FIRST EDITIONUpcoming Seminars

Thursday, 9/28Social Security & Your Retirement Lunch and Learn,12pm in First Financial’s Corporate Office

Wednesday, 10/11 Credit Management & Debt Reduction Seminar, 6pm in the Neptune Branch

1FALL 2017 • A Semi-Annual Member Publication

Thursday, 11/30Estate Planning Basics Seminar,6pm in the Toms River Branch

Visit First Financial’s event calendar to register for upcoming seminars at firstffcu.com or text “FFSEMINAR” to 69302 to receive updates and register on your mobile phone.

Life Is for the Living, and So Is Life InsuranceLife can be busy. The requirements of work and family often leave little time to step back and think about where you’ve been and where you’re heading. But as your responsibilities grow, so does the need to evaluate what would happen if life for you stopped. September is Life Insurance Awareness Month and a good time to reflect on how life insurance can help those you leave behind — the living.

Your spouse or life partner A successful marriage is often predicated on sharing and providing for one another, and that includes each other’s financial obligations. If you were suddenly no longer in the picture, would there be enough money to pay for your final expenses, cover debt, and buy some time to allow your significant other to adjust to a new way of life? Life insurance can provide funds to cover immediate expenses and income to help support your surviving loved one.

Your children You’ve worked hard to provide for your kids, to give them the chance to realize their hopes and dreams. Your children are likely your greatest responsibility — a responsibility that doesn’t end with your passing. Whether your children are in diapers or about to enter college, if something happened to you or your spouse, or both of you, would there be enough income to continue to provide financially for your children? Life insurance can help provide the resources for their continued growth and maturation.

Your home Buying a home may be the largest single expenditure of your life. While being a homeowner is exciting, mortgage payments, often lasting 30 years, along with maintenance, utility costs, homeowners insurance, and real estate taxes can add up to a long-term financial

commitment. Adequate life insurance protection can provide funds that could be used to cover these expenses, allowing your family to remain in their home.

Your business Do you own your own business? Life insurance can fit into your business plan in many ways. It can be part of an employee benefit program, with coverage under a group plan. Life insurance purchased on the lives of certain key employees can protect your company from the loss of talented and valuable workers. And life insurance can be used to fund a buy-sell agreement.

Caring for an aging parent or loved one Are you caring for an aging parent or loved one? Would the people who depend on you be able to afford quality health care and a comfortable place to live without your financial support? Life insurance can become extremely important in these situations, helping to provide for these individuals in the event of your death.

Planning for retirement Preparing for retirement probably means you’re saving as much as you can in your 401(k), IRA, or other savings vehicle. If you die before you get to enjoy your retirement, will your retirement plan die for your surviving loved ones as well? Not only will your salary be unavailable to help pay for current living expenses, but your income won’t be there to build the nest egg for the retirement of your spouse or life partner. Life insurance can help provide funds that can be used for your spouse’s or life partner’s retirement.

Your health has changed If your health declines, how will it affect your life insurance? A common worry is that your insurer could cancel your coverage should your health change. However, changes to your health will not affect your

current insurance coverage, provided you continue to pay your premiums on time. In fact, you should take a closer look at your life insurance policy to find out if it offers any accelerated (living) benefits that you can access in the event of a serious or long-term illness.

Leaving a legacy Life insurance can be used to increase the size of an estate for your heirs. The death benefit could provide your beneficiaries with a larger legacy than might otherwise be possible. The cost of life insurance may be significantly less than the proceeds of the policy paid to your beneficiaries when you die.

Charitable giving Donating a life insurance policy to a charity may enable you to make a larger gift than you otherwise could afford. Further, the government encourages charitable giving by providing tax advantages for certain charitable donations (the charity must be a qualified charity). This means that both you and the charity could benefit from your donation (though some charities may not accept a gift of life insurance for various reasons).

Schedule a no-cost, no-obligation appointment with First Financial’s Investment & Retirement Center to evaluate your options by contacting us at 732.312.1414 or email Mary.LaFerriere@cunamutual.com.Securities sold, advisory services offered through CUNA Brokerage Services, Inc. (CBSI), member FINRA/SIPC, a registered broker/dealer and investment advisor. CBSI is under contract with the financial institution to make securities available to members. Not NCUA/NCUSIF/FDIC insured, May Lose Value, No Financial Institution Guarantee. Not a deposit of any financial institution. Article prepared by Broadridge Investor Communication Solutions, Inc. Copyright 2017.

Leasing isn’t for everyone. There

are definitely advantages and disadvantages

to leasing vehicles. Do your homework and decide what is the best option

for you.

Loan Connection 732.312.1500, Option 4

To Fax Loan Applications732.312.1530 (24-hour)

Member Relationship Center Phone Hours Monday-Friday 8:00am – 6:00pmSaturday 8:30am – 1:00pm

Contact Us Local Callers 732.312.1500 Out of Area 866.750.0100 info@firstffcu.com

Neptune Branch783 Wayside Road

Toms River Branch1360 Route 9 SouthCorner of Routes 9 & 571

Freehold/Howell Service Center389 Route 9 NorthFreehold, NJ 07728Next to Howell Park & Ride

Board of Directors

Gordon Holder Chairperson

Earl Sutton, Jr. Vice Chairperson

David Graf Secretary & Treasurer

Elizabeth M. White

Laurita Carr

Catherine McLaughlin

Karen Fiore

Supervisory CommitteeElizabeth M. WhiteCommittee Chairperson

Ronald Minsky

Mitch Thaler

John Ceresani

Issa E. StephanCCUE, President/CEO

First Financial’s Supervisory Committee has the responsibility to investigate member complaints that cannot be resolved through normal channels. If you have a complaint or suggestion to improve our service to you or if you have an unresolved problem, please write to:

Supervisory CommitteeP.O. Box 751,Neptune, NJ 07754

FALL 2017 • A Semi-Annual Member Publication

facebook.com/firstfinancialnj @NJBanking First-Financial-Federal-Credit-Union blog.firstffcu.com FirstFinancialNJ pinterest.com/1stfinancialnj

Information contained in “First Edition” is intended to summarize products and services. It is not a complete disclosure of all terms and conditions. All rates and terms are subject to change without notice. For full details, please contact First Financial Federal Credit Union directly at 732.312.1500, email info@firstffcu.com, or visit firstffcu.com. Federally insured by NCUA. 4

THE PROS AND CONS OF LEASING A VEHICLE

Original article source: John Pettit for CUInsight.com.

*Not all applicants will qualify, subject to credit approval. Additional terms & conditions may apply. Actual rate may vary based on credit worthiness and term. See credit union for details. A First Financial membership is required to obtain an auto loan and is open to anyone who lives, works, worships, volunteers, or attends school in Monmouth or Ocean Counties NJ. A $5 deposit in a base savings account is required for credit union membership prior to opening any other account/loan.

Have you ever thought about leasing your next vehicle? If the thought has crossed your mind, here are a few pros and cons of leasing.

Have you leased a vehicle and you’ve gone over your miles or you have excessive wear and tear? First Financial can help you buy out your lease and save! With our Lease Buyout Program*, you aren’t stuck with a big lump sum payment. We’ll help you keep that car you love.

PRO: LOWER MONTHLY PAYMENTS

Generally, lease payments are lower than car payments and if you’re used

to having a payment, this probably sounds great to you.

CON: NO EQUITY

When you sign a lease, you’ll have to make payments over a defined period of time. When that time is up, the car goes back to the dealer. At this point,

you’ll have a decision to make: you can either enter into a new lease or

you’ll have to buy the car.

PRO: REPAIRS ARE USUALLY COVERED

Since you’ll only have a leased car for a handful of years, it will more than likely be

covered by a factory warranty. This will save you from having to shell out big bucks for

repairs while you have the car.

CON: MILEAGE LIMIT

How many miles do you drive each year? If you drive over 10–12k miles a year, you’ll probably face some sort of penalty fee at the end of your lease term. Be mindful of this, because those extra miles can really add up.

PRO: A NEW CAR EVERY FEW YEARS

If you’re serial leaser, you probably love driving a new car. This is a definite advantage of leasing over buying. Buying and selling cars can be a hassle, so if you love driving new cars, leasing can be a great option for you.

CON: FEES FOR DAMAGES

When you turn in your car at the end of your lease term, the dealership is going to want to sell it. If there are any dents or scratches to be repaired, you may want to get them taken care of before you turn in the car. A little ding in the door isn’t a big deal if it’s your car, but with a lease, you’ll probably have to pay a fee to get it repaired.

GET STARTED TODAY! 732.312.1500, Option 4 firstffcu.com

Holiday Closings9/4: Labor Day 11/23: Thanksgiving Day12/25: Christmas Day 1/1: New Year’s Day 2018 3

FALL 2017 • A Semi-Annual Member Publication

Since 1994, First Financial Federal Credit Union has supported the Monmouth & Ocean County communities with the Erma Dorrer Scholarship Program. Today, that program has been extended into the First Financial Foundation. This year, we were able to provide four $500 college scholarships to recent high school graduates, who will be attending college this fall.

Congratulations to our 2017 College Scholarship Recipients: (pictured from left to right)• Cara Ditmar, Dartmouth College• Cassidy Sabins, University of Tampa• Juliana DiGiacomo, Rutgers University• Nicole Weaver, Stockton University

Thank you to all the students who applied this year and we wish you the best of luck on your upcoming college journey!

2017 Erma Dorrer Literary Scholarship Recipients

Blood Drive & Shred EventOn August 5th in Howell, we saved 75 lives in Monmouth and Ocean County hospitals and collected 1.5 tons of shredding. Thank you to all our blood donors!

A New Way to Pay!Now you can use your First Financial Visa® credit and debit cards with Digital Wallet — the easy, secure, and private way to pay with your device!

Visit first ffcu.com to learn how to get started.

Look for these logos at retailers:

Note from the CEOAt First Financial, we SMELL better. What exactly does that mean? It means we strive to help you with Score improvement, Money savings, Education, Lending, and we’re Local. Everyone deserves a chance to build a better financial future, save money, get the best rate possible, access free financial education, and receive low-rate loan options...and we’re right here in your neighborhood! We have a nose for your best interests, so be sure to ask us how we can help you and your family.

We are proud to say we launched several digital conveniences for our members over the summer. You can now use your First Financial cards with Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, Android Pay, Microsoft Wallet, and Visa® Checkout. We also recently came out with a new credit card mobile app, which allows our Visa® Credit Cardholders to check their balances, make payments, view transactions and history, activate a new card, and more.

We thank you for your continued support and loyalty with First Financial. We are pleased we can always be your financial partner. As 2017 comes to a close, we look forward to another successful year to come. As always, thank you for thinking first – God Bless!

Sincerely,

Issa Stephan, CCUE, President & CEO

FALL 2017 • A Semi-Annual Member Publication

2

Our new Visa® Credit Card App is now available.

Check your credit card balance, make payments, view transactions and payment history, activate a new card, and more.

DOWNLOAD THE NEW APP ON:

Your money on the go!

FirstFFCU Visa

The snowball method is a simple debt elimination strategy that can be employed by anyone of any income level to quickly pay off debt.

1. Begin by making a chart of all outstanding debt and list your monthly payment.

Monthly Debt Total Payoff Monthly Payment

Credit Card 1 $12,000 $100

Car Loan $14,550 $250

Student Loan $25,000 $280

Credit Card 2 $3,000 $60

2. Organize your debt in order of highest monthly payment to lowest monthly payment.

Each month, pay the minimum payment on all debt except the lowest.

Monthly Debt Total Payoff Monthly Payment

Student Loan $25,000 $280

Car Loan $14,550 $250

Credit Card 1 $12,000 $100

Credit Card 2 $3,000 $60

3. For the lowest debt, pay the minimum plus any extra you can. Ideally, pay double (or more if possible) to quickly pay off this loan.

MonthlyDebt

TotalPayoff

Monthly Payment

Amount Paid

Student Loan $25,000 $280 $280

Car Loan $14,550 $250 $250

Credit Card 1 $12,000 $100 $100

Credit Card 2 $3,000 $60 $120

4. After the lowest debt is paid off, roll what you were paying on it into the next lowest debt. It will be the next loan you pay off.

This accumulation method, like a snowball effect, works because it’s clear and concise.

By tackling the smallest debt first, it’s easier not to be overwhelmed. Once it’s paid off, you’ll feel more empowered to tackle debt after debt till there’s none left!

Original article source: Jennifer Reynolds for CUInsight.com

HOW TO ELIMINATE DEBT USING THE SNOWBALL METHOD