Contact Information
Message
Chat
Application Status
Relationship Banker
Frequently Asked Questions
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.
Cash Back rewards applies to purchases posted on your account less credits for returned merchandise. Point cash value of $.01 will be earned for every qualifying dollar. Rewards will be processed annually in November and a check will automatically be mailed to you. Minimum of 5,000 points required for redemption.
Different Mortgage programs will have varying qualifications. Please contact a mortgage specialist to discuss your options.
Send message to Mortgage Specialist >
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.
You will first need to link your external account to online banking. To link your external account navigate to the transfers and pay menu option and then click on transfers & loan payments. Once you are in the transfers widget click on "more actions" and then "add account." Once your account has been added it will appear in the dropdown menus within the Transfers and loan payment widget.
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 >
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.
There are no balance transfer fees.
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.
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.
Our fax number is 781-433-2922.
Your first payment is due on the 30th of the month following the month you use your auto loan. For example, if you use your loan during September, your first payment will be due on October 30.
Direct Federal Credit Union
ISAOA/ATIMA
50 Cabot Street
Needham, MA 02494
There are no closing costs.
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 >
The Draw Period is the period of time you can access funds from your Home Equity Line. Direct offers a 10-year draw period with interest-only monthly payment options.
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.
You can send, request, or receive money with Zelle®. To get started, log into the Direct Federal Credit Union App. In the main menu, select "Transfer and Pay". Then "Send money with Zelle®".
To send money using Zelle®, simply select someone from your mobile device's contacts (or add a trusted recipient's email address or U.S. mobile number), add the amount you'd like to send and an optional note, review, then hit "Send." The recipient will receive an email or text message notification via the method they used to enroll with Zelle®. Money is available to your recipient in minutes if they are already enrolled with Zelle®.
To request money using Zelle®, choose "Request," select the individual from whom you'd like to request money, enter the amount you'd like, include an optional note, review and hit "Request". If the person you are requesting money from is not yet enrolled with Zelle®, you must use their email address to request money. If the person has enrolled their U.S. mobile number, then you can send the request using their mobile number.
To receive money, just share your enrolled email address or U.S. mobile number with a friend and ask them to send you money with Zelle®. If you have already enrolled with Zelle®, you do not need to take any further action. The money will be sent directly into your Direct Federal Credit Union account, typically within minutes.
If someone sent you money with Zelle® and you have not yet enrolled with Zelle®, follow these steps:
- Click on link provided in the payment notification you received via email or text message.
- Select Direct Federal Credit Union.
- Follow the instructions provided on the page to enroll and receive your payment. Pay attention to the email address or U.S. mobile number where you received the payment notification - you should enroll with Zelle® using that email address or U.S. mobile number to ensure you receive your money.
You can ensure that you're on the newest app version available by turning on automatic updates in your device settings
If you are travelling within the U.S., you will receive phone calls, text messages and emails. If you are travelling internationally, you will receive emails. You will only receive text messages if your mobile phone plan allows you to receive them while traveling outside of the United States.
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.
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.
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.
You can locate your credit card reward points balance on your credit card statement. You can access this statement within Digital Banking.
View credit card statement >
Reminder
Rewards will be processed annually in November and a check will automatically be mailed to you. Minimum of 5,000 points required for redemption.
Completing your mortgage application online is just like completing one on paper — with the added benefit of being able to complete it anytime, anywhere. Plus, at any time, you may stop and save your application; then return to it later. Expect your application to take about 15 minutes to complete. A series of prompts and helpful tips will guide you through each screen to help you through each stage of the application process, which includes the following steps:
Start App – You’ll be asked to select a username and password to ensure security and privacy. Create and enter your username and password here and make a note of them for your records.
Loan Details – Enter the address, price and other information related to the property.
Personal Info – Provide the name, date of birth and social security number for EACH borrower.
Employment Income – Tell us about your current employment situation, including gross income and any additional income you may receive.
Expenses – What is your current monthly expense for housing?
Asset Info – Provide a list of your financial assets, including bank accounts and investments, in order to verify that you have access to sufficient funds to complete the transaction.
Submit App – After a few final questions, simply submit the application to Direct Federal and a mortgage specialist will follow up with you
The amount you can borrow depends on the equity you have in your home.
Direct Federal allows up to 80% Combined Loan-To-Value (CLTV).
With Direct Federal, you can open a Home Equity Loan or Line for any amount between $20,000 and $500,000.
The Home Equity grace period is 10 days.
We do not offer foreign currency exchange services at this time.
$0 unless property is in a trust and/or there are unrecorded discharges that need to be recorded.
Funds cannot be added to an existing CD Share Certificate.
Rates vary based on your creditworthiness. The rate can vary monthly and is based on the Prime rate published in The Wall Street Journal.
There is no cash advance fee.
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”.
You can apply for a credit limit of up to $25,000.
At the end of your 10-Year Draw Period, you will enter the Repayment Period. The Repayment Period is 10 years of principal and interest. The rate remains variable based on your Home Equity agreement.
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.
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.
New Retail Auto:
New Retail Autos are defined as vehicles from the current or previous model year. Also, a vehicle is considered new if it has not been previously titled or has fewer than 7,500 miles (i.e. dealer demonstrators).
Used Retail Auto:
Used Retail Autos are defined as vehicles no more than eight model years removed from the definition of new.
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.
We currently do not offer land loans but please check back in with us in the future!
You can update your contact information by updating your account profile in Digital Banking, by calling Member Services, or by visiting our branch.
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 do not offer Boat loans at this time, but click below to learn more about what personal loans and lines of credit we offer!
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
Your IRS forms will be available under Statements within Digital Banking.
View Statements >
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.
We currently do not offer safety deposit boxes at this time.
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)
Yes! The Joint account holder can create their own user login.
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
In some cases merchants do not submit the physical check for payment. The check is converted into an electronic check (eCheck). This is also known as a digital version of a paper check (Image replacement Document). eChecks use the Automatic Clearing House (ACH) to debit from a members checking account.
Yes! You can start a chat with us by clicking on the text bubble icon on the login page and the dashboard
We will not transmit sensitive personal information through alerts.
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.
The date that is displayed is the estimated delivery date of the check, not the date the payment is sent from your account.
Once your application has been approved, you can expect your new card in the mail within 1-2 business days.
Keeping your money and information safe is a top priority for Direct Federal Credit Union. When you use Zelle® within our mobile app, your information is protected with the same technology we use to keep your Direct Federal Credit Union account safe.
Please visit:
www.myinsuranceinfo.com
Your card may be blocked for use and future transactions would be declined until the fraud alert is cleared.
We currently do not offer 529 plans.
View our banking account options >
$395 if the line is closed during the first two years.
You are able to see and access all of the accounts your Social Security Number is associated with at Direct Federal, under one login. This includes Custodial accounts, Joint accounts, and Trust accounts. If you see accounts you don't want to see, you can go to My Settings and click on Accounts. Here you will be able to hide/unhide and rename your accounts.
This feature is for existing Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) only. You cannot get a Fixed-Rate Carve Out 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. 20 years can only be obtained at the time of the original HELOC closing. There are no fees associated with a Home Equity Carve Out.
Maximum number of Fixed-Rate Carve Outs: 3
We do not pull credit for carve outs.
Submit an application online or call to speak with Mortgage Loan Officer.
Log in to Online Banking or our Mobile App Hover over Menu item "Tools"Select "Card Management"Select your Visa Credit Card. Select "Balance Transfer", input Card Issuer Details and Submit!
Any phone numbers that Direct Federal has in your records may be sent alerts.
Information on your rights to dispute transactions and how to exercise those rights is provided in the Agreement.
Upon confirming that a transaction is valid, you may retry the transaction immediately.
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.
We offer a variety of options to pay a Direct Federal Loan or Line of Credit.
With Direct Federal, you can open a Home Equity Loan or Line for any amount between $20,000 and $500,000.
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.
If rates rise from the time you apply until the time you use your loan, you will get the lower rate that was in effect when you applied. If rates fall from the time you apply until the time you use your loan, you will get the lower rate in effect at the time of purchase.
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!
1% of each transaction in US dollars.
We currently do not offer FHA loans.
The status of your payments is located under “Payment activity” within the “Payments” tab of the Bill Pay widget. Click on each individual payment to obtain details and the status of your payment.
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 may finance automobiles, SUVs, pickup trucks, and minivans for consumer use. For commercial vehicles, visit the Business Loans page.
Our live chat platform supports the talk-to-text (dictation) feature available on your smart device. To use talk-to-text to chat with one of our live associates click on the “live chat” button found on the bottom left of your screen. Upon establishing a connection with a live chat associate, you may initiate the use of the talk-to-text feature.
The method for accessing the talk-to-text feature on your device's keyboard may vary depending on the type of smart device you are using. To assist you in locating the talk-to-text feature on your device, we have provided additional resources below.
Click here for Apple Keyboard
Click here for Google assistant (gboard)
*Other keyboards may support this feature. Contact your phone provider for additional assistance.
Money Market dividends are are compounded monthly, and posted monthly.
You can access Bill Pay by clicking here or you can access Bill Pay from our Mobile App. Bill Pay can be found by selecting More > Transfer & Pay > Bill Pay.
Our Routing & Transit Number is: 211381783
Possible reasons for the difference in balance and available balance could be as follows:
-Funds being held according to our check hold policy
($1,000.00 available immediately, remaining balance up to $5,000 are subject to a 2 business day hold, $5,000.00+ are subject to a 5 business day hold)
-Pending transactions have yet to post to the account.
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 >
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.
We currently do not offer Health Savings Accounts.
View our banking account options >
Applicants under 18 require a joint owner on the account.
Yes, we offer SBA loans!
Yes, we do finance commercial vehicles!
View Business Loans >
You are eligible for cash advances by going to ATMs or banks that are part of the Visa network. You can also transfer cash advance funds from your credit card to a Direct Federal savings, checking, or money market account. Direct does not charge a cash advance fee.
Direct Federal lends on properties located in the following locations:
Massachusetts Counties: Norfolk, Middlesex, Suffolk, Plymouth, Essex, Bristol, Worcester, and Barnstable
Rhode Island Counties: All Counties in Rhode Island
New Hampshire Counties: Rockingham, Hillsborough, and Cheshire
Within Online Banking, select your Loan and click on the specific payment you would like more information on. Then select "Breakdown" and you will be able to view the Principal and Interest breakdown of your loan payment.
You can request a Home Equity Line of Credit and Credit Card increase through Online Banking.
The notification will disappear once your payment has posted to the Loan. Please allow 4-5 days for your payment to process before queuing another payment.
Navigate to the transfers and pay tab and then click on transfers and loan payments. Please note, that Principal payments CANNOT be made from external accounts. Once you have navigated to the transfers widget, select which accounts you'd like the money to come out of and which loan you will be paying. Once the accounts are selected the "Principal Payment" option will appear. Your loan must be up to date.
Yes, Direct Federal debit and credit cards can be added to Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay.
You will need to submit a HELOC application and select "Home Equity Increase" as the purpose.
If your payments are on time, there are no fees.
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.