First Alliance Blog

The one part of financial planning nobody likes to think about is who will manage your accounts after you’ve passed away. This is understandable. Nobody really likes thinking about what happens after they’ve died, and trying to divide up even a small estate can seem intimidating.

ROCHESTER, MN ― First Alliance Credit Union is pleased to announce it was voted as the Best Financial Institution in the KTTC Fan Favorite Awards for the third year in a row. This award is presented to one business for each of the 68 industry categories.

One of the most famous Christmas stories of all time has to be Charles Dickens’s “A Christmas Carol.” Ever since Dickens published the book in 1843, audiences have thrilled to the telling of Ebenezer Scrooge’s redemption at the hands of four ghosts. Despite the countless adaptations, reexaminations and parodies that flood the airwaves during the Christmas season, it never seems to grow old.

If you have ever been on the Internet, you have seen advertisements offering free trials for everything from whiter teeth and bigger muscles to jewelry and appliances. While offering a free trial of a product or service is perfectly legal, consumers should still be wary. The fine print of those offers end up costing consumers hundreds of dollars. It’s important to understand how free trial offers work so you can avoid feeling scammed by less than honest business practices.

You went to apply for a loan, positive you would be approved, only to be told by the financial institution that you need a cosigner. That can feel like a blow to your confidence. You may even be wondering what a cosigner is exactly. How do you choose someone to be your cosigner, and more importantly, what can you do if you can’t find a cosigner? Here we layout the basics of needing a cosigner for your loan.

We know managing your finances through convenient and secure methods is an important part of your financial life. This is why we stress the importance of enrolling in our free eStatement service. eStatements allows you to keep your monthly account statements in a digital format, which is easy to access through Online Banking and offers more security than paper statements. However, if you’re used to receiving your statement in the mail each month, you may have a few questions about eStatements you want answered before you enroll.

Technology has certainly made our lives easier. We can do practically anything on our phones these days. Amazon has revolutionized the way we shop, Alexa can shut the garage door and turn off the lights, and there is pretty much an “app for that.” We’re so used to using technology, that I think sometimes we forget how much technology has changed how we bank.

Did you know if you’re a First Alliance Credit Union member you can take advantage of the Love My Credit Union Rewards program? Love My Credit Union Rewards gives you exclusive access to a wide variety of deals and discounts that have saved credit union members over $2 billion (yes, we said “billion”) using the discounts available through the program.

Do you know what to do if you see unexplained charges on your debit card or credit card? Do you call your card carrier or the merchant first? Does it mean your identity was stolen? There are a lot of questions that arise when you see unexplained transactions on your statements. The good new is you can dispute the unexplained transactions on your accounts.