiday gift money. It’s easy to open an account for your children and doing so helps teach the value of saving at least part of the money they receive – we call it "Pay Yourself First."
Our Money Space® youth program features special accounts for kids and teens – Star Savers ® (ages 12 and under) and GalaxySM
(ages 13-17). Both include incentives for saving as well as fun activities and seminars... and the opportunity to open a special Money Space Youth Certificate just for kids, just for longer-term savings
goals. Teens can also have a Galaxy Checking Account (eligibility requirements apply) with space-themed checks and a Galaxy Visa® Check Card.
Now's the time to teach your children money lessons that will last for life and start them on the road to financial independence. We can help with our online resources and activities for kids and teens. Open an Ent Star Savers or Galaxy account in
person at any service center or by phone at (719) 574-1100 or 800-525-9623
Today, retirement planning is more critical than ever.
As you re-evaluate your investments and your investment strategy, turn to the professionals at Ent Investment Services* to consistently deliver the tailored solutions you can depend on.
With years of experience and the financial tools you need, our investment representatives, registered through CUSO Financial Services, L.P. (CFS), have been hand-selected to provide you with exceptional service, proven performance, and the personal attention you deserve.
No matter what your personalized retirement plan calls for, IRA options, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, annuities, or customized allocations, your representative at Ent Investment Services has the ability to provide the guidance you need with the member-first focus you trust.
For a FREE, no-obligation Ent investment services consultation, call (719) 574-1100 ext 6550 or 800-525-9623 ext 6550.
*Our investing and financial services are provided by representatives who are registered through our broker/dealer, CUSO Financial Services, L.P. (CFS). Investment products and services offered
through CFS are not NCUA/NCUSIF-insured, not guaranteed or obligations of the credit union, and may lose value. Ent is affiliated with CFS (Member FINRA/SIPC). Registered representatives are employees of Ent and registered through CFS.
Falcon Service Center - relocating in early 2010!
The Falcon Service Center will be moving to an expanded location in early 2010, to better serve the growing Falcon community. The new location is across the street from the current service center, on the Northwest corner of
Woodmen and McLaughlin Roads. The address of the new service center will be 7520 Bierstadt Heights, Peyton, CO.
This expanded full-service location will include safe boxes, two outside drive-up lanes, as well as outdoor and indoor 24-hour access ATMs. Look for more information to come in 2010!
Online Banking Upgrade. Look for more information to come in 2010!
To make banking even easier for Ent members, we will be upgrading our online banking system in 2010 to provide you with expanded services and more features.
Look for more information to come in 2010!
Have you reviewed your mail, email and phone contact information on file with us lately?
Please take a moment to log on to Online Banking and verify your personal contact information including your mailing address, email address and phone number, and to make sure you have set up a call center password (used when you
contact an Ent call center representative) on your account. You can review this information using the Change Address and Call Center Password functions on the Services menu within Online Banking. Thank you for your help reviewing and updating
your contact information, helping us better serve you.
Home Buyer Tax Credits: For Existing Home Owners and First-Time Home Buyers, available through April, 2010.
Up to $8,000 Tax Credit for First Time Home Buyers – Extended until April 2010
If you are one of the many people who want to buy a home but just can't close prior to December 1, 2009, then you are in luck! The Economic Stimulus Plan of 2009's
First-Time Home Buyer Tax Credit has been extended to allow home buyers to enter an agreement with a seller by April 30, 2010 and close on the house by June 30, 2010.
The value of the First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit is the lower of $8,000 or 10% of the value of the home.
Up to $6,500 Tax Credit for Existing Home Owners – Thru April 2010
Along with the extension of the First Time Home Buyer's tax credit, a new tax credit has been created for purchases of a new principal residence by people who have lived in their current principal residences for at least five out of the last eight
years. Existing home owners purchasing new primary residences are eligible for a tax credit of up to $6,500.
For both of these home buyer tax credits, the income range for eligible purchasers has been expanded. These tax credits begin to phase out when the modified adjusted gross income of purchasers exceeds $125,000 for single filers and $225,000 for joint
filers. Remember, you should always consult your tax advisor for information relating to your specific circumstances.
These tax credits are applicable to any home that will be used as a principle residence. Based on that guideline, qualifying homes include single family detached homes, as well as attached homes such as townhomes and condominiums. In addition, manufactured
homes also qualify.
For more information about our First-Time Home Buyers program or Ent’s other mortgage products and services, contact Ent Mortgage Lending at (719) 574-1100 x 5602 or toll-free at 800-525-9623 x 5602.
Don't let your personal financial information fall into the wrong hands.
The security of your personal and financial information is a top priority to Ent. We want you to know that Ent will never ask you to verify your account number, Social Security Number, debit or credit card number, PIN or any other sensitive
financial information via email, telephone or SMS text message. Don’t fall for common scams, click here to learn how you can detect and prevent them!
Credit Problems?
Are you having trouble making your Ent mortgage or vehicle loan payments?
We understand that in today's economic environment more members than ever before are facing loan payment issues. Whether you're thinking you may start falling behind, or you're already behind, contact an Ent Member Solutions Specialist today via
email or by phone at 800-525-9623 x. 5610 for assistance with: protecting your credit, making payment arrangements, and potentially avoiding foreclosure and/or repossession.
(Updated 2/2/10) - From our CEO, Charles Emmer:
To all Ent Members:
Looking back on 2009, I am tempted to breathe a sigh of relief. The past year was among the most challenging in recent history for our communities, our state, and the national economy. The continuing stagnation in economic growth and lack of job growth contributed to restrained consumer confidence.
One outcome of this economic recession has been a change in financial activities of Ent members. For example, while Ent added more than 3,600 new members in 2009 (less than 2.0% growth) our deposits increased by more than $263-million (11.9%). The national statistics report that individual saving is up over recent years; Ent members are a case in point.
On the other hand, our lending portfolio is smaller, in part because members are not borrowing at the rate they have in the past. In 2009, we had significant activity in our mortgage loan department, much of it refinancing because of low mortgage loan interest rates. At the same time, however, we have had many members follow the national pattern and begin to pay down debt, including their home equity and auto loans with the credit union.
In the past I have emphasized Ent’s conservative operating philosophy. I can report that maintaining that approach has helped us stay financially strong despite the economic challenges. Member deposits and loan payments contribute to our strength. We always work closely with members, first, during the loan application process to avoid making financially unsound loans and, second, if members are in financial difficulties to help them continue to pay on their loans. As a result, we have a healthier loan portfolio than many of our counterpart credit unions.
I want to thank our members for your continuing trust in and reliance on Ent to meet your financial service needs. I must also thank our employees who are dedicated to providing you only the best in member service. Our most recent member opinion survey reinforced how you value the credit union, giving our staff high marks for knowledge and service that exceeds your expectations. We come to work every day committed to meeting your financial service needs with the best financial products and highest quality service.
We will be challenged again in 2010 to exceed your expectations. Many of the economic conditions – joblessness, lack of consumer confidence, declining real estate values, and others – of 2008-09 will continue in the year ahead. We have set what we believe are reasonable performance goals, centered on addressing current and emerging member service needs. You will be hearing from us in the months ahead with new ideas and service improvements.
So that “sigh of relief” was a short one. We are focused on continuing our core mission and extend to each of you our best wishes for a healthy and prosperous 2010.
Sincerely,
Charles F. Emmer
President and CEO
|
|