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Frequently Asked Questions
Rates vary based on your creditworthiness. The rate can vary monthly and is based on the Prime rate published in The Wall Street Journal.
You can find a full list of participating banks and credit unions live with Zelle® at Zellepay.com.
If your recipient's bank or credit union isn't on the list, don't worry! The list of participating financial institutions is always growing, and your recipient can still use Zelle® by downloading the Zelle® app for Android and iOS.
To enroll with the Zelle® app, your recipient will enter their basic contact information, an email address or U.S. mobile number, and a Visa® or Mastercard® debit card with a U.S. based account (does not include U.S. territories). Zelle® does not accept debit cards associated with international deposit accounts or any credit cards.
Final payments may differ due to changes in the Prime Rate, approved loan amount, property value, credit profile, or selected repayment options.
Required documentation will include but is not limited to: an insurance binder or insurance declaration page, income verification, mortgage statement, and valid license or identification.
A Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) is a revolving line of credit secured by your home. It lets you borrow what you need, when you need it, up to your approved credit limit. During the draw period, you typically make interest‑only payments on what you’ve borrowed. Once the draw period ends, the remaining balance transitions into repayment over a set term.
We currently do not offer safety deposit boxes at this time.
Bill Pay allows you to pay all of your bills, outside of Direct Federal Credit Union, in one place. Your payments will be delivered electronically or by check depending on the recipient. You can schedule one-time or recurring payments.
We use a method called “average daily balance.” Refer to the section “Finance Charges” within the Agreement for more information on how your balance is calculated.
Requested Lines $400,000 and above require an appraisal. Also, if you believe your home value is higher than our assessed value, an appraisal may be required in order for us to approve the amount requested.
Appraisal cost estimates:
Single-family unit - Approximately $500
Multi-unit -Approximately $650.00
The title proves that you own the vehicle. The registration is permission from the state to operate it on the road. It will come to you with license plates and/or a sticker to display on the vehicle. In most states, your registration should always be with your vehicle, just like your license plates.
The final step of owning your new vehicle is to register and title it at your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (RMV). It may also be known as the Bureau of Motor Vehicles (BMV), the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV), or the Department of Transportation (DOT), depending on your state. For simplicity here, we will refer to it as the RMV.
Direct Federal only holds onto the title while your auto loan is open if you do not live in an owner retained state. If you live in an owner retained state, the RMV will send you the title to keep safe until your loan is paid in full.
You can find your account numbers within Digital Banking under Account Details.
View Account Information >
A Returned Deposited Item (RDI) - is a check that has been returned to a depositor because it could not be processed against the account which it was drawn on. Deposited items can be returned for many reasons, such as insufficient or unavailable funds (funds on hold), stop payment, closed account, missing signature, etc.
If you want flexibility and ongoing access to funds, a Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) may be the better fit. If you prefer a fixed payment and know exactly how much you need, a Home Equity Loan (HELOAN) may make more sense.
HELOC
Best for ongoing or uncertain expenses. Variable interest rate.
HELOAN
Best for one-time projects/lump sum upfront. Fixed interest rate.
Speak to a Direct Federal Member Service Representative. This can be done by visiting the branch or calling us at 781-455-6500. Once it is established that the item is unauthorized, an affidavit of forgery needs to be completed and either mailed to Direct Federal or taken into the branch for processing. Once the process is complete, the funds will be returned to your account.
We do not offer Student loans at this time, but click below to learn more about what personal loans and lines of credit we offer!
View Home Equity >
Depending on the assessed value of your home, and the amount of equity you have in it, you may be eligible to refinance/increase your existing Direct Federal Home Equity Line. You will need to submit a HELOC application and select "Home Equity Increase (Refinance)" as the purpose. Home Equity Line Refinances/Increases have a $295 fee.
Click here to apply to refinance/increase your existing Home Equity Line >
Information on your rights to dispute transactions and how to exercise those rights is provided in the Agreement.
HELOC closings take place at our Branch located in Needham, MA.
50 Cabot St. Needham, MA 02494
One of the following must be done if you have lost or misplaced the title that was mailed to you while the loan is still open:
Contact Direct Federal at 888.2DIRECT to request a duplicate title. Processing time will depend on the RMV. You will be responsible for the state’s duplicate title fee.
Contact your state’s RMV if you live in an owner retained title state for a duplicate title. You will be responsible for the state’s duplicate title fee.
With Direct Federal, you can open a Home Equity Loan or Line for:
Primary Residences: Any amount between $20,000 and $500,000.
Second Homes and Investment Properties: Any amount between $20,000 and $200,000.
Please visit:
www.myinsuranceinfo.com
You can ensure that you're on the newest app version available by turning on automatic updates in your device settings
Fraud Alerts are transmitted to the phone number(s) and/or email address associated with the card used at the time of the transaction. If a joint cardholder is receiving alerts, it is because that cardholder’s phone number and/or email address is associated with the card transacting. If the fraud alerts should have gone to another cardholder on your account, we ask that you update the contact information for that cardholder.
Zelle® is a great way to send money to family, friends, and people you are familiar with such as your personal trainer, babysitter or neighbor.1
Since money is sent directly from your Direct Federal Credit Union account to another person's bank account within minutes1, Zelle® should only be used to send money to friends, family and others you trust.
If you don't know the person or aren't sure you will get what you paid for (for example, items bought from an online bidding or sales site), you should not use Zelle®. These transactions are potentially high risk (just like sending cash to a person you don't know is high risk).
Neither Direct Federal Credit Union nor Zelle® offers purchase protection for payments made with Zelle®- for example, if you do not receive the item you paid for, or the item is not as described or as you expected. Only send money to people and small businesses you trust and always ensure you've used the correct email address or U.S. mobile number when sending money.
Yes! You can start a chat with us by clicking on the text bubble icon on the login page and the dashboard
On the “Payments” tab of the Bill Pay widget, you will see “Payment Activity”. There you will see what Bills are scheduled to be paid in the current month. By clicking “Next” or “Previous” you can see what is scheduled to be paid or has been paid in the previous month. If you need additional information about any payment such as the payment frequency or the check number, click on the individual payment to be brought to the payment details.Alternatively, if you click on the “Manage Payees” tab within the Bill Pay widget and select an individual Payee you can view historical and scheduled payments for each Payee. Please note that payment history is only available from 2/1/21 and on. Please reference your past statements for payments prior to that.
Yes, we offer SBA loans!
Unfortunately, you are unable to hide payees. If you have a payee that you do not use or do not use often you can add a “z” in front of the payee nickname to add it to the bottom of the list. Alternatively, when setting up Payees, you can add “tags” to each payee. This will allow you to sort by tag. For example, for Payees you pay each month you could add the tag “Monthly Payment”. You will then be able to sort by all Payees with the tag “Monthly Payment”.
If you'd like to get in touch with us via message, please utilize our secure Message Center in Digital Banking.
Log in to access Message Center >
Possible reasons for the difference in balance and available balance could be as follows:
-SAME-DAY AVAILABILITY
Funds from the following deposits are available on the day of deposit:
• Cash.
• Electronic deposits, including wire transfers and pre-authorized credits (such as social security benefits and payroll payments), but not including check deposits sent to the Credit Union through Mobile Deposit.
• Checks drawn on Direct Federal Credit Union.
• The lesser of (1) $1000 or (2) all other deposits (except Foreign Checks).
NEXT-DAY AVAILABILITY
Funds from the following deposits are available on the first business day after the day of deposit:
• Checks drawn on the United States Treasury and payable to you
• The following checks, if they are payable to you and are deposited in person at a branch: • Commonwealth of Massachusetts and local government checks
• Cashier’s, certified, and teller’s checks
• Checks drawn on a Federal Reserve Bank or a Federal Home Loan Bank
• U.S. Postal Money Orders
SECOND-DAY AVAILABILITY
Funds from the following deposits are available on the second business day after the day of deposit:
• The following checks, if they are not payable to you and/or are not deposited in person at a branch: • Commonwealth of Massachusetts and local government checks
• Cashier’s, certified, and teller’s checks
• Checks drawn on a Federal Reserve Bank or a Federal Home Loan Bank
• U.S. Postal Money Orders
• The lesser of (1) all other deposits (except Foreign Checks) or (2) the first $5,000 of all deposits you made that day minus any portion of such amount that has already been made available to you.
FIFTH-DAY AVAILABILITY
All other deposits (except Foreign Checks) will be available no later than the fifth business day after the day of your deposit.
LONGER DELAYS MAY APPLY
-Pending transactions have yet to post to the account.
1% of each transaction in US dollars.
This feature is for existing Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) only. You cannot get a Fixed-Rate Option without first having a Home Equity Line of Credit. However, a HELOC can be converted to a Fixed Rate Carve Out during the initial HELOC closing.
The HELOC limit will be reduced by the amount of the fixed rate loan, but once it is paid off, the limit will replenish. Terms available: 5, 10, 15, and 20 years. There are no fees associated with a Home Equity Fixed Rate Carve Out.
Maximum number of Fixed-Rate Carve Outs: 3
We do not pull credit for carve outs.
No. Using the calculator does not affect your credit score and does not initiate a credit inquiry.
Yes. You may pay your Direct Federal Visa bill online using any checking account.
Only new HELOCs are eligible for the introductory rate. Increases/refinances of an existing HELOC at Direct Federal do not qualify.
We currently do not offer land loans but please check back in with us in the future!
Our Routing & Transit Number is: 211381783
$0 unless property is in a trust and/or there are unrecorded discharges that need to be recorded.
The date that is displayed is the estimated delivery date of the check, not the date the payment is sent from your account.
Agree to receive your monthly statement through email (e-Statements)
AND
- One direct deposit into your account a month
OR - Five or more debit card transactions per calendar month.
(Excludes ATM + Zelle transactions)
Your card may be blocked for use and future transactions would be declined until the fraud alert is cleared.
Go to the Bill Pay widget and click on the “Manage Payees” tab. Then select “Add Payee”. You can add a Payee by searching your Payee within our database. If your payee is there, the information about the Payee will auto-fill. If it is not in our database, you can select “click here to create a Payee manually.” You will need to have your Payees information nearby including Name, Account Number, Email address, and Mailing Address.
You can only cancel a payment if the person you sent money to hasn't yet enrolled with Zelle®. To check whether the payment is still pending because the recipient hasn't yet enrolled, you can go to your activity page, choose the payment you want to cancel, and then select "Cancel This Payment". If you do not see this option available, please contact our customer support team at 7814556500 for assistance with canceling the pending payment.
If the person you sent money to has already enrolled with Zelle®, the money is sent directly to their bank account and cannot be canceled. This is why it's important to only send money to people you trust, and always ensure you've used the correct email address or U.S. mobile number when sending money.
If you sent money to the wrong person, please immediately call our customer support team at 7814556500 so we can help you.
Your account will not be debited until the payment has been either delivered electronically or until the check is cashed.Reminder will be sent at 60 days if the check remains undeposited. Should an undeposited check extend to 90 days, Bill Pay will automatically void the check and refund the money to the member’s account at no charge.
As part of your loan agreement with Direct Federal, and because your car is serving as the collateral for the loan, you are required to provide the title to us within 90 days of opening the loan. The title must display your name as the owner and list Direct Federal as a lienholder. Being a lienholder means we have an interest in the property that is on the title until the loan is paid in full.
If we receive a title for your vehicle that does not have “Direct FCU” listed as lienholder, forms to add lienholder will be mailed to you. Please complete the highlighted sections and return them in the envelope provided along with a check made payable to the applicable RMV so we can file for lien placement on your behalf.
Note: If the envelope is lost, please send documents to:
Direct Federal Credit Union
Attn: Loan Servicing
50 Cabot Street
Needham, MA 02494
You have 60 days. If, for whatever reason, you do not use the loan during that time period and need another one, simply call us at 781.455.6500.
You can update your contact information by updating your account profile in Digital Banking, by calling Member Services, or by visiting our branch.
You can get free checks with a Hub or Community checking account. Your initial check order is sent at the time the checking is opened. You can also reorder checks through online banking, our member service center, or in the branch.
No, Direct Federal Credit Union does not charge any fees to use Zelle® in our mobile app.
Your mobile carrier's messaging and data rates may apply.
Login to Digital Banking and access the transfers widget. After choosing your account and loan from the dropdown menus, you can then specify the frequency for your recurring payments.
Login to Digital Banking >
Dividends start to accrue on the date the account is funded.
With Direct Federal, you can open a Home Equity Loan or Line for:
Primary Residences: Any amount between $20,000 and $500,000.
Second Homes and Investment Properties: Any amount between $20,000 and $200,000.
Submit an application online or call to speak with Mortgage Loan Officer.
There are no application fees, no closing costs, and no annual fees associated with a Direct Federal Home Equity Loan or Line. If the line is closed within the first two years of being opened an early termination fee of $395 would be applied.
Requested Lines $400,000 and above require an appraisal. Also, if you believe your home value is higher than our assessed value, an appraisal may be required in order for us to approve the amount requested.
Appraisal cost estimates:
Single-family unit - Approximately $500
Multi-unit -Approximately $650.00
No. Calculator results are estimates provided for informational purposes only and do not represent a loan offer or approval. Actual rates, payments, and terms are based on a full application review and may vary.
If you realize you need more money to finance your purchase once you start shopping for your car, simply call us at 781.455.6500.
At maturity, Share Certificates (CD) will rollover into the same term at the current rate being offered, unless Direct Federal is notified prior to maturity or during the 7-day grace period.
With Direct Federal, any savings account that you choose is federally insured to at least $250,000 and backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government. This deposit insurance protection is offered by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) and is similar to the deposit insurance protection offered by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).
- Each savings account is insured up to $250,000 per account owner
- Individual Retirement Account (IRA) funds are separately covered up to $250,000
- Funds in a trust account are separately covered up to $250,000
Plus, you have the ability to increase the insurance on your accounts depending on the types of accounts you have and how your accounts are owned.
For a detailed explanation of the NCUA visit their site https://ncua.gov/about . To estimate your insurance coverage, go to NCUA Share Insurance Estimator.
Questions? Simply call the NCUA Insurance Call Center at 800.755.1030, ext. 1; or call Direct Federal at 781.455.6500.
Fraud alerts are sent to cardholders when potentially fraudulent transactions are detected on their accounts. We want to ensure that any questionable transactions were authorized by the cardholder.
Yes, you can add GAP insurance to any auto loan for a low flat rate of $395. Learn more about GAP >
Your IRS forms will be available under Statements within Digital Banking.
View Statements >
When you mark a transaction as fraudulent, the response message you receive will include our fraud detection department’s toll-free number and it asks that you call to review the card activity, or you will receive a call from a fraud detection agent to review. The agent will be able to review the activity with you and clear the card for use.
You may finance automobiles, SUVs, pickup trucks, and minivans for consumer use. For commercial vehicles, visit the Business Loans page.
If your payments are on time, there are no fees.
If you are moving to a different state within the U.S., a state change request should first be submitted through Online Banking or by calling our Contact Center at 888.2DIRECT.
IMPORTANT: Direct Federal cannot process the state change for you. You must complete this process with the applicable RMV.
This request allows us to print/prepare the title so you can process the state change at the RMV. We will mail the title to you at the address we have on file. Then bring it to the RMV to complete the title and registration in your new state. We cannot do this for you.
IMPORTANT: The process is different for owner retained states. If you live in an owner retained state, you do not have to file a state change with us. Simply go to your new RMV to title and register there. Please make sure all Direct Federal’s information is correct on all documentation so that we get notified of the state change.
Going to the RMV before filing a request with us will result in delayed processing of your forms. The RMV will contact us to request that the title be mailed to them, resulting in a higher chance of title loss. In this case, we will not be able to provide you with a duplicate title unless Direct Federal is listed as lienholder.
Upon confirming that a transaction is valid, you may retry the transaction immediately.
Yes. Most HELOCs have variable interest rates that can change based on the Prime Rate. A rate change will affect your monthly payment.
We currently do not offer Health Savings Accounts.
View our banking account options >
Fraud alerts are automated phone calls, text messages and emails that are sent when potentially fraudulent purchase activity has been detected on a credit/debit card account. Messages are triggered by Direct's fraud detection system.
Text messages will be sent to cardholders in the 50 United States at no charge.
Customers with international telephone numbers will only receive emails. They will not receive text messages or phone calls.
Yes, you will need to submit a HELOC application and select "Home Equity Increase (Refinance)" as the purpose.
Home Equity Line Refinances/Increases have a $295 fee.
Click here to apply to refinance/increase your existing Home Equity Line >
Once you’ve submitted your application, you will have a personal Mortgage Specialist follow up with you to provide additional help and guidance. Your Mortgage Specialist will be your single point of contact from here. He or she will send you an approval letter, order an appraisal from a licensed appraiser familiar with home values in your area, and prepare your loan for closing. The closing will take place at the office of our attorney in your area, who will act as our agent. Before closing, your Mortgage Specialist will contact you to walk through the final information and answer any questions you might have.
The calculator assumes standard HELOC terms, including a variable interest rate, interest‑only payments during the draw period, and repayment of principal and interest during the repayment period. Actual terms may differ based on your specific loan agreement.
You can reset your password.
Reset Password >
If you are locked out of your account please call us at 888.2DIRECT.
Please call us at 888.2DIRECT.
You can submit a Stop Payment Request through Online Banking via Tools > Check Services.
1. You can opt out of text alerts by replying “STOP” to the text message
2. You can opt out of phone calls when the alert system calls you.
3. Click on the Unsubscribe link in the email to stop the emails.
4. Contact our Call Center to ask to stop receiving fraud alerts.
5. Visit a branch to ask to stop receiving fraud alerts.
There is no annual fee.
Home Equity Lines of Credit combine flexibility with lower rates than most unsecured loans. You only pay interest on the portion of the line you actually use.
If you are an existing member, the easiest way to check the status of an application is through the Application Center within Digital Banking.
If you are not a member, please visit our Application Status Center.
We do not charge for the coin machine but you must be a member to use it.
The coin machine is available Monday-Friday (8am-3pm) and Saturday (8am-12pm).
Please contact us at 888.2DIRECT if you plan on coming into the Branch to use the coin machine.
Funds cannot be added to an existing CD Share Certificate.
Yes, Direct Federal debit and credit cards can be added to Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay.
We do not offer motorcycle loans at this time, but click below to learn more about what personal loans and lines of credit we offer!
Yes! The Joint account holder can create their own user login.
Yes. In the application, please select "Refinance Home Loan" as the "Loan Purpose".
You will automatically be enrolled to receive all fraud alerts via the contact methods on your account, ie., email address, cell phone, home phone, work phone, etc.
$395 if the line is closed during the first two years.
The Draw Period is the period of time you can access funds from your Home Equity Line. Direct offers a 15-year draw period with interest-only monthly payment options.
The following must be done if you have lost or misplaced your title after the vehicle loan is paid in full and our lien is released:
Bring the paid loan letter, which includes the lien release statement, to your RMV to request a new title.
You will be responsible for all fees. The RMVs does not allow Direct Federal to apply for a duplicate title on your behalf since we are no longer a lienholder.
We currently do not offer VA loans.
Yes, Direct Federal will allow properties that are placed in acceptable trusts. The trust must be reviewed by our Attorney and must meet all of our guidelines and requirements for the transaction to move forward. The applicant will need to provide a full copy of the Trust agreement for review. The applicant must be the trustee or one of the co-trustees. All trustees must be 18 years of age or older. Additionally, the trustee must be authorized to borrow money and encumber real estate.
To make a payment to your Direct Federal Loan from a Direct Federal Account, navigate to the “Transfers” feature. For the most payment options, including Principal only payments, click on the “Classic” tab. From there you will be able to select which account you want the payment to come from, which loan it should go to, how much you want to pay, and other payment options.
You can borrow 120% of the value of your car (subject to our maximum auto loan limit of $100,000). This allows you to finance the entire purchase price, plus GAP insurance and the sales tax.
If you accidentally opted of out text alerts from a mobile phone, when the digital system calls to verify activity, the system will provide the opportunity to opt back into text alerts for the mobile phone. For all fraud alert types, please call the number on the back of your card to re-enable fraud alerts to an email address, a mobile phone or landline phone number. You can also visit a branch for assistance.
The amount you can borrow depends on the property type and the equity you have in your home.
Primary Residences: Up to 80% Combined Loan-To-Value (CLTV). Any amount between $20,000 and $500,000.
Second Home and Investment Properties: Up to 70% Combined Loan-To-Value (CLTV). Any amount between $20,000 and $200,000.
Yes, we do finance commercial vehicles!
View Business Loans >
Applicants under 18 require a joint owner on the account.