www.bfcu.org | 800-647-2328

MEMBERSHIPMATTERS

Volume 58 | No. 1 | January 2012

P5 | Barksdale Federal Scholarships

P5 | Paying Bills During a Financial Crisis

P6 | UChoose Rewards – Earn Points Faster!

This publication does not constitute legal, accounting or other professional advice. Although it is intended to be accurate, neither the publisher nor any other party assumes liability for loss or damage due to reliance on this material. Images may be from one or more of these sources: ©Thinkstock, ©iStock, ©Fotolia. ©2012 Priority Integrated Marketing | priorityresults.com

Message from the CEO e at Barksdale Federal Credit Union hope your holidays were filled with moments of inspiration and joy. The credit union finished on a particularly high note this year. As the sponsor of the Leesville Christmas parade, Board members were on the main stage welcoming 4,200 soldiers from the 4\10 Mountain Division and four other units attached to Ft. Polk returning from duty in Afghanistan. It was the largest military parade in Leesville/Ft. Polk since 1943 and a very emotional event for everyone involved. It was certainly an honor for the many credit union staff members who worked so hard to make the event a success.

The year of 2011 was important for Barksdale Federal Credit Union for a variety of reasons. First and foremost, at the begin-ning of the year, we became the first credit union in Louisiana to reach the $1 billion mark, making Barksdale Federal one of the 200 largest credit unions in the country. Our phenomenal growth over the past few years has been a testimony to the credit union’s reputation of safety and soundness as well as to its member service. Due to low savings rates and uncertainty in the economy, the market has not been kind to depositors. Word from the Federal Reserve is that these low interest rates will continue on in the market for some time. We understand the burden this has placed on savers, and we have kept our rates as high as possible while maintaining a conservative and prudent business model. This has been a difficult task as deposit growth has been over two times greater than loan growth over the past few years, putting a lot of pressure on the credit union’s invest-ment portfolio as deposits continue to flow in.

At the same time, loan rates are at historic lows and Barksdale Federal continues to be the leading lender for new and used auto purchases in our market areas. Our home mortgage department continues to be overwhelmed with members wanting to purchase a home or refinance their existing home mortgages at today’s remarkably low interest rates. And while loan growth rates around the country for credit unions con-tinue to be flat, Barksdale Federal continues to see steady growth in our loan portfolio. Our challenge, however, is to maintain a growth rate in our loan portfolio that matches our deposit growth rate.

One solution to that problem has presented itself as an opportunity this last year. Many of our members have small businesses that need loans and other business services to

INSIDETHIS ISSUEIncome Tax Service at BFCU ........................3

Sign up for eAlerts ......................................4

Tax Tips ......................................................4

Handling Bill Paying During a Financial Crisis ............................................5

Barksdale Federal Scholarships ...................5

UChoose Rewards® ....................................6

Community News .......................................7

Rates and Dates .........................................8

Make a Club Account Your Fun Account ....8

Barksdale Federal Credit Union Financials

November 2010 November 2011____________________________________________________________

Loans $464,163,691 $488,174,827

Assets $953,644,867 $1,044,841,121

Deposits $858,438,444 $942,825,671

Reserves $91,643,625 $98,672,208

Members 100,189 99,613

All financials are rounded to the nearest dollar.

For more information, center locations and hours, visit www.bfcu.org, or call 318-549-8240 or 800-647-BFCU (2328). CUSCs can be found at www.cuservicecenters.com.

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Income Service at BFCU

Message from the CEO leverage the growth and success of their endeavors. Right now we have a handful of member business loans and related business service accounts, and I know that these members have been very happy with the attention and service they are receiving on a daily basis. They have all mentioned how delighted they are with their current relationship with the credit union. If you or someone you know is interested in a “different” level of business service, come in and check us out. You won’t regret it.

Also, we are very excited about new products coming down the line with our home banking vendor. Our home banking product has been a very successful service for many of our mem-bers. We have been in negotiations with them for months and have just signed a new contract. Look forward to some enhancements in the near future including new smartphone and tablet applications.

Thank you for your patronage and making Barksdale Federal Credit Union the success it is. We value your partnership with this organization and will never take it for granted.

Sincerely,

Rod TaylorCEO of Barksdale Federal Credit Union

Your Financial Partner for Life | 3

Is Your Address Correct?If the address we have on file is not your current mailing address, please sign in to Global Access (online banking) at www.bfcu.org and click on Secure Forms and then Address Change Form to update your contact information. If you have a Visa® Check Card, Credit Card or ATM Card, this is especially important. In addition, please verify that your email address is correct by clicking User Options and then E-mail Address.

Barksdale Federal Credit Union provides its members a year-round tax service. For 23 years C. Taylor has been providing tax preparation and advice to BFCU

members. The service includes individual, partnership and corporation returns. They also complete all state returns to better serve our military members.

Speedy electronic filing ensures you receive your refund quickly. With prices below most other tax services, and BFCU members receiving a special discount, this is your best buy in income tax service.

Call 318-549-4017 for an appointment or stop in and see C. Taylor and his staff at Northgate Center, 720 Northgate Road, Bossier City, LA, or Penny Durham at Eastbank Center, 1560 E. 70th Street, Shreveport, LA. Penny Durham can be reached for an appointment by calling 318-629-8389 or 318-458-8058.

Make Barksdale Federal your complete financial home. Join your fellow members who rely on the professionals at C. Taylor tax service. Allow them to show you how the latest changes to the tax code can benefit you.

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eAlerts: Helping You Stay on Top of Your Finances

L ife moves quickly, and your finances need to keep up. With text message

banking notifications and email alerts from Barksdale Federal Credit Union, you can receive an email or text message within minutes of account transactions like withdrawals or direct deposits. It’s a free and easy way to monitor your money on the go.*

To set up your personalized eAlerts, log in to online banking and select the notifica-tions you want to receive:

• Your balance is above or below an amount you specify.

• A check posts to your account. • Your credit card balance exceeds an

amount you choose. • Your credit card or loan payment is due. • And more!

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Follow the helpful hints below to avoid any delays in receiving your refund into your Barksdale Federal account.

1 The name and account number must match exactly in order for the deposit to be credited to your account. If not, it will be returned.

2 The person receiving the tax refund must be on the account.

Please see example above on how to fill out your 1040 form.

In addition to helping you stay on top of your finances, the nearly real-time updates on your accounts may save you money by helping you avoid fees for a low account balance or nonsufficient funds. Signing up for loan payment reminders can also help you dodge late fees. And eAlerts can pro-vide yet another layer of protection against account fraud by letting you know when your account has a failed log in attempt.

You can easily alter eAlerts once you set them up, so you can be sure you receive the information that is most important to you. To get started or change your eAlert preferences, just visit www.bfcu.org today. After all, when you do slow down, it shouldn’t be to do your banking.

* Alerts sent to your wireless device may be subject to a fee by your wireless service.

Board of Directors: (Back row) Keith Fontenot, Al Oar, Charleene Ringler, Bernie Hawk and Roy Walling(Front row) Emory Goodman and Virgil Barnette

Your Financial Partner for Life | 5

Directors’ Corner

Handling Bill Paying During a FINANCIAL CRISIS

or rent affordable long-term? If not, you may want to look for a cheaper place to live.

• Car loan. Since your car can be repossessed if you miss payments, paying on time is important. However, if you are not able to do that, ask your lender if you can skip a payment or two or pay back missed payments gradually. If you cannot reach an agreement or resume payments, you may want to sell the car before it is repossessed.

• Utilities. Delinquent utility payments can cause your service to be suspended or terminated, but some utilities are

M any circumstances can derail even the best financial plans and leave

you with less money than you need. However, paying the most important bills first and communicating with creditors for the ones you cannot pay can help you minimize the damage until you are back on your feet.

Your monthly obligations may include:

• Mortgage or rent. Your mortgage or rent should be the first bill paid each month. However, if making pay-ments is impossible, let your lender or landlord know – they may be willing to work with you. Is your mortgage

more important than others. If a ser-vice is not needed, you may just want to cancel it. If it is essential, call the utility company and ask if a payment arrangement is possible. Also inquire about assistance programs for people facing economic hardship.

• Student loans. If no payments are made for 180 days, you are considered in default, with possible consequences including tax refund interception and wage garnishment. However, borrow-ers can often avoid delinquency by asking for a forbearance or deferment.

• Credit cards. While you could be sued or have accounts go to collections if you stop making payments, credit cards are less important than a mort-gage or a car loan, and most creditors do not take legal action right away. However, avoid completely ignoring creditors. If making payments is dif-ficult, you may want to talk to them about hardship programs.

You do not have to deal with finan-cial hardship alone. As a benefit of your membership, you have access to BALANCESM, a free financial education and counseling service. Their coun-selors can discuss options for handling debt and other bills as well as help you create a budget. Call 888-456-2227 or visit www.balancepro.net for more information.

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Barksdale Federal Credit Union is proud to offer scholarships to those seeking to make their dreams a reality. If you are planning to attend college in the fall of 2012 and are interested in applying for a Barksdale Federal scholarship, please visit www.bfcu.org or a center near you for eligibility rules and application. All applications must be postmarked on or before Friday, Feb. 10, 2012. The winners will be asked to attend the Annual Meeting on Thursday, March 29, 2012.

Apply by Feb. 10Barksdale Federal Scholarships

Our UChoose Rewards® ProgramWhere You Choose Where to Earn and How to Redeem Your Points!

S ay goodbye to waiting forever to earn enough points to redeem. Say hello to the UChoose Rewards program at Barksdale Federal Credit Union.

UChoose Rewards is a program based on giving you a choice of where to shop and what to get for all the points you earn.

There’s never been a better time to start using your BFCU Credit Card and Debit Card for all your day-to-day needs. Shop in stores or online to earn points. Watch your points add up fast by earning them several ways! Here’s how.

• Visit the profile tab on https://www.uchooserewards.com to link your additional cards and combine your points for more purchasing power.

• Earn 1 point per $2 every time you use your BFCU Debit Card and sign for your purchases and 1 point for every $1 when you make a qualifying purchase with your BFCU Credit Card. Plus, you’ll earn additional points when you shop at retailers partici-pating in the program.

• View a list of participating retailers at https://www.uchooserewards.com. • Use your points to choose from millions of products, travel experiences,

activities and event tickets, gift cards and much more. Log on to https://www.uchooserewards.com to see your points balance, and then view all the items for which you can redeem your points.

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BFCU employees raised awareness for Alzheimer’s

disease by taking part in the Walk to End

Alzheimer’s at the Louisiana Boardwalk on Oct. 22.

BFCU was a proud sponsor and participated in

the Bossier Chamber Military & Members Bowling

tournament on Oct. 21.

BFCU employees from the southern centers

collected more than 60 bags of clothing donations

in support of Goodwill Industries.

BFCU in the Community

For more information on the UChoose Rewards program, please contact us at 800-647-2328, option 4, or visit the center nearest you.

Our UChoose Rewards® ProgramWhere You Choose Where to Earn and How to Redeem Your Points!

Community News• Our Blanchard center hosted a dinner

for Select Employee Groups that offer credit union services to their employees on Oct. 3.

• In October we launched the Cell Phones for Soldiers Recycling Program. Dona-tion boxes were placed at every center so members could drop off unneeded cell phones. For each phone donated a deployed soldier received a free calling card to call home.

• BFCU donated 300 footballs to Bossier High School for students to throw at upcoming football games on Oct. 5.

• BFCU participated in the Bossier College Fair where students from Bossier Parish received information from schools and vendors about furthering their education.

• BFCU held a Goodwill Clothing Drive where northern region employees brought in more than 300 bags of cloth-ing donations in support of Goodwill Industries on Oct. 10.

• BFCU employees from the southern cen-ters participated in the Alexandria Susan G. Komen Run/Walk and raised more than $550 for the cause on Oct. 15.

• BFCU sponsored the Southwest Loui-siana golf tournament at Coushatta Casino and provided giveaways and door prizes on Oct. 21.

• BFCU employees presented a home-buying seminar to the Johnson Temple Church men’s conference Oct. 22.

• BFCU hosted an information booth at the Bossier City Employees Benefits Fair to offer credit union services and answer questions to all the employees of Bossier City on Oct. 26 and 27.

• BFCU held a Facebook contest and gave away a Disney® Live Princess Package with a Disney Fairy Princess doll and four tickets to see Disney Live on Oct. 27.

• BFCU employees from the northern centers participated in the American Heart Association Fun Run/Walk to help raise money for research and education to reduce heart disease and stroke on Oct. 29.

• BFCU hosted a Halloween Bash at our Fort Polk center with candy giveaways, games and event photos on Oct. 31.

• BFCU presented checks to Benton Elementary School and Benton Middle School, both chosen as Bossier Schools We Care Winners on Nov. 2.

• BFCU employees taught a banking class to prisoners at the Oakdale FCI during the resource fair on Nov. 2.

• BFCU employees volunteered their time to assist the NWLA Food Bank by sorting and packing food boxes for the seniors program on Nov. 5.

• BFCU was a sponsor at the Veterans Win at Business Breakfast. The LA Small Business Development Center hosted a breakfast for all local veterans to learn helpful information for business owners or future business owners on Nov. 9.

• BFCU held a Facebook contest for a Veterans Day American Flag Give-away. Members submitted letters about patriotism for a chance to win one of 10 American flags from Nov. 1-10.

• BFCU was presented with a thank you certificate for monetary donations to Wounded Warrior Project at Fort Polk on Nov. 10.

• BFCU employees donated more than $500 to purchase games, puzzles, books and other comfort items for patients at the VA Hospital during a fundraiser on Nov. 18.

• BFCU southern regions employees answered phones at the Alexandria Food Bank telethon on Dec. 1.

Welcome New SEGs

American Forest Products – Anacoco

Bing Outdoor Media, LLC – Shreveport

Brandon Wilson Consulting, LLC – Hornbeck

G&J Leasing LLC – Hornbeck

Jeb Willard Physical Therapy – Springhill

Joan Kathey Dance Center Stars, Inc. – Leesville

Turner Business Group, Inc. – Leesville

Verallia – Simsboro

Your Financial Partner for Life | 7

• BFCU hosted two donation events for the LifeShare Northern Region Blood Drive on Dec. 1.

• BFCU employees baked dozens of cookies on Dec. 6 as a donation to the Airmen Cookie program that provides baked cookies and goodies for local airmen who can’t be with family for the holidays.

• BFCU partnered with the U.S. Marine Corps to serve as drop locations for Toys for Tots during December.

• BFCU was the stage sponsor at the Leesville “I’ll Be Home for Christmas” military welcome home parade and served hot chocolate to thousands of attendees on Dec.10.

• BFCU employees rode a float in the Benton Christmas Parade and passed out cups and candy to parade attendees on Dec. 10 to help the Town of Benton celebrate Christmas.

• BFCU employees volunteered at water sta-tions and concession stands for the Sports spectrum Christmas Run on Dec. 13.

2701 Village LaneBossier City, LA 71112

318-549-8240www.bfcu.org

Rates and Dates

Account Rate APY*_______________________________________________________

Prime Savings 0.50% 0.50%Sp. Purpose Savings 0.50% 0.50% _______________________________________________________

Children’s Savings 0.50% 0.50%Christmas Club 2.00% 2.00%_______________________________________________________

IRA Prime Savings 0.50% 0.50%Regular Checking 0.25% 0.25%_______________________________________________________

Plus Checking 0.50% 0.50%High Five Checking 0.25% 0.25%

* Annual Percentage Yield.

Rates effective Nov. 5, 2011. Rates subject to change without notice.

Martin Luther King Jr. Day Jan. 16

Presidents Day Feb. 20

Join Us for Your Annual Meeting

Thursday, March 29, 2012Bossier Civic Center620 Benton RoadBossier City, LA

January 2012 will mark the Grand Opening Celebration of our newest center – 6790 Pines Road, Shreveport, LA.

Report lost or stolen Credit cards: 800-543-5073 or 727-570-4881 after hours. Debit cards: 800-472-3272 or 973-682-2652.

Your goals and needs have no doubt changed over time, but you still have them – and you still need savings to achieve many of them. A Christmas Club account can be a handy tool to save for any short-term goal, from buying a new car or renovating your home to visiting your grandkids.

Christmas Club accounts offer many of the same benefits as a regular savings account, including up to $250,000 in federal insurance from the NCUA and a chance to earn interest.

Because it is completely separate from your other savings, you’ll be less tempted to spend the funds on any-thing but their intended purpose. The account gives you a set timeframe to save, then the funds are automatically transferred to your savings account for you to spend.

Setting a regular contribution sched-ule through automatic transfers or direct deposit gives you the discipline to reach your goals. For example, if you want to save $2,000 for next year’s trip to visit old friends, you can arrange to contribute around $165 each month for the next

12 months. You can either consider the earned interest a bonus, or keep it in mind when determining your monthly contribution amount.

A Christmas Club account also gives you the incentive to keep on saving. With each monthly statement, you’ll watch your savings grow as you get closer to achieving your goal. Get started today by calling 800-647-2328, option 4, visiting www.bfcu.org or stopping by the nearest center to set up your account.

Make a Christmas Club Account Your FUN ACCUNT

Holiday ClosingsBarksdale Federal Credit Union will be closed for the following holidays:

Federally Insured by NCUA