How can we help you?

There are several different ways you can make deposits and withdrawals to your account:

• Visa® debit card – Make purchases at merchants or online, anywhere Visa is accepted.

• ATMs – Use your debit card to get cash or make deposits at any ATM. Look for free CO-OP network ATMs.

• Westerra branches – Use the Westerra branch most convenient or closest to you.

• CO-OP shared branching – Most credit unions share their branches, so you can access your Westerra account at other credit union locations.

• Digital banking – Check your balance, make online payments or transfer funds between accounts.

• Learn money management without fees! – All Westerra checking accounts are set up so that if there are not enough funds to cover a debit card purchase, ACH transaction, check or ATM transaction, the transaction will simply be denied.

• Make purchases online or in person – Purchase movie or concert tickets, pay at the pump for gas, split the bill at lunch with your friends, make store purchases and much more!

• Make ATM deposits or withdrawals – Westerra provides surcharge-free ATM access through the CO-OP network with 1,000 free ATMs in Colorado, and 30,000 nationwide. Look for CO-OP network ATMs at credit unions, 7-Eleven® locations and even at the Denver International Airport. If you use another ATM network, Westerra will not charge you a fee, but the ATM owner may charge a fee.

• Earn reward points – Earn 1 point for every $3.00 you spend when you sign for your purchase. Redeem your points for cash, gift cards, merchandise, travel, fuel or charitable donations!

You will want to pay careful attention to your checking account transactions and balance. Make it a habit to record all banking activity as it occurs. A little maintenance each day goes a long way.

The following tips can help you manage your account.

• Keep track of all your checks, ATM, debit card and online transactions – Be sure to maintain a record of all spending activity in your check register, or review your online transaction records, to make sure that you are aware of your account balance at all times.

• Write down all your transactions – Every time you use your Visa debit card, schedule an automated payment, use an ATM, or write a check, be sure to record it. Write down the date, the payee, and the amount. Then, subtract each transaction to keep an accurate running balance.

• Don't spend more than you have – If there are no funds to cover a purchase or transaction, it will be denied, without a fee. This can help members earn a better credit score.

• Do not assume the ATM balance is correct – If you have used your debit card at a merchant or submitted online bill payments that have not cleared yet, the balance on your ATM receipt will be more than what you really have available.

• Balance your checking account every month – At the end of each month, compare your eStatement, or print a copy of your online account, in order to balance your checking account. Compare the credit union’s information with your records. Review your math and see if you come up with the same final balance as Westerra shows. If you see discrepancies or you do not understand how to do this, call us for help. We will help you at no charge!

• Do not share your PIN with anyone else – You will be issued a Personal Identification Number (PIN) to use at ATMs or with debit card purchases. For security purposes, do not keep your PIN with your card and do not share your PIN with anyone else.

• Credit or debit? – When you make purchases with your debit card at businesses, they may ask you to choose credit or debit. You can choose credit and will not need to enter a PIN. The payment is then processed through the Visa network, which the merchant pays a fee to utilize. Or you can choose debit and enter your PIN. This is processed through the Electronic Funds Network, which is more economical for the merchant. It also can provide you the opportunity to receive cash back as part of your transaction.

• Report any suspicious activity to Westerra immediately – If necessary, we can place a freeze on your account so someone else doesn't use it.

If this is your first time using Digital Banking:

1. Click "Login" on the top right corner of WesterraCU.com, then "Personal Banking."

2. Then, click on the "Enroll in Digital Banking" link.

3. Enter your account (member) number, the primary account holder's Social Security Number and date of birth and click "Continue."

4. Create your username and password.

5. Read and "Accept" the Digital Banking disclosures.

6. Then, click "Create."

7. Once you are logged in, you will be prompted to receive a one-time security code, verify your email address, and then you can access your accounts.

To log in to Digital Banking, click "Login" on the top right corner of this website, then "Personal Banking," and enter your username and password on the next screen.

If you have forgotten your username or password, click on the "Forgot Username?" or "Forgot Password?" link and it will guide you through the process of entering a new username or password.

While you can reach our Digital Banking from any browser, Westerra recommends accessing our platform via Google Chrome, Firefox, Edge or Safari.

As always, we encourage members to always keep their browsers updated, so that you're using the most recent version of these browsers for security purposes.

Digital Banking may appear differently and some functions may not be available depending on your browser and how you access the platform.

To enable text* notifications:

• Log in to your Digital Banking account on your browser.

• Go to "Self-Service."

• Then, "Manage Notifications."

• Click on the account that you want to enable the notifications for.

• Click the toggle button on the right to enable the type of notification you want.

• Then, check the box for "SMS" to receive text message notifications.

If you have questions about the capabilities of your mobile phone, please contact your mobile carrier for more information.

*Standard messaging charges may apply:
Every mobile carrier has a different rate plan for text messaging and data services access. You may be charged per use, or pay a flat rate for unlimited usage each month. You may also have different fees for text messaging and data services access.

Contact your mobile carrier directly if you aren’t sure what fees you will be charged to use mobile banking, as Westerra Credit Union has no access to information regarding your personal mobile service billing.

You will find 36 months of statement history in the eStatements section.

If you're logged in on a web browser:

1. Go to "Self-Service."

2. Then, click on "Account Statements."

3. Select the account you want to view the eStatement

4. Choose either preview or download the eStatement you want to view per month.

Please know that you have been automatically enrolled in eStatements, which means you will no longer receive paper statements in the mail. Instead, you will receive an email notification when your electronic statement is ready each month.

If you wish to opt-out from receiving eStatements and wish to receive paper statements via mail instead, please contact us at 303-321-4209 or 1-800-858-7212, Monday - Friday, 8 a.m.-6 p.m., or Saturdays, 9 a.m.-1 p.m., or email us at: Email@WesterraCU.com.

If you're logged in on a web browser, you can send a secure message by selecting the three dots next to the "Self-Service" button at the top of the page, and then select "Messages" from the dropdown menu.

To view the taxes and interest or the year end tax information for your Westerra Credit Union mortgage loan on your desktop web browser:

1. Log in to Digital Banking.

2. Select “My Accounts.”

3. In "My Accounts," scroll down to where your mortgage loan is listed.

4. Select your mortgage loan with Westerra Credit Union.

5. Click on the “Details” tab for your mortgage loan.

6. Then, select “More Details” to open the Mortgage Portal that will open in a new browser tab.

7. In the Mortgage Portal, select “Loan Information” from the top menu on the left. Here, you can further select from two viewing options for your tax documents:

   1. Click on "Taxes and Interest" if you wish to view last year's taxes and interest, or your current taxes and interest information.

   2. Or select "Year End Information" to view and download your year end tax information. Your Westerra Credit Union year end tax information will be mailed to you by January 31 the following year, and will be available in the mortgage portal by the end of January. This online year end tax and interest information can be used for completing your tax returns.

Tax Tip:
Locate your 13-digit account number inside digital banking, on the My Accounts page (below the account name).

Data related to Westerra Digital Banking is retained indefinitely for security, fraud prevention, and regulatory compliance. Please call us at 303-321-4209 for assistance with disabling your Digital Banking account.

Ensuring your contact information in your Westerra profile is up to date ensures our staff can verify your identity and information, which helps prevent fraud. You can update your name, address, phone number and email either at the branch by presenting your ID to one of our staff or by logging-in to your personal or business Digital Banking account. Simply visit Settings > Contact section. To update your business mailing address, please contact our Business Banking staff at businessbankinggroup@westerracu.com.

Westerra mobile banking allows you to manage your account from your mobile device. You can:

• View account balances and statements.

• Transfer funds between accounts.

• Pay bills you have set up.

• Send secure messages.

• Manage and receive mobile alerts via text messages* and push notifications.

• Deposit checks from your smartphone using mobile check deposit.

• Pay people directly from your smartphone using Pay People.

Two ways to access your accounts:

1. Download the mobile banking application to your phone (Apple App Store or Google Play for Android).

2. Use the browser on your smartphone to access Digital Banking.

*Standard messaging charges may apply:
Every mobile carrier has a different rate plan for text messaging and data services access. You may be charged per use or pay a flat rate for unlimited usage each month. You may also have different fees for text messaging and data services access.

Contact your mobile carrier directly if you aren’t sure what fees you will be charged to use mobile banking, as Westerra Credit Union has no access to information regarding your personal mobile service billing.

The mobile banking app is available for iOS and Android smartphones.

Download the mobile banking application to your phone: Apple App Store and Google Play for Android.

Westerra Credit Union is committed to protecting the safety and privacy of your information. To ensure the security of your account information, a number of security features have been built into the Westerra mobile banking app.

• On your mobile device, open the App Store (Apple) or Google Play (Android) and download the app.

• Launch the app and enter your Westerra Digital Banking username and password.

To enable text* notifications on the mobile app:

• Log in to your account.

• Click on the three dots that also say "More" under it.

• Then, "Manage Notifications."

• Click on the account that you want to enable the notifications for.

• Select the type of notification you want.

• Then, click the toggle button to allow notifications.

• Finally, choose which "Channel" – either "Push," "SMS" or "Email" – you want by clicking the toggle button.

If you have questions about the capabilities of your mobile phone, please contact your mobile carrier for more information.

*Standard messaging charges may apply:
Every mobile carrier has a different rate plan for text messaging and data services access. You may be charged per use, or pay a flat rate for unlimited usage each month. You may also have different fees for text messaging and data services access.

Contact your mobile carrier directly if you aren’t sure what fees you will be charged to use mobile banking, as Westerra Credit Union has no access to information regarding your personal mobile service billing.

Westerra Credit Union will never provide access to your personal information via mobile banking. If your mobile phone is lost or stolen, no one can access your account without knowing your unique username and password.

If your mobile phone is either lost or stolen:

• Report it immediately to your mobile carrier.

• Then, immediately log in to Westerra Digital Banking from your computer and change your password.

FICO scores are provided to lenders by the major credit reporting agencies. The three primary credit reporting agencies–Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax–use software developed by FICO to produce a credit score based on information they keep on file about your credit history. As this information changes, your credit score tends to change too.

In order for your credit score to be calculated, credit bureau reports must contain at least one account that has been open for at least six months. On top of that, each report must contain at least one account that has been updated in the past six months, according to FICO. This ensures that there is enough information (and enough recent information) in each report to calculate a FICO score.

FICO scores provide the best guide to future risk based solely on credit report data. The higher the credit score, the lower the risk. But no score says whether a specific individual will be a “good” or “bad” customer.

And while many lenders use FICO scores to help them make decisions, each lender has its own strategy, including the level of risk they find acceptable for a given credit product.

There is no single “cutoff score” used by all lenders, and there are many additional factors that lenders use to determine your actual interest rates.

FICO scores are calculated from a lot of different credit data in your credit report. This data is grouped into five categories.

Payment history

• Account payment information on specific types of accounts (like credit cards, retail accounts, installment loans, finance company accounts, mortgage, etc.)

• Presence of adverse public records (bankruptcy, judgments, suits, liens, wage attachments, etc.), collection items, and/or delinquency (past due items)

• How long past due payments are Severity of delinquency (how long past due)

• Amount past due on delinquent accounts or collection items

• Time since past due items (delinquency), adverse public records (if any), or collection items (if any)

• Number of past due items on file

• Number of accounts paid as agreed

Amounts owed

• Amount owing on accounts

• Amount owing on specific types of accounts

• Lack of a specific type of balance, in some cases

• Number of accounts with balances

• Proportion of credit lines used (a comparison between your balances to your total credit limits on certain types of revolving accounts)

• Proportion of installment loan amounts still owing (a comparison of balance to original loan amount on certain types of installment loans)

Length of credit history

• Time since accounts opened

• Time since accounts opened, by specific type of account

• Time since account activity

New credit

• Number of recently opened accounts, and proportion of accounts that are recently opened, by type of account 

• Number of recent credit inquiries

• Time since recent account openings, by type of account

• Time since credit inquiry(s)

• Re-establishment of positive credit history following past payment problems

Types of credit used

• Number of various types of accounts. Remember, it’s not just the number of accounts, but also what recent information exists for each one. 

• Some types of credit include, for example: credit cards, retail accounts, installment loans, mortgage, consumer finance accounts, and more

A FICO score takes into consideration all these categories of information, not just one or two. It’s the big picture snapshot. The importance of any factor depends on the overall information in your credit report and will be different for various credit profiles, and over time as these factors change. 

Remember, your FICO score only looks at information in your credit report and considers both positive and negative information in it.

There is no quick fix to improving your credit score. The best advice is to manage credit responsibly over time, and continuously take steps to improve it. 

Tips for your payment history

• Pay your bills on time. Delinquent payments and collections can have a major negative impact on your FICO score.

• If you have missed payments, get current and stay current. 

• Be aware that paying off a collection account will not remove it from your credit report.  It will stay on your report for seven years.

• If you are having trouble making ends meet, contact your creditors or see a legitimate credit counselor. This won't improve your credit score immediately, but can assist you in managing your credit and paying on time to improve your credit score.

Tips on your amounts owed

• Keep balances low on credit cards and other “revolving credit.”  High outstanding debt can affect a credit score.

• Pay off debt rather than moving it around. The most effective way to improve your credit score in this area is by paying down your revolving credit. Owing the same amount but having fewer open accounts may lower your score.

• Don't close unused credit cards as a short-term strategy to raise your score.

• Don't open a number of new credit cards that you don't need, just to increase your available credit, since this could lower your credit score.

Tips for your length of credit history

• If you have been managing credit for a short time, don't open a lot of new accounts rapidly. New accounts will lower your average account age, which will have a larger effect on your score if you don't have a lot of other credit information. (Also, rapid account buildup can look risky if you are a new credit user.)

Tips for new credit

• Do your rate shopping for a given loan within a focused period of time. FICO scores distinguish between a search for a single loan and a search for many new credit lines, in part by the length of time over which inquiries occur. 

• Re-establish your credit history if you have had problems. Opening new accounts responsibly and paying them off on time will raise your credit score in the long term.

• Request and check your own credit report. This won't affect your score, as long as you order your credit report directly from the credit reporting agency or through an organization authorized to provide credit reports to consumers.

Tips on types of credit use

• Apply for and open new credit accounts only as needed. 

• Have credit cards, but manage them responsibly. In general, having credit cards and installment loans (and paying these timely) will raise your credit score. Someone without credit cards, for example, tends to be a higher risk than someone who has managed credit cards responsibly.

• Note that closing an account doesn't delete it from your report. A closed account will still show up on your credit report and may be considered when the credit bureaus are determining your credit score.

We’re here to help you achieve your financial goals, which includes helping you manage your credit and your credit score while saving money. Give us a call if you have additional questions about your finances at 303-321-4209 or email us at: Email@WesterraCU.com.

Whether you are just starting out to establish your credit, or you are trying to repair it, consider getting a secured credit card.

A secured card is different from a normal credit card because you make a deposit into your savings account, which is held as collateral against your secured card. Your deposit will continue to earn dividends while it is held as collateral. 

This cash deposit, or security, is used to protect the financial institution in the event you are unable to make payments. If you default on your secured card, your savings will be used to pay off the loan. 

Trying to build your credit or don’t want someone else, like your parents, to co-sign for a credit card, a secured card is a good option. And, unlike prepaid debit cards, secured cards help you build your credit without the fees.

For example, our Westerra Credit Union Visa® Select secured credit card offers you competitive rates and no annual fee.  

Although it might typically be easier to obtain a secured credit card than a normal credit card, there are still some qualifications that you may need to meet. For example, at Westerra:

• You need to be at least 18 to apply on your own and if you’re not 21, you will need to show proof of income.

• Your credit limit will be as low as $500 and as much as $2,500.

It’s also important to do your research on secured credit cards. You’ll want to be sure to look for a card with no fees and stick with well-known credit unions or banks. 

Once you have your secured card, be sure to use it wisely because the issuing financial institution reports your account activity to the credit bureaus. To prove you are financially responsible, you’ll want to be sure you make your payments on time (this is very important!) and not always be at your credit limit, since this will have a negative impact on your credit score.

Typically, it takes 6 to 12 months of responsible payment history to establish or rebuild your credit. Then, you will be able to apply for an unsecured credit card (or a regular credit card) without pledging your savings as collateral.

We offer secured credit cards with no fees for members wanting to rebuild or establish their credit. Stop by any Westerra branch or call us at 303-321-4209 and we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have.

Want to protect your credit score? Cosigning a loan may not be in your best interest.

As a cosigner on a loan, you are equally responsible for repayment as the primary borrower. If the borrower starts making late payments or worse, missing payments, your credit score will take a hit. 

If you are considering closing old credit card accounts, you might want to think twice. This can actually negatively impact your credit score in two different ways. First, credit cards that have a long credit history are good for your credit score. 

Second, closing those accounts will lower your amount of available credit, which could negatively affect your credit utilization ratio. 

It’s important to know what is on your credit report. If you haven’t looked at yours recently (or ever, no judgment) check out annualcreditreport.com and fill out a form to request your free credit report from the three nationwide credit reporting agencies. Each one of them is required to provide you with a free copy of your credit report annually. 

Keeping an eye on your credit report could help you determine if your identity has been stolen and take the necessary steps to prevent or remedy it. Even if nothing malicious is happening to you, there could still be inaccuracies which you should let the credit reporting agencies know about and correct.