Shared branching
We understand that convenience and accessibility matter to you, especially when it comes to managing your finances. That's why you can perform transactions like deposits and withdrawals on your account from more than 5000 credit union branches within our Shared Branch network. Please note that Generations is a division of Community 1st Credit Union. As such, we're obliged to list our parent company for Shared Branching services.
What does this mean for you? If you're a Generations member who wants to utilize Shared Branching, you will need to indicate that your account is with Community 1st Credit Union. It's just a simple step to ensure seamless access to your account across our wide network, delivering the convenience you expect from us.
It's easy to find a shared branch wherever you are - iPhone and Android mobile apps for Shared Branching are available! Click the appropriate icon below to access the app for your system.
Member Application
Anyone who lives or works in the state of Washington is automatically eligible to join Generations, a Division of Community 1st Credit Union. When you bank at Generations, you're not just a customer, you're also an owner.
Online
In Person or By Mail
Generations, a Division of Community 1st Credit Union
720 Capitol Way S
Olympia, WA 98501
720 Capitol Way S
Olympia, WA 98501
Include a photocopy of your valid state or federally issued identification (no photocopies of Military ID's, please!), and a minimum $5.00 deposit.
OR call us at (360) 357-5660 or (800) 672-7211 today and we'll help you get set up.
Switching From Another Institution
We make it easy to move your accounts over from other institutions. Check out our Switch Kit for more information and assistance with transferring direct deposits, automatic payments, and funds from your other institution.
Member perks
FREE VISA DEBIT CARD
You can use it 24/7 to get instant cash fee-free at our ATMs — or at cash machines with the CO-OP logo. Use it to pay for purchases wherever Visa Debit is accepted. Track transactions monthly on your checking statement. Be sure to register your card online with Verified by Visa, so you can use your debit card to shop online with added security.
30,000 SURCHARGE-FREE ATM'S
The nation's largest Credit Union ATM Network. The CO-OP network has 30,000 conveniently located, surcharge-free ATMs at your service across the United States and Canada. No more paying money just to get your hands on your cash.
Credit Card Rewards
ShopSpot by CO-OP
Take advantage of everything your Platinum card can offer.
There are many rewarding reasons to reach for your Platinum Credit Card. And you’ll find new ones every day. Earn points quickly and save with offers developed especially for our members.
- Shop online at thousands of retailers for special deals, discounts, and bonus points.
- Shop in-store at thousands of participating local merchants for exclusive discounts and bonus points.
- Redeem points for cash back or choose from more than 100 gift cards from national merchants. Earn 1 point for every $1 that you spend!
- Member Rewards customer service is available 24/7 at (888) 287-5009
Financial Wellness
Enhance your financial knowledge with these trusted resources. These renowned educational platforms offer you free access to a variety of financial learning tools. Whether you're planning for retirement, setting up a budget, or looking to improve your credit score, these resources are designed to support your financial well-being.
- Khan Academy Financial Literacy - Gain insights into managing your finances with expert advice and practical tips. All content is available for free at www.khanacademy.org.
- NerdWallet Financial Health – Access a wide range of articles and guides to help you manage your finances effectively. All content is available for free at www.nerdwallet.com.
- Investopedia Budgeting and Saving – Dive deep into budgeting and saving with detailed articles, tutorials, and financial advice. All content is available for free at www.investopedia.com.
Please note: While we provide these resources to aid in your financial education, they are external links and do not imply endorsement by or partnership with Generations.
Member Switch kit
We want it to be an easy, hassle-free experience when you're ready to switch your accounts to Generations, a division of Community 1st Credit Union.
Download our step-by-step Member Switch Kit after you have opened your new checking account, and follow the instructions and tips to make switching seamless. We’ll be happy to assist you filling in the information at the time you open your new account.
glossary of terms
ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE (APR)
A measure of the cost of credit, expressed as a yearly rate. It includes interest as well as other charges. Because all lenders follow the same rules to ensure the accuracy of the Annual Percentage Rate, it provides consumers with a good basis for comparing the cost of loans.
ANNUAL PERCENTAGE YIELD (APY)
The annual percentage yield (APY) is the actual annual rate of return you could earn if you leave your principal and dividends in your account for a full 365-day year. The annual percentage yield you would actually receive is dependent on the dividend rate, frequency of compounding and average balances you maintain in your account. It is the number most useful to you for comparing deposit accounts.
AUDIO RESPONSE
Audio Response gives customers access to their accounts from any touch-tone telephone 24 hours a day. A variety of transactions can be completed via Audio Response including balance inquiries, transfers, stop payments, and check orders. System entry requires an account number and a personal identification number.
AUTOMATED CLEARING HOUSE (ACH)
ACH is an automated process in which funds are deposited electronically. The process also allows for payments to be electronically withdrawn from your account.
AUTOMATIC TELLER MACHINE (ATM)
An ATM is an electronic banking terminal that allows you to perform everyday financial transactions such as withdrawing cash, transferring funds between accounts, checking balances, and making deposits, through the use of a Debit/ATM Card and a personal identification number.
CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT (CD)
A Certificate of Deposit is an investment account that must remain on deposit for a specific period of time. A request for early withdrawal may be subject to penalty. Certificates of Deposit are insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) and offer a generally higher dividend rate than savings and money market accounts. The dividend rate is guaranteed until the maturity date (unless specified otherwise).
COMPOUNDING
Dividends paid on both the principal balance and the accumulated dividends.
CORPORATE CHECK
A Corporate Check is funds withdrawn from a Member’s account in the form of a Community 1st Check. Checks can be made payable to the customer or a third party.
CREDIT PROTECTION COVERAGE
Credit Protection products are designed to provide debt cancellation or suspension benefits to borrowers who experience various “protected events” which may impact the ability of the borrower to repay his loan obligations. It offers peace-of-mind so borrowers do not need to worry about making some or all (depending on the protected event) loan payments should an unforeseen life event occur.
Direct Deposit is a method of depositing your pay, social security, pension, other government funds, and investment earnings directly into your account. This method gives you the earliest possible access to your money.
DIVIDEND RATE
The dividend rate is the annual rate of return the principal balance of your deposit earns without compounding.
INDIVIDUAL ACCOUNT
An individual account is an account owned by one person.
INDIVIDUAL RETIREMENT ACCOUNT
An account that is set up for the specific purpose of saving for retirement.
JOINT ACCOUNT
A joint account is an account owned by two or more persons. If your account is a joint account, the account is owned as a joint account with rights of survivorship unless otherwise stated on the membership application.
LIVING TRUST ACCOUNTS
An account of living trust is an individual account held by one or more trustees of a trust for the benefit of one or more beneficiaries pursuant to a trust agreement.
MINIMUM DAILY BALANCE
Minimum daily balance is the minimum daily amount of money required in your account to qualify for reduced or waived fees. If your minimum daily balance drops below the required amount during a statement cycle, you will be charged the agreed upon account fees during that cycle.
MONEY MARKET ACCOUNT
A money market account is a type of savings account that generally provides a higher dividend rate than standard savings accounts. Money Market accounts are insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA).
MONEY ORDER
A money order is a negotiable instrument that replaces cash. The maximum value per money order is $1,000.
MONTHLY STATEMENT
Your monthly statement provides a snapshot of your financial transactions and account activity, including deposits, withdrawals, Debit Card transactions, and checks that have cleared your account.
NATIONAL CREDIT UNION ADMINISTRATION (NCUA)
NCUA is an independent agency of the United States Government. It regulates, charters, and insures the nation’s federal credit unions. In addition, NCUA provides federal insurance for state-chartered credit unions.
NCUA-INSURED DEPOSIT
All deposits up to at least $250,000 are insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA), a U.S. Government Agency. Individual Retirement Accounts are insured separately up to at least $250,000.
NON-SUFFICIENT FUNDS (NSF) CHECK
Checks/drafts that are returned due to lack of funds in the account from which they were drawn.
PAYABLE ON DEATH (POD) DESIGNATION
A POD designation is an instruction to a financial institution that a designated account is an account payable to the owner(s) during their lifetimes, and upon the death of the last joint account owner, payable to any named and surviving POD beneficiary.
PAYROLL DEDUCTION
Payroll deduction is a manual process in which a person’s payroll is deposited. The payroll office usually sends the financial institution one check, to be dispersed to the named accounts.
PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION NUMBER (PIN)
A PIN is a security code which is required to access Internet Banking, Audio Response or for ATM usage with your Visa debit card or Visa credit card.
REGULATION B – EQUAL CREDIT OPPORTUNITY
Regulation B prohibits creditors from discriminating against credit applicants, establishes guidelines for gathering and evaluating credit information, and requires written notification when credit is denied.
REGULATION CC – AVAILABILITY OF FUNDS AND COLLECTION OF CHECKS
Regulation CC governs the availability of funds and the collection and return of checks. This regulation requires financial institutions to make deposits available within certain time frames and stipulates certain disclosures.
The regulation also provides that depository institutions must disclose their funds availability policies to their members. In addition, Regulation CC establishes rules designed to speed the collection and return of checks and imposes a responsibility on financial institutions to return unpaid checks in a timely manner.
REGULATION DD – TRUTH IN SAVINGS
Regulation DD requires depository institutions to disclose the terms of deposit accounts to consumers, including the annual percentage yield, fees, and the balance on which dividends are calculated.
REGULATION E – ELECTRONIC FUND TRANSFERS
Regulation E sets rules for the solicitation and issuance of Electronic Fund Transfer (EFT) cards; governs consumers’ liability for unauthorized electronic fund transfers (resulting, for example, from lost or stolen cards); requires institutions to disclose certain terms and conditions of EFT services; provides for documentation of electronic transfers (on periodic statements, for example); sets up a resolution procedure for errors; and covers notice of crediting and stoppage of pre-authorized payments from a member’s account.
REGULATION Z – TRUTH IN LENDING
Regulation Z governs uniform methods of computing the cost of credit, disclosure of credit terms, and procedures for resolving errors on certain credit accounts.
RIGHTS OF SURVIVORSHIP
With right of survivorship, upon the death of one of the joint account owners, that person’s interest will become the property of the surviving joint account owners.
SAFE DEPOSIT BOX
Safe storage provided at low cost to protect valuables from theft or loss.
THIRD PARTY
Someone other than the primary person(s) directly involved in a transaction or agreement.
VALID IDENTIFICATION (ID)
Valid identification consists of:
- Current drivers license
- Passport
- Military ID
- Non-resident alien green card
- Valid State ID card
Valid identification is required to open an account and to conduct some in-branch transactions.
VISA DEBIT CARD
A Visa debit card is an issued card that can be used in place of a check when purchasing goods and services. The cost of purchases is automatically deducted from a checking account. With a personal identification number, the card can also be used at Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs).
WIRE TRANSFER
A wire transfer is an electronic transfer of funds to/from a member’s account to/from another financial institution. Wire transfers are processed through the Federal Reserve.
MORTGAGE GLOSSARY
ADJUSTABLE-RATE MORTGAGE (ARM)
An ARM is a mortgage with an interest rate that is adjusted periodically to reflect changes in market conditions. Every ARM is tied to an index (the most common of which is the Prime Rate). If the index rate has risen since the last periodic adjustment on the loan, the monthly payment will generally increase. If the index rate has fallen, the monthly payment will generally decrease. An ARM gives you the benefits of lower monthly payments in the initial period of the loan.
AGREEMENT OF SALE
An agreement between parties for the sale of real estate. In some states it is the same as a Purchase Agreement or Land Contract.
AMORTIZATION
The process of paying off a loan by making regularly scheduled payments of principal and interest according to the terms of the loan.
APPRAISAL
An appraisal is an estimate of the fair market value of a property. It evaluates the property at a given time based on facts regarding the location, improvements, neighborhood and comparable sales.
APPRECIATION
Increase in value or worth of property.
ASSESSED VALUE
Value assigned to property by a local government agency for tax purposes. An assessed value does not necessarily equal the appraised value for purposes of obtaining a mortgage loan.
ASSUMPTION
Taking over an existing debt. Some mortgages are assumable and may provide greater resale value to your home. Both FHA and VA loans are fully assumable. Some adjustable rate mortgages may be partially assumable.
BALLOON PAYMENT
The final payment of a mortgage which is larger than the regular payment; it usually pays off the debt.
BINDER
Preliminary agreement of sale, usually accompanied by earnest money.
BLANKET MORTGAGE
A mortgage covering more than one property.
BRIDGE FINANCING
A form of interim loan, generally made between a short term loan and a long term loan, when the borrower needs to have more time before taking on long term financing.
BUYDOWN
An interest rate buydown is the temporary reduction of the rate of interest or the monthly payments borrowers pay to the lender. The shortfall between the rate on the note and initial payment made by the borrower is usually paid by a third party such as a seller or builder.
CAPS
Caps are used on adjustable rate mortgages (ARMs) to limit the interest rate and/or the payment. Most ARMs have a periodic cap that is around 2% per year and a life cap of around 5% – 6% over the life of the loan. Payment-only caps sometimes create negative amortization where the principal balance of the loan increases rather than decreases over time.
CLOSING
Conclusion of a real estate sale, where the title of the property is transferred to the new owners and funds are transferred to the appropriate parties (seller, old lender, real estate broker, etc).
CLOSING AGENT
A neutral third party that facilities the closing of a real estate transaction. The closing agent can be an escrow company, title company, or attorney.
CLOSING COSTS
Expenses incurred by the buyer and the seller in a real estate transaction. There can be non-recurring cost that include points or appraisal fees, that are a one time charge or recurring cost such as taxes and insurance that incur while the new buyer owns the real estate.
CLOSING STATEMENT
Statement prepared for the buyer and seller itemizing all of the costs of a real estate transaction.
CO-MAKER
A person who is equally responsible for repayment as the borrower.
CONSTRUCTION LOAN
Short-term financing of real estate construction. Generally followed by the long term financing called a “take out” loan, issued upon completion of improvements.
CONTINGENCY
Condition which must be satisfied before the buyer can complete the purchase of a property. Contingencies are generally outlined in the purchase contract between the buyer and seller.
CONVENTIONAL MORTGAGE
A mortgage loan that is not guaranteed or insured by the government. FHA and VA loans are not conventional loans.
CONVERSION CLAUSE
A provision in some ARMs that allows the ARM to be changed to a fixed-rate loan at some point during the term. The conversion is usually allowed at the end of the first adjustment period.
DEED OF TRUST/MORTGAGE
A written legal document which transfers ownership of real estate property from one party to another.
DEFAULT
Failure to make mortgage payment or a violation of other provisions of the mortgage note.
DEFICIENCY JUDGMENT
A personal claim against the debtor, when foreclosed property does not yield enough at the sale to pay off the loan and the interest against it.
DEPRECIATION
Decrease in value to real estate property.
DISBURSEMENTS
Payments made during the course of an escrow or at closing.
DOWN PAYMENT
Cash to be paid by the buyer at closing to complete a real estate transaction.
EARNEST MONEY
Cash to be paid by the buyer at closing.
EQUITY
The difference between the market value of the property and the homeowner’s mortgage debt.
ESCROW
Escrow includes funds given to a third party to be held until a specific occurrence; may refer to earnest money deposit; can also include a lender collecting and paying the taxes and insurance on behalf of the borrower.
ESCROW PAYMENT
The portion of a debtor’s monthly payment held in trust by the lender to pay for taxes, mortgage insurance, hazard insurance, lease payments, and other items as they become due.
FEDERAL HOME LOAN MORTGAGE CORPORATION (FHLMC) (FREDDIE MAC)
FHLMC is a stockholder-owned corporation, created in 1970 and chartered by Congress to increase the supply of funds that mortgage lenders, such as commercial banks, mortgage bankers, savings institutions and credit unions, can make available to homebuyers and multi-family investors. The company buys mortgages from lenders, packages these mortgages into securities and sells them to investors.
FEDERAL NATIONAL MORTGAGE ASSOCIATION (FNMA) (FANNIE MAE)
FNMA is one of the major secondary market investors that purchases loans from mortgage companies and other depository institutions. The company is a private corporation and its stock is traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
FIRST MORTGAGE
Mortgage holding priority over the claims of subsequent lenders against the same property.
Lost or stolen cards
Credit Cards
Card Lost / Stolen
OR Report Fraud
OR General Card Support: 833-574-3455
- Card Activation: 888-691-8661
- PIN NOW: 888-891-2435
- REWARDS
Customer Service Number: 888-287-5009
Debit Cards
Card Lost / Stolen
Domestic: 888-241-2510
International: 909-941-1398
- Disputes: 833-574-3421
- Card Activation
Domestic: 866-762-0558
International: 501-588-7531 - ATM Locator: Text Zip Code to 91989
- Audio Banking: 360-515-4866
You can use it 24/7 to get instant cash fee-free at our ATMs — or at cash machines with the CO-OP logo. Use it to pay for purchases wherever Visa Debit is accepted. Track transactions monthly on your checking statement. Be sure to register your card online with Verified by Visa , so you can use your debit card to shop online with added security.
An online bill payment service that is available to all members that have a Generations Checking Account and are enrolled in our Online Banking services. Click here for Frequently Asked Questions.