Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, you can apply for a checking account online. If you’re not a member of Georgia’s Own Credit Union, you will be able to apply for membership at the same time that you apply to open an account.

During the application process you will need:

• Your Social Security Number
• A valid U. S. driver’s license or other approved, government-issued I.D.
• Physical address information (P.O. Boxes can be used for mailing purposes, but a physical address is required for the online application)

Learn more about opening a checking account online.

Our Resolution Checking account is designed to help re-establish financial stability for members who have had previous credit problems and are not eligible for other checking accounts. Explore Resolution Checking Account for more details.

All qualified Georgia’s Own members can open a Perks+ Checking account.

There are five ways you can qualify for membership:

1. By residence or employment within certain counties in metro Atlanta, Southeast Georgia, Southwest Georgia, Augusta, and Savannah
2. Getting Ahead Association membership
3. Past or present Georgia State University enrollment or employment
4. Relation by blood, adoption, or marriage to a current Georgia’s Own Credit Union member
5. Premier Partner employee or retiree.

Visit our membership page to see if you qualify.

All qualified Georgia’s Own members can open an All Access Checking account.

There are five ways you can qualify for membership:

1. By residence or employment within certain counties in metro Atlanta, Southeast Georgia, Southwest Georgia, Augusta, and Savannah
2. Getting Ahead Association membership
3. Past or present Georgia State University enrollment or employment
4. Relation by blood, adoption, or marriage to a current Georgia’s Own Credit Union member
5. Premier Partner employee or retiree.

Visit our membership page to see if you qualify.

All qualified Georgia’s Own members who do not qualify for Perks+ Checking or All Access Checking can open a Resolution Checking account.

There are five ways you can qualify for membership:

1. By residence or employment within certain counties in metro Atlanta, Southeast Georgia, Southwest Georgia, Augusta, and Savannah
2. Getting Ahead Association membership
3. Past or present Georgia State University enrollment or employment
4. Relation by blood, adoption, or marriage to a current Georgia’s Own Credit Union member
5. Premier Partner employee or retiree.

Visit our membership page to see if you qualify.

No, there is no fee for this feature, but there is a $6.95 monthly maintenance fee for the Perks+ Checking account.

A Resolution Checking account is an alternative, second-chance bank account available for those who want to re-establish financial security after previous checking account problems. With a Resolution Checking account, you can cash or deposit checks, make transactions online, pay bills, and withdraw cash at a branch or ATM.

In most cases, yes. Many online retailers will allow payment using your checking account information, like using your debit card. You can also make online purchases with your checking account information by verifying your account with a digital wallet or financial transaction app such as PayPal or Venmo.

There are more than 5,600 credit unions nationwide that belong to the Co-op Shared Branch network, with even more located outside the country.

Georgia’s Own Credit Union participates in the Co-op Shared Branch network, allowing our members to perform transactions at another national and international credit union branch.

Members can find a shared branch through our branch locator page, the Georgia’s Own mobile banking app, or the Co-op Credit Unions Locator website. Resolution accounts are not eligible for shared branching.

Yes, all members must have a primary savings account with a minimum balance of $5. This $5 refundable deposit represents your “share” in Georgia’s Own and is held on deposit as long as you are a member.

Yes, your Georgia’s Own savings, checking, money market, and certificate of deposit accounts are insured up to $250,000 by the NCUA. For additional information, visit the NCUA share insurance estimator.

We require these documents to open a representative payee/fiduciary account:

• Letter showing appointment of Representative Payee from SSA, or Fiduciary from VA
• Beneficiary/Ward’s identification
• Representative Payee/Fiduciary’s identification

We require these documents to open a trust account:

• Certification or Abstract of Trust (usually created at the time the trust documents are drafted)
• Trustees’ identification
• If applicable, IRS letter with the EIN number issued
• Additional documents as requested by Georgia’s Own

We require these documents to open an estate account:

• Original Letters Testamentary or Administration
• Certified copy of the Death Certificate
• Executor’s identification
• IRS letter with the EIN number issued for Estate

With tiered dividends, you get a better rate when you have a higher account balance. See our rates page for details.

No. Early Direct Deposit is an automatic feature of Perks+ Checking.

No. If you have a Perks+ Checking account with direct deposit, Early Direct Deposit is now an included benefit. If you do not currently have direct deposit to your Perks+ Checking account, you will need to complete steps as outlined by your HR department to enroll in their direct deposit service. You’ll be able to receive your paycheck quickly and conveniently.

If you have a Perks+ Checking account, it can be up to two days early, but this will depend on when your employer provides payment details. If your deposit doesn’t arrive early, you can expect it to arrive on the scheduled payday.

Depending on your employer, it could take up to 90 days to be enrolled in Early Direct Deposit after you set up a direct deposit. However, in most cases, it begins much sooner. You must have a Perks+ Checking account to be eligible for Early Direct Deposit.

If you have a recurring direct deposit set up for at least 90 days but aren’t seeing your payment early, it could mean your employer is not submitting your direct deposit information in advance of your payday. This service is dependent on direct deposit information being submitted early. To be eligible for Early Direct Deposit, you must have a Perks+ Checking account.

Early Direct Deposit is only available on Perks+ Checking accounts.

If you have a portion going to another financial institution, it may be deposited on the employee payroll date.

Early Direct Deposit is only available on Perks+ Checking accounts.

The direct deposit can include: salary, Social Security, pension, military, and VA payments. Other electronic ACH deposits to your account may also post early. Early Direct Deposit is only available on Perks+ Checking accounts.

Employers may not always submit their direct deposit information at the same time each pay period. Timing is dependent on the payer/employer.

Early Direct Deposit is only available on Perks+ Checking accounts.

If your biller is in our bill pay network, then they receive an electronic (ACH) payment. If you set up an ACH bill payment by 4:00pm ET, it will be paid the next business day.

If your biller isn’t enrolled in our bill pay network, then they receive a paper check. Paper checks are delivered within three business days.

Set up your bill payment by 4:00pm ET and it will be paid the next business day for electronic (ACH) payments, or within three business days for paper checks. When you set up your payment, you’ll see the estimated delivery date displayed.

When you make an electronic (ACH) payment, the money is removed from your account on the send date. You’ll see the send date displayed when you set up your payment.

If the payment is sent as a paper check, the money is removed from your account when the biller deposits the check, just like any other paper check.

You can submit an expedited check payment by 2:00pm ET, and the biller will receive the payment the next business day. There’s a $25 fee for this expedited service.

Yes! We’ll even send you an additional card in the authorized user’s name. Just fill out and sign our Authorized User Request form, scan it, and return it to us (along with a copy of the authorized user’s ID) through the secure message center in online banking. You can also send the form by mail or fax, or drop it off at your local branch.

You can get Flex Rewards points on our Visa Signature®, Visa® Platinum, and Student Visa cards. Our Visa Classic card does not offer points.

To find the card that’s right for you, visit our Credit Card Comparison page.

Your Flex Rewards points expire five years after the date you earned them. If you want to redeem your points, just log into online banking or give us a call at 888.205.5931 to get started.

If you’re new to the world of credit, our Student Visa® could be a good option for you. It’s a great way to establish credit and build a credit history. You also earn Flex Rewards points for every dollar you charge, with a low rate and no annual fee.

We offer a secured version of our Visa® Classic credit card for members who have a low credit score or no established credit. A secured card is “secured” by money in a savings account. This money then acts as collateral every time you make a purchase. As you use your credit card and pay your bills on time, those payments are reported to credit bureaus, which helps you establish credit and raise your credit score.

If you want to redeem your points, just log into online banking or give us a call at 888.205.5931 to get started.

You can use your points for cash back, gift cards, travel, charitable donations—pretty much anything you want. And Pay With Points lets you make qualified purchases with the points you’ve already earned.

Yes, it’s simple and easy to make a payment on your Georgia’s Own credit card. Here are some of the ways you can pay your bill:

• Make a payment through online banking
• Use the Georgia’s Own Card Manager app
• Call our 24-hour automated pay-by-phone service at 866.597.1473
• Mail your payment to:
  Georgia’s Own Credit Union
  PO Box 71050
  Charlotte, NC 28272-1050

Expedited Pay-by-Phone Fee: $8.00. If your account is subject to the Pay-by-Phone Fee, except as limited by applicable law, a fee may be imposed for method of payment is only allowed if the fee is for expedited crediting. This generally means the payments must be credited that day or if after the cut-off time established by the Credit Union, the following business day.

If your debit or credit card has been lost or stolen, or if you suspect fraud, call us right away at 800.533.2062. You can also send us a secure message through online banking. We will immediately block and reissue your card.

You can also lock or unlock your credit card yourself through the Georgia’s Own Card Manager app.

You can use your loan for just about any personal expenses, including tuition and education, paying off credit cards or other debt, and big events like weddings.

That depends on the type of loan. If you aren’t a Georgia resident, contact us to speak with a loan officer.

With a line of credit, you borrow only what you need, up to the maximum limit. So yes, your monthly payment will change depending on how much money you’ve borrowed from the line of credit.

An installment loan is a loan that you pay back in fixed payments over a set period. When you’re approved for an installment loan, you get all of the money at once. Then, you pay a specific amount each month for the life of the loan. Many installment loans have a fixed interest rate, though some have a variable interest rate.

A home equity line of credit, or HELOC, is secured by your home. This means that if you can’t make your payments, the lender can take possession of your home to pay back the money you owe.

Our personal line of credit is not secured. Instead, we decide whether to lend you money and how much you can borrow based on your credit history.

With a loan, you get all of the money at once, and then you pay it back over a set period.

With a line of credit, you borrow the money you need when you need it, up to a set limit. Then, you pay it back over time. Your monthly payment may change depending on how much you borrow. As long as your line of credit is open, you can continue to borrow money and pay it back, up to your maximum limit.

With a secured loan, lenders use something valuable, like your car or your house, as collateral. This means that if you can’t make your loan payments, the lender takes that collateral to pay back the loan.

With an unsecured loan, you don’t put up any collateral. Instead, the lender decides how much you can borrow based on your credit history.

Because they’re secured by collateral, secured loans usually have lower interest rates than unsecured loans.

Yes, you can still apply for a student loan if you don’t have any income. However, you will need a cosigner—a close family member, parent, or friend who agrees to pay back the loan if you’re not able to.

No. For undergraduate and graduate student loans, the money from your loan is sent directly to your school to pay for tuition, fees, and room and board.

If you’re refinancing a student loan, then the money goes directly to your original lender to pay off your previous loan.

No, you don’t have to go to college in Georgia to get a private student loan through us. In fact, we have a list of nearly 2,000 approved undergraduate and graduate schools across the country that are eligible.

Refinancing isn’t right for everyone. First, you’ll need to make sure you have a decent credit score and a steady income. You’ll also want to be sure your loans qualify for refinancing and that you’re getting a better interest rate than what you’re paying now.

Keep in mind when you refinance federal student loans, you may lose access to some loan forgiveness programs, income-driven repayment plans, and deferment and forbearance options.

Unsubsidized loans are available to undergraduate and graduate students—but, unlike subsidized loans, students don’t need to show financial need. Your school decides how much you can borrow, and you’re responsible for paying the interest during all periods.

There are many ways to pay off student loan debt—it all depends on you and your situation. If you want to quickly reduce your debt, you can try refinancing, making extra payments, or paying more than the minimum amount due.

Yes, we offer refinancing for vehicle loans. Just fill out our online loan application to get started, or contact us if you have any questions.

Yes, we offer loans for motorcycles, RVs, boats, non-motorized campers, and more.

Yes, we offer loans for used cars and other vehicles. Just fill out our online loan application to get started, or contact us if you have any questions.

To qualify for a first-time auto loan, you must:

• Work for the same employer continuously for at least six months before you apply
• Earn a minimum of $1,500 in gross monthly income
• Have a maximum payment-to-income ratio of 15% (which means that your payments can’t be more than 15% of your monthly income)

If you graduated from college within the last six months, we waive these employment requirements.

Our first-time auto loan is great for people with a limited credit history. You can borrow up to $20,000 if you qualify.

Yes. Your land purchase can be rolled into your one-time transaction and covered in your single closing.

No. A single-close construction loan is for primary residences only. Investment properties and “spec” homes are not eligible.

No. You cannot complete construction work yourself. Your builder must complete all the work.

You can get started with a pre-qualification process before you begin your search. You’ll know exactly what to expect, the type of monthly payment you’ll have, and the funds you’ll need to close. We know the last thing you need is to find the perfect home and fall in love, only to learn it’s not in your budget.

There are criteria every borrower must meet to qualify for a mortgage loan with us. This typically includes two years of employment at your job or in the same line of work, a minimum credit score of 620, and verified funds to close on the transaction. Once these boxes are checked, our experts can help you figure out the rest. Loans are subject to credit review.

Your credit score is a vital part of determining your mortgage rate and loan amount. A higher credit score could result in a lower rate and lower monthly payment, while a lower credit score could result in a higher rate and higher monthly payment.

Ideally, new home construction is completed within about 12 months with a general licensed contractor. If the building process exceeds 12 months, contact your Mortgage Specialist who will advise on next steps.

Our Mortgage Specialists are here to help! You can reach out to any of our local professionals for assistance directly via the phone numbers and email addresses provided on our website.

We use a simple formula to determine your maximum mortgage payment. It adds up to this: your monthly income multiplied by 0.45, minus your liabilities. The resulting number is the highest mortgage payment you may be approved for. From there, you can adjust your search to find the perfect home within your reach.

Figuring out how much home you can afford is a key step in the home-buying process. Start by weighing how much money you have coming in, including your monthly income and any other streams of income (pensions, rental income, investments, etc.), versus how much you have going out to cover costs like student loans, credit card balances, and car payments. Other factors come into play, like how much money you are putting down on the home, property taxes, homeowner’s insurance, and HOA fees that may be associated with the home.

Below is a glossary of terms to help you understand how your home affordability if determined.

• Debt ratio – This is determined by dividing your monthly debts versus your monthly income. Depending on the mortgage product, your debt ratio can usually not exceed 45-50%.
• Loan-to-value – The amount of mortgage you are financing versus the appraised value of the home. The higher your down payment, the lower your loan-to-value.
• PMI – Private mortgage insurance (PMI) is a type of mortgage insurance you are required to buy if you take out a conventional loan with a down payment of less than 20% of the purchase price.

Option A: Payment is equal to 1.5% of the outstanding balance or $75, whichever is greater. Maximum CLTV of 95% with mortgage insurance.

Option B: Payment on accrued interest only of the outstanding balance during the preceding month or $75, whichever is greater. Maximum CLTV of 75% to qualify.

It typically takes 30-45 days to close on a new loan once we receive your application and documentation. If an appraisal or additional documentation is needed, processing times could be longer.

Because each loan and member are different, the information needed varies. Here’s a general list of documentation you may need:

• Most recent pay stubs
• Most recent W-2 (one or two years)
• Mortgage statements for all properties owned
• Adjustable-rate mortgage note
• Copy of homeowner’s insurance statement
• Copy of HOA statement or verbally stated
• Copy of Georgia driver’s license
• Self-employed applicants: Your two, most recent tax returns with all schedules (A through E and K-1 with supporting documents; e.g., Forms 1065, 1120-S, or 1120, etc.), along with a certified Profit & Loss YTD statement.
• Other items may be required during application processing

If you have a specific amount you need to borrow and prefer predictability, a fixed-rate home equity loan may be the best option. With a fixed-rate loan, you receive the money you’re borrowing in a single payment, and the interest rate stays the same for the life of the loan. (There must be a first mortgage lien already in place. Georgia’s Own cannot be in first position on a fixed-rate equity loan.)

If you’re unsure of how much you need and want to take advantage of the lowest rates in the market, you may want to consider a home equity line of credit (HELOC). With a HELOC, you have the ability to advance whenever you need to, up to your maximum credit limit, during the 10-year draw period. Because it has a variable interest rate, your HELOC rate could change monthly, depending on the index, which is the Wall Street Journal Prime Rate.

If you need help deciding which loan option is best for you, our home equity specialists can provide a personalized recommendation based on your financial situation.

To bank with Georgia’s Own, you need to become a member and can do this by opening a savings account with a minimum deposit of $5. There are several ways that you can qualify for membership, including employment with one of our Premier Partners. If you live in a county that is part of the Credit Union’s field of membership or have a family member that is a Georgia’s Own member, you also qualify.

If you’re ready to get started or just want to learn more, complete this form. A member of our Business Development team will reach out to you.

Yes, by participating in our Bank at Work program, you become a Premier Partner, giving your employees the ability to become a member of Georgia’s Own.

To find out if your company is already enrolled, visit our List of Premier Partners.

Companies must have a physical location in the state of Georgia and be able to offer direct deposit to their employees.

In addition to it being a free benefit to add to your employee benefits package, our not-for-profit status allows us to offer all of the services you’d expect from a financial institution with better rates and fewer fees. Georgia’s Own is local and prides itself on unsurpassed service and giving back to the communities it serves.