letter from the president

London calling

Committed to deliver the service experience you deserve

Alliant is probably best known for its superior financial value everyday great rates and low fees. And that reputation is certainly well deserved. Alliants deposit rates are always among the highest available, and our loan rates are consistently below market. But there is more to Alliants mission than price. We are also committed to providing members with an exceptional service experience. We understand that consumers are looking for David W. Mooney President/CEO value and service from their financial providers. Service is the competitive high ground, the foundation of deep, durable relationships. More importantly, as a member-owned institution, providing the best possible service is simply the right thing to do. Doing business with Alliant shouldnt be a hassle. Were constantly examining our procedures and processes to make them more efficient, timely and transparent for members. This year were redesigning our new member application and loan origination processes to significantly improve member experience online. When dealing with our Service Centers or calling our 24/7 Member Contact Center, members should expect Alliant employees to be friendly, helpful and effective. And members should also expect exceptional service through our remote channels. We continue to enhance Alliant Online Banking to enable members to conduct virtually any business remotely, if they choose. In 2011, we added the ability to do beneficiary maintenance, ATM/debit card management and future dated loan payoffs. This year well be making major improvements to joint account access. An increasing number of members want to access their Alliant accounts through mobile phones, and we are committed to supporting their ability to conduct business anytime, anywhere. We offer mobile apps for iPhone and Android devices, and last year introduced a mobile optimized website. Soon, members will be able to deposit checks using their phones camera feature. Our efforts to improve service are bearing fruit. In 2011, 65% of members who responded to Alliants monthly satisfaction survey said they were extremely satisfied with Alliant, an increase of two percentage points from the prior year. But that still leaves a lot of room for improvement, and we wont rest in our quest to deliver the experience that our members deserve.

You could win a trip to the London 2012 Olympic Games, thanks to VISA
Why watch the London 2012 Olympic Games on TV when you have a chance to win a fabulous trip courtesy of VISA? VISA and Alliant Credit Union want you to experience the games live. You could travel to London, England, and attend the London 2012 Olympic Games. Turn your everyday purchases into a chance to win.* Sign when you use your Alliant VISA credit card, between February 1, 2012, and April 30, 2012, and you will be automatically entered for a chance to win* a trip for two to the London 2012 Olympic Games!* Visit www.alliantcreditunion.org for official rules and complete details. The VISA London 2012 Olympic Games Sweepstakes for PSCU Financial Services credit card users is sponsored by VISA U.S.A. Inc. *NO PURCHASE OR OBLIGATION NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Non-Purchase Entries and Purchase Entries have an Equal Chance of Winning. Open to legal U.S. residents, 18 and older as of 02/01/12. For details on Non-Purchase Entries, visit www.alliantcreditunion.org for Official Rules & complete details. Void where prohibited. Sweepstakes ends April 30, 2012.
office closings Alliant main offices and Service Centers will be closed in observance of the following holidays: Memorial Day Monday, May 28, 2012 Independence Day Wednesday, July 4, 2012 convenient 24/7/365 account access Online banking at www.alliantcreditunion.org
Mobile banking app for iPhone and Android
www.alliantcreditunion.org

connections
the newsletter for Alliant Credit Union members March 2012

contents
1 Check out Alliants MoneyMatters 2

3 4

Alliant Member Contact Center 800-328-1935 24/7 personal service tdd/tty 773-462-2300 Self Service Telephone (SST) 800-482-5328 24/7 automated account access VISA Debit Card Lost/Stolen: 800-328-1935 VISA Credit Cards To speak to an Alliant Representative 800-328-1935, x2302 MonFri, 7am5pm CT After Hours: 866-444-8529 Lost/Stolen: 866-444-8529

VISA Gift Card Purchase: 800-328-1935 Support Center: 866-466-2362

Self Service Telephone at 800-482-5328 Member Contact Center at 800-328-1935 Over 80,000 surcharge-free ATMs For more information visit: www.alliantcreditunion.org. financial update
FEBRUARY Net Assets Total Loans 2012 2011

Mortgage Hotline 800-328-1935 Press option 5, then option 1 NEW MonFri, 8am5pm CT Deposits/Payments PO Box 2387 Auto/Home Insurance Des Plaines, IL 60017-2387 888-380-9287 MonFri, 6am10pm CT Credit Card Payments Sat, 6am 8pm CT PO Box 1666 GreenPath Debt Solutions Des Plaines, IL 60017-1666 877-337-3399 All Other Correspondence MonThu, 7am9pm CT including IRA and HSA deposits Fri, 7am6pm CT PO Box 66945 Sat, 8am5pm CT Chicago, IL 60666-0945

Alliant Retirement and Investment Services Financial Advisors are available to serve members in AZ, CA, CO, FL, HI, IL, NJ, NY, TX, VA, WA, WI. Call 800-328-1935, option 9.

award-winning videos on YouTube Stay on top of your finances with free Alliant Online Banking and free Bill Pay Holding equities for the long term: Time vs. timing Earn a college scholarship! Make your 2011 IRA contributions by April 17, 2012 Its a bird, its a plane no its a fast Alliant wire transfer! Letter from the President You could win a trip to the London 2012 Olympics Games, thanks to VISA

Check out Alliants MoneyMatters award-winning videos on YouTube

Every Tuesday, Alliant posts a Tip of the Week on our website, www.alliantcreditunion.org, to help you realize your financial goals. In winter 2011, we invited our members and Facebook visitors to enter a video in our MoneyMatters Tip of the Week contest. On January 3, 2012, Alliant tallied up the votes for the entries and announced the contest winners. Want to see the winning videos? Then, visit www.youtube.com/alliantcreditunion. Or you can watch them and join the conversation by visiting our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/alliantcreditunion. Congratulations to the winners.

DIVIDEND
April Savings Dividend DECLARED FEBRUARY 16, 2012

$250 Second Prize: Shirley Franklin of Lexington, OK

Shirley went to her piano and played a ditty she composed about the wisdom of opening and regularly contributing to an Alliant savings account. The song begins: You should always have some money for a rainy day. Unexpected expenses come along the way, if your car breaks down or your kid chips a tooth, if doggie needs a vet or someone gets a flu

The April 2012 Savings and IRA dividend, declared 02/16/12, provides a Compounded Annual Percentage Yield of

$1,000 Grand Prize: Heather Ellis of Ocala, FL

Heather explains that time is money, literally. Her example: If you make $6 an hour (after taxes) and buy a $7 lunch, then you must work for over an hour to pay for your meal. If you look at money that way, you can make smarter choices on how you spend it, she says.

0.95% APY

Alliant rate board EFFECTIVE APRIL 1, 2012 Deposits (% as high as) Rate Savings 0.946 High Rate Checking 0.896 Certificates 1.785 Health Savings (HSA) 1.490 AS OF MARCH 22 , 2012 Loan Rates (% as low as) Rate New Vehicle Used Vehicle Student Loan 5/1 ARM 2.625 7/1 ARM 2.875 30 Yr fixed mortgage 4.250

Your savings federally insured to at least $250,000 and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government

Your savings federally insured to at least $250,000 and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government

$7,798,127,090 $7,255,497,883 $3,323,587,808 $3,352,286,374 $731,027,276 280,832

Total Deposits $6,967,179,309 $6,452,606,060 Total Reserves $781,686,783 Total Primary Members 277,822

APY* 0.95 0.90 1.80 1.50

IMPORTANT: Rates may have changed since this newsletter was published. Visit www.alliantcreditunion.org or call Credit Union Administration, National Credit Union Administration, National a U.S. Government Agency a U.S. Government Agency 800-328-1935 for current rates.
Dividends are subject to change monthly. Loan approval, APR and downpayment required based on creditworthiness, collateral, payment method and ability to repay. Rates, terms and conditions subject to change. Other requirements apply. See our website or talk to a Member Service Representative for details.
Your use only. Reproducing least $250,000 This newsletter is for members personalsavings federally insured to atand/or selling and backed by the full faith and credit of the the contents of this newsletter without prior written States Government Alliant United permission from Credit Union is prohibited. Copyright Alliant. Articles are prepared as an educational service for Alliant members. They should not be relied on as a substitute for individual financial or legal research. Articles in this newsletter National Credit for penalty avoidance. are not intended to be used (and may not be relied on)Union Administration, a U.S. Government Agency

Dividends are paid on the last day of the month to accountholders who have maintained an average daily balance of $100 or more. Savings dividend is subject to change monthly.
April Checking Dividend DECLARED FEBRUARY 16, 2012

Staff pick: Colleen Scarpella of Colorado Springs, CO

Cleverly conveying her tip by using a series of illustrations swept away by a hand on a table, Colleen says that you dont have to be an extreme coupon saver to save significant money at the grocery store. And youll never have to ask, Whats for dinner? Whats for dinner? Her advice: Plan your meals ahead for the week, make a shopping list for them and stick to it. Also, grocery shop with a friend who shares your excitement for saving money.

Alliant headquarters 11545 W. Touhy Avenue, Chicago, IL 60666

Alliant Board of Directors Marc Krohn Chairperson Scott Praven Vice Chairperson David W. Mooney President & Treasurer Steve Spiegel Secretary Todd Christy Ted Davidson John Gebo Shirley Jones Alex Marren Anne Pease Ed Rogowski
PO Box 66945 Chicago, IL 60666-0945 www.alliantcreditunion.org

APR* 1.99 1.99 4.50 3.330 3.332 4.306

The April 2012 High Rate Checking dividend, declared 02/16/12, provides a Compounded Annual Percentage Yield of

0.90%

APY

$500 First Prize: Eric Franklin of Lexington, OK

Eric stresses the value of always paying your bills on time: It will help establish your credit history and says a lot about you When you apply for a loan, one thing they are going to look at is did you make your payments on time? It definitely pays to promptly pay your bills and youll be better off for it.

Your savings federally insured to at least $250,000 and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government

*APY=Annual Percentage Yield. APR=Annual Percentage Rate Certificate rates as of March 22, 2012

National Credit Union Administration, a U.S. Government Agency

NEW256-R03/12

Checking dividends are paid on the last day of each month to accountholders who meet the requirements of the account. Checking dividend is subject to change monthly.

on the money with online banking

making a plan and sticking to it

for your information

Earn a college scholarship!

Holding equities for the long term: Time vs. timing Stay on top of your finances with free Alliant Online Banking and free Bill Pay1
Its your money after all, so you should have access to it whenever you want it, wherever you are through Alliant Online Banking. And you do. Last year, we enhanced our system in several major ways. So if you arent one of the 100,000 Alliant members who regularly use our online banking system, now is a good time to give it a try and/or enjoy the full benefits of it. With Alliant Online Banking, you can access your Alliant accounts from the Internet to: View up-to-date account information, electronic images of your cleared checks (if you have an Alliant checking account) and monthly account statements (eStatements) for the last 18 months Make instant and future transfers between your Alliant accounts, and to other member accounts2 Make free transfers to accounts at other financial institutions3 (many banks charge for this service) Deposit checks online to your account via eDeposit or eDepositPlus4 Set up email account alerts to monitor your accounts Apply for consumer, home equity and student loans and an Alliant VISA credit card Open other accounts, including a Certificate or checking account Request a withdrawal check and have it sent to you2,3 Download your transaction information into financial management software, such as Quicken, or use Alliants Personal Financial Management (PFM) tool to manage all your Alliant account activity
Access tax return documents View your credit card activity, make payments to

Presented by Alliant Retirement and Investment Services Advisors Thomas Brunz, Shaun Floresca, Nicholas Hamilton, Matt McMillon, Alexandra Mendoza, Giacomo Parente, CFP* and Terence Powell

your Alliant credit card, perform cash advances, pay-off other credit cards with a balance transfer and view your credit card reward points

Legendary investor Warren Buffett is famous for his long-term perspective. He says he likes to make investments he would be comfortable holding even if the market shut down for 10 years. It can be challenging to have Buffett-like patience today. Times like these can frazzle the nerves of any investor, even the pros. But with stocks, having an investing strategy is only half the battle. The other half is sticking to it. Just what is long term? Your definition of long term is crucial, and depends on your individual financial goals and when you want to achieve them. A 70-year-old retiree may have a shorter long term than a 30-year-old saving for retirement. Meanwhile, its instructive to look at various holding periods for equities over the years. Historically, the shorter your holding period, the greater the chance of experiencing a loss. In the long term, equities typically outperform bonds, cash and inflation. The odds of achieving a positive return in the stock market have been much higher over a five- or 10-year period than for a single year, though past performance is no guarantee of future results. Keeping yourself on track. Having predetermined guidelines that anticipate turbulent times can help prevent

emotion from dictating your decisions. Even if youre not a buy-and-hold investor, a trading discipline can help you stick to a long-term plan. And, remember that everythings relative. Most of the variance in the returns of different portfolios is based on their respective asset allocations. And solid asset allocation is still the basis of good investment planning. If youre retired and worried about a market downturns impact on your income, think before reacting. If you sell stock during a period of falling prices simply because that was your original game plan, you might not get the best price. Moreover, that sale might also reduce your ability to generate income in later years. Use cash to help manage your mindset. Having some cash holdings can be the financial equivalent of taking deep breaths to relax. It can enhance your ability to act thoughtfully instead of impulsively. An appropriate asset allocation can help you have enough resources on hand to prevent having to sell stocks at an inopportune time. Knowing that youre positioned to take advantage of a market swoon by picking up bargains may increase your ability to be patient.

This summer, Alliant will again award five $2,000 scholarships through our annual Members Scholarship Program. To qualify, you must be an Alliant member in good standing and be applying to or enrolled in an accredited undergraduate program at a four-year college, university or vocational/technical institution with a minimum of 12-credit hours during the 2012 fall semester.

For complete details and to obtain an application, visit our website, www.alliantpromos.org/scholarship2012. Application and required paperwork must be received or postmarked by Friday, June 15, 2012. Winners will be notified by July 30, 2012.

The Program is made and conducted by Alliant Credit Union headquartered in Chicago, IL. You must be an Alliant member in good standing with a savings account in your name to apply. Alliant employees, board of directors, scholarship committee and family members of the same household are not eligible. All entries must be received/postmarked by 06/15/2012. Acceptance of scholarship constitutes authorization to use winners likeness and name without compensation. Odds of winning are dependent upon total number of entries received. Winners are responsible for any tax liability. Program is subject to all federal, state and local laws. Void where prohibited. All terms and conditions of Alliant products apply. Contact Alliant or visit our website, www.alliantpromos.org/scholarship2012, for full details.

Make your 2011 IRA contributions by April 17, 2012

Do you have an Alliant IRA? Take full advantage of its benefits by depositing your maximum contribution limit (up to $5,000) for 2011 by April 17, 2012. (If applicable, you can deposit an additional $5,000 to a spousal IRA. Plus, those age 50 and above with earned compensation can make additional catch up contributions of $1,000 per year.) Its easy to make a deposit to your IRA account through Alliant Online Banking at www.alliantcreditunion.org. Or you can obtain an IRA Contribution Form on the IRA page at www.alliantcreditunion.org, complete it and mail it with your deposit or account transfer selection. Thinking ahead? You can make your tax-year 2012 contributions either in a lump sum or on a regular basis through the year.
Total annual IRA and/or Spousal IRA deposits cannot exceed contributors annual compensation. However, a spouse with little or no compensation, filing a joint tax return, can deposit up to the annual maximum contribution. Traditional IRA holders must be under age 70 for the entire tax year with earned compensation in order to make contributions. With a Roth IRA, contributions may be made after age 70 if compensation is earned. Certain annual income limits apply to contribution eligibility. Consult your financial advisor about potential tax saving.

Plus, if you have an Alliant checking account, you can enjoy the power and convenience of our free Bill Pay1 service to pay all your bills online and schedule recurring payments to ensure your bills are paid on time, every time. And did you know you can get your credit score for free through Alliant Online Banking? Thats right. Use the credit score provided on Alliant Online Banking to help you monitor and improve your creditworthiness.5

Mobile banking access when youre on the go

Alliants mobile banking application makes it easy and convenient for you to manage your finances. Use it to: View account balances and transaction information Pay bills View images of your cleared checks Transfer money between your Alliant accounts and your authorized other member accounts Connect with Alliants social media sites on Facebook and Twitter Find a nearby ATM Alliant mobile banking works with iPad, iPhones and Android devices. Plus, if you use other smartphones, such as a BlackBerry, you can log in to Alliants mobile website at mobile.alliantcreditunion.com.

For more information about IRAs, visit www.alliantcreditunion.org to view our financial wellness seminar, Roth IRA Conversions 2011, Opportunities for 2012.

Its a bird, its a plane no its a fast Alliant wire transfer!

At some time or another, you may need to send money fast to yourself or to others. Alliant has procedures in place to enable you to quickly wire money, domestically and internationally. For instance, you may want to wire money from another financial institution to your Alliant account or you may want to wire money from your Alliant account to a relative who lives out of the country. Or you may be an Alliant member who lives outside the U.S. and wants to wire money to the U.S. or elsewhere. No problem. To ensure your transaction is successful, youll need to follow our new incoming wire instructions, which were changed on November 21, 2011. Access all our wire transfer instructions on our website under the Services tab at www.alliantcreditunion.org or get the instructions by calling our 24/7 Member Contact Center at 800-328-1935, or by visiting one of our Service Centers. If youre using Alliant to receive your wire transfer, make sure you provide the sending institution with our new incoming domestic or international wire transfer instructions. If youre sending your wire transfer from Alliant, be sure to provide us with the receiving institutions most current wire transfer instructions at the time of your request. Alliant does not charge a fee to receive incoming wire funds, however the financial institution wiring the funds may charge for this service. Alliant charges a $25 fee for an outgoing domestic wire transfer and $50 for an outgoing foreign wire transfer. For incoming wire transfers received Mon-Fri, 7am to 3pm CT, your account will be credited the same business day. For incoming wire transfers received after 3pm CT, the money will be credited the next business day.

Visit www.alliantcreditunion.org or call 800-328-1935, option 9 about a no-cost, no-obligation financial planning session.

RETIREMENT AND INVESTMENT SERVICES

1 An Alliant checking account or Health Savings Account (HSA) is required for use with Alliant Bill Pay. There are no fees to maintain a Bill Pay account. However, if incurred, applicable fees will apply. Please refer to the Alliant Fee Schedule at www.alliantcreditunion.org/services/fees/ for a list of these types of fees. Fees may reduce earnings on the accounts. 2 Funds cannot be withdrawn or transferred in or out of IRAs. 3 Excludes cash advances from VISA credit cards. 4 You must meet certain criteria to qualify for eDeposit and eDepositPlus. Alliant members will see the Deposit Check Online link on the right side of the screen after logging in to Alliant Online Banking. Members who qualify for eDeposit services will be able to enroll immediately. Limitations apply. 5 Your credit score will be updated quarterly. This does not impact your credit rating. Not all members will have a credit score available. You can opt out at the credit score details at www.alliantcreditunion.org.

Representative is neither a tax advisor nor attorney. For information regarding your specific tax situation, please consult a tax professional. For legal questions, including a discussion about estate planning, please consult your attorney. CUNA Brokerage Services, Inc. (CBSI), member FINRA/SIPC, a registered broker/dealer and investment INVESTMENT SERVICES advisor, 2000 Heritage Way, Waverly, Iowa 50677, toll-free (866) 512-6109. Non-deposit investment products and insurance products are not federally insured, involve investment risk, may lose value and are not obligations of or guaranteed by the financial institution. CBSI is under contract with the financial institution, through the financial services program, to make securities available to members. *CFP=Certified Financial Planner. The CFP certification is not affiliated with CBSI. FR021206-5A4D Prepared by Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. Copyright 2011

RETIREMENT AND

www.alliantcreditunion.org