A Credit Builder Loan or Share-Secured Credit Card are two ways to start building your credit. How it Works: TCT will hold the amount of your credit limit in your account. Your new loan or credit card is reported to the credit bureau(s), along with your payment history and after six months this will help you establish a credit score.

Learn about Credit Builder Loans

Learn about Share Secured Loans

The federal government requires that each of the three national credit-reporting agencies—Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion—gives you a free credit report every year. You can request a free copy of your credit report by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, the only authorized online source is at annualcreditreport.com. Consumers should be aware that there are many sites out there that claim to offer “free” credit reports but often charge you for another product if you accept the report.

To request your credit report by phone, call (877) 322–8228. To request your credit report by mail, write to Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. Do not contact the individual credit-reporting agencies.

Because the federal government requires that each of the three national credit-reporting agencies—Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion—gives you a free credit report every year, consider staggering the receipt of each of your credit reports. That way, you'll get a continuous picture of how your credit picture looks because the three bureaus feed each other the latest information. You’ll also be able to clean up errors as you find them (because errors can drag down a credit score) and you'll also keep an eye on identity theft.

To get a free copy of your credit report, visit AnnualCreditReport.com.

Helping our members save money and improve their financial lives is at the heart of TCT's mission. We partner with GreenPath Financial Wellness to provide all our members with free access to help with budgeting, financial education, and much more. Just another perk of being a TCT Member. Learn More About GreenPath

By cosigning, you lend your name and good credit history to the borrower. Should the borrower fail to make payments, all responsibility for meeting the terms of the loan transfers to you, the cosigner.  The loan appears on both the borrower’s and cosigner's credit reports and may affect your ability to qualify for another loan.

It might be tempting to view your 401(k) as a source of emergency funds, but before you dip into your retirement account for cash, you should explore all alternatives. Discuss your options with one of our Member Service Specialists at any branch location or contact our financial wellness partner, GreenPath to discuss your options, free of charge.

Leases typically offer lower monthly payments which can be very attractive however, they have mileage limitations and potentially expensive penalty fees if you need to break the lease early. If you’re considering a lease, consider our Payment Saver Auto Loan which offers lease–like low payments, however, unlike a lease, you own the vehicle and have the option to sell or trade the vehicle at any time. Learn More about Payment Saver Auto Loans

This answer will vary depending on which financial records you are inquiring about. Most records should be saved for seven years as a backup in case the IRS audits you.  Discuss with your tax advisor regarding your personal situation.

When you sign up for e-Statements, you will have access to past TCT statements. It will only show the statements that were made after your sign-up date (you will not have access to statements that were issued prior to your sign up date).  This not only saves paper but will save you time if you need a copy of a previous statement... just click and print (if needed).

Learn More about eStatements