The Credit Union Department (CUD) is a state agency that oversees the state-chartered credit union industry in Texas. Our mission is to supervise, regulate and examine Texas credit unions in order to safeguard the public interest, protect the financial interests of credit union members and promote public confidence in the credit union industry.
Services Provided by the Credit Union Department
The Credit Union Department:
- Supports the goal of providing affordable financial services to Texas citizens through the chartering of new credit unions and approving field of membership expansions for existing credit unions;
- Conducts safety and soundness examinations of the credit unions under its jurisdiction for the protection of Texas citizens;
- Investigates and responds to written complaints registered by credit union members; and
- Publishes a monthly newsletter in print and on the internet to keep credit unions, their members, and the general public informed of Commission and CUD activities.
Customer Service Principles
The Credit Union Department will:
- Conduct financial services to Texas citizens through the chartering of new credit unions and approving field of membership expansions for existing credit unions;
- Perform its mission with the best interests of Texas chartered credit unions and their members in mind;
- Return telephone calls as soon as possible but within one working day;
- Respond to routine e-mail and written information requests within five days;
- Establish a case file within one working day of receiving a written complaint;
- Investigate and resolve written complaints within 30 days of their receipt;
- Maintain a conscientious, well-trained staff; and
- Provide pertinent information on our internet site for easy access by credit unions and the general public.
Consumer Information and Complaint Process
The Credit Union Department welcomes all comments, and will promptly respond to all questions and complaints.
With respect to a complaint regarding a particular credit union, a member is encouraged to first resolve it directly by contacting an officer of the credit union. Often times, a complaint is merely the result of a miscommunication or misunderstanding and can be easily resolved. If the member is unable to resolve the complaint in this way, the CUD should be contacted.
If our review of a complaint finds a violation of the Texas Credit Union Act or Credit Union Commission Rules, we will inform the member of the violation and the corrective action the credit union has been directed to take. However, we do not have authority to resolve contractual disputes or undocumented factual disputes between a member and a credit union. We also do not have authority to resolve disagreements pertaining to credit union policies and procedures that are a matter of management discretion and are not addressed by Commission Rules. In such cases, if the credit union does not make a voluntary adjustment, we will usually advise the member to consider obtaining legal counsel regarding his or her rights to resolve the situation.
The CUD will attempt to resolve a member complaint within 30 days. If we need additional time to resolve the complaint due to the complexity of the issue(s) involved, we will usually send a letter to the member explaining this.
Contacting the Credit Union Department
Complaints, open records requests, general questions and comments may be directed to the CUD in writing, by telephone or fax, or through e-mail at the addresses or numbers shown below.
Michael S. Riepen, Commissioner
Credit Union Department
914 East Anderson Lane
Austin, Texas 78752-1699
(512) 837-9236
(512) 832-0278 (fax)
Info@cud.texas.gov (for questions or comments)
The Credit Union Department has designated Commissioner Michael S. Riepen as the agency’s customer service representative.