Credit unions have long been seen as friendly banking institutions. Ask anybody who uses a credit union -- they'll have something good to say about it even if they also have bank accounts.
With the global financial crisis, banks got a lot of bad press. Credit unions were suggested as alternatives because of their great rates and lack of contribution to the crisis.
Is it true that credit unions are better than banks? They're different, but sometimes the differences don't matter. Depending on your needs a credit union may clearly be the best choice, but that's not always the case.
Jeff Marsico discusses whether or not you get more from a bank or credit union. His study (which he acknowledges is limited) showed that rates were not necessarily better on deposit accounts. It goes to show that it's always worth comparing institutions. Assuming that credit unions are always best may be oversimplifying things.
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