First timeHome Buyers -Welcomehome!

Get Rates & A Quick Quote Here’s How It Works:

Complete our online application.The application will ask questionsabout the home and your financesand takes less than 20 minutes to

complete. As soon as you’ve finished the appli-cation we’ll review your request for approval.

After the appl icat ion i s completed , aMortgage Representative will contact you tointroduce themselves and answer any questionsyou may have. Credit Union Mortgage Repsare experts and don’t work on commission. So,you can trust their guidance. If your request

1isn’t approved online, they’ll ask for extrainformation to make the decision.

2. We’ll send you anapplication package

t o p r e p a r eyour loan

for clo-s i n g. I twill containpapers for you tosign. There’s also a listof items we’ll needto verify withy o u a b o u tcontinued...

The Quarterly Newsletter of the Merck Employees Federal Credit Union Fall 2016

INSIDE THIS ISSUE■ SmartCards areHere...You ShouldHave Yours By Now■ Borrow withReadyMoney AllYear ‘Round

Get Ready for the Cold Months Ahead:

With a Credit Union Home Equity Loan. Make an investment in:n A More Energy n Higher Rated n Higher Rated n Better Roofing

Efficient Furnace Insulation Windows & SidingAnd we do refinancing from other institutions!

You can also use a Credit Union Loan to turn your basement into a winter retreat with furniture,carpeting, paneling and a big screen TV. Get ready for holiday entertaining, too, with kitchen andbath remodeling or an addition. Or, buy a spa!

No Points / No Fees. Get the biggest allowable tax deductions for interest payments!

Call: 732-594-3018 for details and to apply. Or, apply online at Shadow 1 Home Banking.

New!You Should Have Received

Your New Shadow 2 Visa

Debit Smart Card By Now.

Upgrade It With CardValet,

Free!Go To Your AppSource & DownloadCardValet, a Mobile App That HelpsYou Manage Your Shadow 2 Visa DebitCard with Chip Technology to:

Fraud Protection: Use CardValet to turn yourVisa Debit Card “off ” when you’re not using it.This safeguards against fraud. When your Cardis off, no ATM withdrawals or purchases willbe approved.

Review Balances & Transactions Anytime. IfYou Wish, Set the Card to Work Only When

Your Smart Phone Is Also Present.Control Spending: Set spending limits forgeneral use. Or, specify thresholds by merchanttypes, such as gas, grocery or retail stores. Or,block merchant types altogether. Get real-time alerts on your Card if it’s used, ordeclined outside of limits set by you.The App lets you change your spending para-

meters anytime! Simply up-date your transaction

controls for your needs.For full func-tionality, view the CardValet

tutorial that comes,free, with the App.

MAkE YOURSMArT CARDBRILLIANT!

octoburrr,novemburrR,decemburRR!

Use Your Mouse to Finance a HouseVisit Mortgage Central On Our

Home Page for Information &to Apply for a 1st Mortgage.

www.merckcu.com

Shadow 21234 5678 9101 1213

1234 5678 9101 121312/19DAVID DOWNING

Shadow 2

I t e m s o f I n t e r e s tI t e m s o f I n t e r e s t

This Holiday, Carry Your New Visa Debit Smart Card with Chip Technology...continuedyour finances. We’ll order the appraisal from alicensed appraiser who is familiar with homevalues in your area.

itle insurance will be necessarywhen purchasing. We’ll work withthe broker or seller to ensure thetitle work is ordered a.s.a.p. If

you’re refinancing, we’ll order the title workfor you. We’ll use the title insurance policy toconfirm the legal status of your property and toprepare the closing documents.

3. We’llcontact you to coordinate your closing dateafter we receive your application package, theappraisal, and the title work. The closing will

TUse Your Shadow 2 Visa debit Card Over

the holidays for Christmas, Hanukkah& Kwanzaa shopping & entertaining.there’s no annual fee or finance charge.

You should have received your new Shadow 2 Visa Debit Card inthe mail, just in time for the busy months ahead. These high techChip Cards offer important added security protection against fraudand identity theft.

1) Use your Debit Card in almost any ATM, anytime, forinstant cash. Use Shadow 2 ATMs for full service at no charge. Or, useyour Debit Card in Co-Op ATMs nationwide for cash with only a 60¢fee. Or, use your Card in Plus or Exchange ATMs, worldwide, for asmall fee.

2) Use your Visa Debit Card & PIN at most grocery store,convenience store and gas stations with Point-of-Sale terminals.

Get Cash Back with your purchase at manyPoint-of-Sale terminals when you use your PIN.

Or, earn UChoose Rewards points when you sign for your purchases. Points areredeemable for merchandise and travel, the choice is yours.

Your new Shadow 2 Visa Debit Card is just one part of the Circle of Service. The most convenient, efficient and safest way to manage your personal finances and spend money.

Now: ReadyMoney, All Year

‘Round:9.5%APR

Vacation Loans & HolidayLoans Have Been CombinedInto ReadyMoney...availableEveryday for Everything!

12 Months to Repay / $15,000 MaximumUnsecured Credit.

Apply online: www.merckcu.com. Or, call the Loan Department at ( 732) 594-3018

‘Round:

■ Low Fixed & Adjustable Rates -

a variety of great terms

■ FHA & VA / Refinance / Jumbos /

PHFA / Construction to Permanent

Mortgage / Primary or Secondary /

Multiple Family Dwellings & Residential

Investment Properties(to four units, one owner occupied)

Go to the Home Page. Click on the Mortgage

Central tab (vertical bar, left). Then, scroll down &

click on: Quick Quote to begin.

Call: (732) 594-3018 for further assistance.

Mortgages granted in New Jersey & parts of Pennsylvania &

Virginia / rates & details on back page

take place at the office of a title companyor attorney in your area who will act as

our agent. A few days before closingyour Rep will contact you to walk

through the final details.

That’s all! Apply now forprequalification. It’s a

good bargaining toolbecause it lets sell-

ers know you’reready to buy!

the easier & saferSanta gift bag

Shadow 21234 5678 9101 1213

1234 5678 9101 121312/19DAVID DOWNING

Shadow 2

dentity theft is a crime where athief steals your personal informa-tion, such as your full name orSocial Security number, to commit

fraud. The identity thief can use your informa-tion to fraudulently apply for credit, file taxes,or get medical services. These acts can damageyour credit status, and cost you time andmoney to restore your good name. (Sure signsto watch for: mystery bills, credit collections,denied loans)

Thieves use many tactics to steal your identity.Some of the most com-mon are: 1) Stealing wal-lets that contain personalidentification informationa n d c r e d i t c a r d s . 2 )Stealing credit unionstatements from the mail.3) Diverting mail from itsintended recipients bysubmitting a change ofaddress form. 4)Rum-maging through trash forpersonal data. 5) Stealingpersonal ID informationfrom workplace records.or information transmit-ted electronically.

To help prevent IdentityTheft do not share youraccount information orSocial Security numbersunless you know the per-son requesting them iswho they claim to be.

Control access to your financial information.Store your personal information in a safe place,and tear up or shred old credit card and ATMreceipts, old account statements and unusedcredit card offers before throwing them away.Protect your PINs and other passwords. Avoid

I t e m s o f I n t e r e s tI t e m s o f I n t e r e s t

Identity Theft, Chapter Three

using easily available information such as yourmother's maiden name, your birth date, thelast four digits of your Social Security number,or your phone number, as identity thieves canget this information to access your accountsrelatively easily.

Carry only the minimum amount of identifyinginformation and credit cards that you need.Monitor bil l ing cycles and statements.Contact the Credit Union if you do notreceive a monthly bill but you should. It maymean that an identity thief diverted the bill.

Check account statementscarefully. Ensure that youauthorized all transactionson the statement.

uard your mailfrom theft. Ifyou have thetype of mail-

box with a flag to signalthat the box containsmail, do not leave billpayment envelopes inyour mailbox with the flagraised. Instead, depositthem in a post office col-lection box or at the localpost office. Remove in-coming mail promptly.

Monitor your credit report.C o n s u m e r s a r e e n t i - tled to one free creditreport from each creditreporting agency yearly.

Watch for future editions ofItems of Interest (in print or

online) for more information onthis topic & resources to help you.

Federal Trade Commission - www.IdentityTheft.gov

he FTC ha s l aunchedIdentityTheft.gov, to makeit easier for identity theftvictims to report and re-

cover from ID thefts. A Spanish ver-sion is available at RobodeIdentidad.gov.The new website walks people throughthe recovery process and helps themunderstand which recovery steps shouldbe taken upon learning their identityhas been stolen. It also provides sampleletters and other helpful resources.In addition, the site offers specializedtips for specific forms of identity theft,including tax-related and medicalidentity theft. The site also has advicefor people who have been notified thattheir personal information was exposedin a data breach.

12 Months to Repay / $15,000 MaximumUnsecured Credit.

Apply online: www.merckcu.com. Or, call the Loan Department at ( 732) 594-3018

GT

I

Not All Credit Cards Are Equal...

Credit Union Credit Card Cash Advances are at the same low rate as purchases:

8.52%APR

Try Finding Another Card withEqual Rates for Both

A Message fromMembers Financial Services...

Are You Retiring In TheNext Five Years?

orkers make the move into retire-ment in various ways. Sometimesit is based on our own schedule.Others may have their date de-

termined by factors outside their control suchas health or family needs. Still others may haveretirement determined by their employer.Regardless, retirement should be the begin-ning of an exciting new phase of your life.However, this process can be overwhelmingif you try to go it alone. The MEMBERSFinancial Services program, located at theCredit Union, is uniquely qualified to help.Representatives Daniel Campanelli, CFS,CRPC, CFP and Merry Scala have 60-yearsof combined of financial planning experience.We provide financial planning services toour Members that take into considerationemployer benefits, your own personal sav-ings as well as government retiree programssuch as Social Security and Medicare.During the working years, the top priority isbuilding and growing your savings. Afterretirement begins, the top priority becomesgenerating consistent, sufficient income.Retirees also face new challenges such asincreasing healthcare costs, changes in insur-ance coverage and high taxes. A comprehen-sive retirement plan will consider the resourcesyou have available to ensure risks are coveredand needs can comfortably be met.This service is available at no cost or oblig-ation to our Members. To make an appoint-ment please call 732.594.3287 or emaillori.tice@cunamutual.com.Securities sold, advisory services offered throughCUNA Brokerage Services, Inc. (CBSI), MemberFINRA/SIPC, a registered broker/dealer andinvestment advisor. CBSI is under con-tract with the financial institution tom ake s e c u r i t i e s ava i l ab l e t oMembers. Not NCUA/NCU-SIF/ FDIC insured, May LoseValue, No Financial Insti-tution Guarantee. Not adeposit of any finan-cial institution.

Dan CampanelliVP Wealth ManagementCRPC, CFS, CFP

Merry ScalaFinancial Advisor

a new

car d

epreci

ates 1

/3 the

secon

d it’s

drive

n off t

he lo

t

USED

CARS

star

t at:

2.5%

Fixed

APR

W

Projected Rates / 4th Quarter 2016Savings: APR Yield Share Savings & PODs . . . . . . . . . . .875%. . . . . .878%IRAs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2.125%. . . . . 2.142%Checking with eStatements. . . . . . . . 0.375%. . . . . .376%Checking without eStatements . . . . . 0.125%. . . . . .125%For additional information, please contact the RahwayOffice to obtain a copy of current rates & disclosures.Current Loan Rates: ___ n New Vehicle & Prior ONE Model Year - 75% of

purchase price including sales tax & other charges and;n Other Secured Loans - Motor Vehicle Title - maximum =

90% of NADA Loan value, 36 months . . . . . . . 2.50%48 months (min. $8,000 on Other Secured Loans ) 2.75%60 months (min. $10,000 on New & $15,000 on

Other Secured Loans) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.00%72 months (min. $20,000, New Vehicles only) . . . . 3.25%

n New Vehicle & Prior ONE Model Year - 90% of purchaseprice including sales tax & other charges and;

n Other Secured Loans - Motor Vehicle Title - maximum =NADA Loan value:

36 months. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.50%48 months (min. $8,000 on Other Secured Loans ). 3.75%60 months (min. $10,000 on New & $15,000 on Other

Secured Loans) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.00%72 months (min. $20,000, New Vehicles only) . . . 4.25%

4 New Vehicle & Prior ONE Model Year - 100%of purchase price including sales tax & other charges and;

4 Used Vehicle - maximum = NADA Clean Retail value4 Other Secured - new RVs = 100% of

purchase price excluding sales tax & other charges & UsedRVs max. = NADA Used Retail value and;

n Stock Secured - regularly traded on the NYSE up to70% of current market value and;

n Bond Secured - up to 70% of current market value:36 months. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.00%48 months (min.$8,000 on Used Vehicles /RVs) . . 4.25%60 months (min. $10,000 on New Vehicles & $15,000 onUsed Vehicles & RVs ) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.50%72 months (min. $20,000 on New Vehicles & New RVs )

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4.75%n Signature - ReadyMoney,12 months . . . . . . . . . 9.50%

- 36 months . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11.00%- 48 months (minimum $6,000 ) . . . . 11.50%- 60 months (minimum $15,000) . . . . 12.00%

n Share Secured - 72 months maximum term . . . .Above APRs 1/4% higher when not repaid automatically

via EFT- automatic transfer from Share Account.n MasterCard / Visa (effective 6/24/10) . . . . . . 8.52%n Home Equity . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.50%

Share Secured, Credit Card & Real Estate Loans listedabove are Variable Rate based on Prime

n Fixed Rate 2nd Mortgage - 60 Months -$50,000 maximum . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3.75%

n Fixed Rate 2nd Mortgage - 84 Months - $25,000 minimum - $50,000 maximum . . . . 4.00%

Home Equity Loans on primary residences only in New Jersey &select counties in Pennsylvania & Virginia. Costs may apply inVirginia. A fee applies anywhere a walk-thru appraisal is required.Ask your professional tax advisor what your savings will be bor-rowing with a Home Equity Loan.

Call for daily 1st Mortgage Rates or visit;

www.merckcu.comGo to the Home Page. Click on the Mortgage Central tab (left) on

the Home Page. Then, scroll down and click on:Quick Quote to begin. Rates change daily.

Other Home Equity rates & terms available. Refer to the Credit Union’sRate & Fee Schedule for full details on all Loans. Home Equity Loan,fixed rate 5-year term: 3.75% APR - maximum of $50,000. Home EquityLoan, fixed rate 7-year term: 4% APR% - minimum of $25,000, maximumof $50,000. Home Equity Line-of-Credit, variable rate 15-year term with a$100,000 maximum. Primary residences only in New Jersey & select coun-ties in Pennsylvania & Virginia. No points or fees for Home Equity Loansor 2nd Mortgages except costs may apply in Virginia. A fee applies any-where a walk-thru appraisal is required. Get the biggest allowable taxdeductions. Ask your professional tax advisor what your savings will beborrowing with a Home Equity Loan. Refinance from other institutionswith no MEFCU fees.

2.875%

www.co-opsharedbranching.org

n Rahway, Bldg. 32/ RY32-15: Box 2000 Rahway, NJ 07065 Hours: Weekdays, 8 am till 1 pm & 2 pm till 4 pm

n Upton Place: 397 Upton Place Rahway, NJ 07065 Hours: M,T,W,F, 9 am till 2 pm / Thursdays, 10 am till 6 pm

n Whitehouse West: 1 Merck Dr., Whitehouse Stn. 08889-0200Hours: Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays, 8:30 am till 1 pm

n Kenilworth, K-15: 1200 Galloping Hill Rd. Kenilworth, NJ 07033Hours: M,T,Th,F, 8:30 am till 1 pm

n Stonewall: 2778 South East Side Hwy. Elkton, Va. 22827Hours: M,T,Th,F, 9 am till Noon & 1 pm till 4 pm / Wednesdays, 9 am till 1 pm & by appointment

Main Directory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (732) 594-4046Member Service Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . (732) 594-3317Loan Department . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (732) 594-3018Fax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (732) 594-4301Upton Place Branch . . . . . . . . (732) 594-CASH (594-2274)Whitehouse West Branch . . . . (908) 423-CASH (423-2274)Kenilworth Branch . . . . . . . . . (908) 740-CASH (740-2274)Stonewall Branch. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (540) 298-4880Shadow 1 24-Hour Telephone Teller . . . . . . . (732) 594-5200 or. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 800-SHADOW1 (800-742-3691)eMail . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . merck.efcu@merck.comWeb Site . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . www.merckcu.com

To report lost or stolen Cards or PINs, call:For Shadow 2 Visa Check Card . . . . . . . . . . . . (800) 554-8969For MasterCard or Visa Platinum Credit Card . (800) 237-6211

Shadow 2 ATM Locations No charge for anytransaction with a Shadow 2 Visa Check Card at Shadow 2 ATMsRahway. . . . . . . . . . . . . . n Bldg. 32* ( near elevators )

n Bldg.34**(west vestibule)n Bond St. Café**(by front door)n Scott Avenue*** (across

from Guard House - 24/7 )Whitehouse Station . . . . . n Visitor’s Center** ( Main . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . entrance-off Rte.523-24/7 )Whitehouse Station West n Credit Union Lobby**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 Merck Drive

Branchburg . . . . . . . . . . . n Main Lobby**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Rte. 22Kenilworth K1 . . . . . . . . n Main Atrium Lobby**Kenilworth K15 . . . . . . . n East of front desk **Lebanon . . . . . . . . . . . . . n East Lobby Entrance**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 600 Corp. Dr. - off Rte. 22Madison . . . . . . . . . . . . . n LL Garage Vestibule **Boston . . . . . . . . . . . . . . n MRL Boston*. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33 Avenue Louis PasteurDurham . . . . . . . . . . . . . n OSF Bldg.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5325 Old Oxford Rd.*Stonewall . . . . . . . . . . . . n General Service Facility**. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2778 So. East Side Highway

n Factory Gate Guard House** These Shadow 2 ATMs do not accept deposits.

** These ATMs accept Checks only.*** This ATM accepts cash or Check deposits.

Use Co-Op, Plus or Exchange ATMs, worldwide, for cash.(60¢ charge at Co-Op ATMs for Credit Union Members.) n For ATM locations:

● Co-Op ATMs: 1-888-SITECOOP (1-888-748-32667)/www.co-opatm.org

● Plus ATMs: 1-800-THE-PLUSn For Accel /Exchange Cash Back Locations & ATMs:

● 1-800-519-8883 / www.accelexchange.com

Annual ACH DisclosureCredit given by us to you with respect to an automated clear-ing house credit entry is provisional until we receive final set-tlement for such entry through a Federal Reserve Bank. If wedo not receive such final settlement, you are hereby notifiedand agree that we are entitled to a refund of the amount cred-ited to you in connection with such entry and the party mak-ing payment to you via such entry shall not be deemed to havepaid you in the amount of such entry.

Under the Operating Rules of the National AutomatedClearing House Association which are applicable to ACHtransactions involving your Account, we are not requiredto give you next day notice of receipt of an ACH item andwe will not do so. However, we will continue to notify youof the receipt of payments in the periodic statements weprovide to you.

We may accept on your behalf payments to your Accountwhich have been transmitted through one or more AutomatedClearing Houses and which are not subject to the ElectronicFunds Transfer Act and your rights and obligations withrespect to such payments shall be construed in accordancewith and governed by the laws of the State of New Jersey asprovided by the operating rules of the National AutomatedClearing House Association, which are applicable to ACHtransactions involving your Account.

Annual Notice Regarding Non-Visa Pinless Debit Transactions

You may use your Shadow 2 Visa Debit Card to initiateboth Visa debit transactions and non-Visa debit transac-tions without use of a PIN (Personal Identif icationNumber) to authenticate the transactions.

To initiate a Visa debit transaction, you may sign a receipt,provide a card number or swipe your card though a POS(Point of Sale) terminal and choose to route the transactionover a Visa network.

To initiate a non-Visa debit transaction, you may enter a PINat a POS terminal or, for certain bill payment transactions, pro-vide the account number for an e-commerce or mail/telephoneorder transaction after clearly indicating a preference to route itas a non-Visa transaction. We have enabled non-Visa debitprocessing on the Accel network, which processes such transac-tions for us.

The rights and protections applicable only to Visa debit trans-actions, including additional consumer liability and stream-lined error resolution procedures, as described in yourElectronic Funds Transfer Agreement and Disclosure will notapply to transactions processed via Non-Visa networks.

Skip MasterCard & VisaPayments this holiday

Simply don’t remitthe payment that’sdue in December orJanuary. Your duedate will be auto-matically extendedo n e m o n t h a n dinterest will contin-ue to accrue. Usethe extra cash forshopping, travel orentertainment. Youcan waive this skip-a-payment optionand avoid additional

finance charges by paying in full or by makingthe payments that are due this December andin January, 2017. There are restrictions including: the Account must be more than 6months old with no delinquency and within its credit limit.

The Credit Union will be closed:■ November 24 & 25 for Thanksgiving■ December 23 for Christmas and...All offices, except Upton Place on some days, will be closed:■ December 26 thru December 30Upton Place will be open regular hours December 27-30■ January 2 for New Year’s Day

Merck IOI Oct '16 Z.qxp 9/22/16 8:10 AM Page 4