Membership Benefits

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As a member, you benefit from:

Higher Deposit Rates, Lower Loan Rates, and Fewer Fees!

POLAM is dedicated to serving the financial needs of our members. As a not-for-profit financial institution, our goal isn’t to generate profits, but to return value to our members by offering the lowest possible loan rates and the highest dividend rates our earnings allow after covering operating expenses.

Personal Service

We provide a warm and personal service designed to help you grow your savings, pay off debt, and plan for the future. When you become a member, you will feel like you are part of a community and when you call us you will not get an audio response but a live, familiar voice ready to assist you.

You will always be able to talk to our member service representative during our office hours. As a member, you also get to vote for your board of directors, who are also POLAM members, like you.

Federal Insurance

Through the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund (NCUSIF), which is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States government, your funds are insured to at least $250,000 per individual depositor. You can find more information here: NCUA Share Insurance Coverage Overview Poster (mycreditunion.gov)

Member’s account balances in excess of $250,000 can be insured if properly structured. POLAM FCU also offers American Share Insurance, which can double your account insurance coverage. For Consumers (americanshare.com)

Convenient National and International Access

More surcharge-free ATMs than just about any credit union, anywhere. CO-OP’s nearly 30,000 ATMS and 5,000+ shared branches means you have more direct, surcharge-free* access to your money than most traditional bank customers do.

*The Co-op ATM Network alone offers credit unions nationwide access to more than 33,000 surcharge-free ATMs, including more than 8,000 deposit-taking locations, making it the largest network of its kind. By integrating into our ATM Network, credit unions provide an unmatched level of convenience, while also generating increased interchange revenue. This self-service network streamlines operations for credit unions and supports continuous engagement with members at every touchpoint.

Latest Banking Technology

POLAM offers access to your accounts from your desktop, tablet or smart phone. No time to drive to an ATM or a branch? You can deposit your checks with your smart phone.

How to Join

Becoming a Member

We’d love to have you as a member! Membership is open to Southern California residents who are friends and family members of Polish Americans.

POLAM is an association-based credit union open to Southern California residents who are individual or supporting members of our sponsor, the Polish American Congress, or one of the other affiliated associations.

If you are not already a member of one of the approved associations, supporting membership can be established at the time of account opening by paying a supporting membership fee of $20. In 2000 we added Polish American Congress members from Arizona and in 2024 we welcomed members of the Northwest Ohio Polish Cultural Center of Toledo, Ohio.

How to Get Started

Come in or call either our Los Angeles or Orange County branch and open a savings account with a minimum deposit of $5. This is the share required for membership.