What is a government stimulus payment?

The Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Department will begin delivering a second round of Economic Impact Payments as part of the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 to millions of Americans who received the first round of payments earlier this year.

How will I know if I qualify?

The Credit Union does not have the ability to determine whether you qualify. Your eligibility is determined by the government. To learn more about eligibility and payment amounts, visit IRS.gov/coronavirus.

How will I receive my payment?

If you are eligible to receive a payment, you may receive the funds in one of these ways:

• By automatic deposit into the account reported on your 2019 or 2018 tax return. The deposit will appear in your account summary as "IRS TREAS 310 XXTAXEIP2", or similar wording. Note: your online account history may show a courtesy notice of your upcoming deposit that will appear in a "Pending" status. It will be credited to your account on the Treasury's release date. You may consider setting up a deposit alert through your Gold Coast FCU Online Banking. This way you’ll receive an alert by text or email when you receive a deposit in your account.
• By paper check. If you did not file a tax return or have not given the IRS your direct deposit account information in the last two years, you’ll receive a US Treasury check. Checks will start being printed and mailed on 12/30/2020 with a pay date of 1/6/2021. Estimated check volume is approximately 5 to 7 million checks per week. Once a payment is mailed, the IRS reports it may take up to 14 days for you to receive it.
• By prepaid card. Instead of receiving a paper check, some members will receive a prepaid card in the mail.

You can check on the status of your stimulus payment using the IRS’s Get My Payment tool.

What if I used a tax preparer to file my taxes?

If you used a tax preparer and your tax refund was directed to them, it is possible your relief payment also went there. You will need to contact your tax preparer for more information.

When will I receive my payment?

Now that legislation is final, processing of payments to millions of eligible recipients has begun. Please note that Gold Coast FCU branch and call center staff do not have access to any additional information regarding if you will receive a check or when electronic payments will post.
To check on the status of your stimulus payment or receive the latest information, please visit irs.gov/coronavirus

What if the account I previously used to receive my IRS tax refund has since been closed?

If you’re eligible for a payment, and the account the U.S. Treasury directed your payment to was closed on the date the funds were received, the credit union is directed under regulations to return the funds to the U.S. Treasury. Under certain circumstances, if we can identify that your account was closed due to fraud and a new account opened, we will deposit the funds to your new account. Otherwise, the U.S. Treasury will redirect funds to you via check to the address they have on file for you.
According to the IRS, the Get My Payment tool will be updated to reflect the date your payment will be mailed. Once a payment is mailed, the IRS reports it may take up to 14 days for you to receive it.
Visit irs.gov/coronavirus for the latest information.

How can I help protect myself from fraud?

If you receive a suspicious email or text message, don't respond, click on links, or open attachments. Please know that we won't ask for confidential information such as your card PIN, access code or online banking password if we reach out to you.
This April 2, 2020 news release from the IRS offers more details about scams related to government relief checks.

Should I visit a branch or call for additional information?

Our staff in the branches and call centers will not have access to your individual status of whether you will receive a payment or where your payment is in process.
Due to social distancing and the upcoming stimulus payments, wait times in branches may increase and we appreciate your patience. We encourage you to use our online banking, mobile app or Coastline 24 as a first choice for accessing account information.

Increase in ATM Robberies

Please be aware of your surroundings when using an ATM. An increase in ATM robberies have occurred across the country. In some instances, these acts are being conducted by criminals wearing masks - taking advantage of the use of face coverings by the general public to help reduce the spread of the Coronavirus. The increase in crime is likely due to difficult financial times.

There are several precautions that you, as a member, can take to increase your personal safety when using ATMs. For detailed information and tips, read and/or print Precautionary Steps to Take When Using ATMs.

Branch/Lobby Re-opening – May 26th, 2020

Valued Members:

In mid-March, Senior Management and the Board of Directors made the collective decision to change the way we serve members through the branch system due to the initial wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout the past two months, we continued to make operational changes to the branch system as the state went into various stages of lockdown to help limit overall infection and safeguard both our employees and our members.

In conjunction with the movement of our primary counties into the next stage of reopening, Gold Coast FCU will be opening our branches to lobby traffic on Tuesday, May 26th. See updated branch hours. To reduce the risk of infection to both our employees and members, the following operational changes have been implemented:

• Limiting overall occupancy based on lobby size
• Providing greeters at each lobby location to manage traffic flow
• Practicing social distancing throughout member transactions
• Installing floor decals six feet apart as part of the social distancing guidelines
• Increasing the frequency of disinfecting the overall facility as well as high traffic contact areas
• Providing hand sanitizer for both members and employees throughout the lobby

Members are encouraged to wear face coverings, per CDC recommendations. Please note, for security purposes, you may be asked to briefly remove your face covering during your transaction to verify your identity.

The Board of Directors and Management appreciate your patience as we have gone through a variety of operational changes the past two months. We look forward to continuing to provide solutions to your financial needs.

Your Gold Coast Family

Member Message – May 1st, 2020

Valued Members:

For the past two months, we have gone through dramatic changes to our lifestyle, the way we do business and how we interact with each other socially. We appreciate your willingness to work with us through these changes to help provide a safe environment for both our members and our employees.

This week, the Governor announced most of the state has moved forward into Phase 1 of the reopening of Florida plan. Due to the high concentration of COVID cases in South Florida, the counties of Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade were not included as part of Phase 1. With the continuation of the original Order for Palm Beach County and the Phase 1 guidelines, at this time there will be no operational change for Gold Coast FCU. We will continue to monitor the situation as the state goes through its Phases and make decisions accordingly.

The coronavirus outbreak and the shutdown of a large portion of our economy has resulted in a variety of hardships to individuals. Gold Coast proactively initiated a variety of programs to help alleviate the burden including a Skip-a-Payment program in March/April, the discontinuation of ATM fees, waiving stop payment fees and waiving late fees.

We understand the changes to our economy effect our members differently. Management and staff at Gold Coast are committed to working with our members during these difficult times and encourage you to speak with us to see how your credit union can be a part of the solution. The implementation of Phase 1 is an encouraging sign there is light at the end of the tunnel. We are going through this crisis together and look forward to continually serving you in the future.

 Gold Coast Federal Credit Union Family

Economic Impact Payments

On April 15, 2020, the first round of Economic Impact Payments were distributed to members as part of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act. There have been many questions related to the distribution of the payments and we wanted to pass along some general information:

• Although payments began on the 15th, not all eligible individuals received them yesterday. The IRS is distributing payments in stages.
• The IRS is using data to determine eligibility based on either 2018 or 2019 Federal Tax Returns. The direct deposit information you provided on these tax returns will be used to electronically distribute the Economic Impact Payments.
• Please check your account online to monitor if you have received your funds: Gold Coast FCU Online Banking.
• If you are eligible to receive payment through the Act, and you did not provide the IRS your ACH information for direct deposit, you will receive a check in the mail. You may go to the IRS website to provide the IRS your direct deposit information rather than receiving a check.
• Retirees who receive either Social Security retirement or Railroad Retirement benefits will also receive payments automatically.
• If you did not file a tax return for either 2018 or 2019, you may go to the IRS website to provide the necessary information.
• On the IRS website, when you select the ‘Get My Payment’ button, you can:
  • Check on the status of your payment.
  • Confirm your payment type: direct deposit or check.
  • Enter your bank account information for direct deposit if the IRS does not have your information or your payment hasn’t been sent yet by the IRS.

Gold Coast FCU Branch Hours Update 4/01/2020

Valued Members:

Almost two weeks ago, we made the decision to limit branch traffic for the safety of our members as well as our employees. I would like to thank everyone for their cooperation with these changes and for adhering to the social distancing guidelines in place to reduce the spread of the virus.

Management has been evaluating the branch traffic throughout this timeframe, the types of transactions utilized through the branches and the hours of activity. Based on this data and the high number of positive cases in South Florida, we have decided to make additional changes to branch hours.

Member Services

Starting as of the close of business on April 3rd, lobby access will be discontinued in all locations. Member Services will be restricted to the Royal Palm Beach and Port St. Lucie branches – by appointment only. Please call 561-720-6479 to set-up an appointment Monday through Friday from 10am – 4pm for these branches only.

Teller Services

Drive thru access will continue at the West Palm Beach, Royal Palm Beach and Port St. Lucie offices with the updated schedule:

West Palm Beach
Monday – Friday 7:00am – 4:00pm
Saturday 8:00am – 1:00pm

Royal Palm Beach
Monday – Friday 8:00am – 4:00pm
Saturday 8:00am – 1:00pm

Port St. Lucie
Monday – Friday 8:30am – 4:00pm
Saturday 8:00am – 1:00pm

Gold Coast Federal Credit Union has a variety of service channels, including our ATM network, suite of e-service products and our Member Connection team which can be reached at 561-965-1000. Everyone at Gold Coast appreciates your continued cooperation during this outbreak as we try to keep everyone safe.

Steve Bush
President / CEO
Gold Coast Federal Credit Union

COVID-19 Member Notice 3/20/2020 from our CEO/President, Steve Bush

Members,

Our community has seen dramatic changes over the past couple of weeks as we collectively work through the COVID-19 outbreak. We are being inundated with information from a variety of sources, some of which may cause confusion. I wanted to take the opportunity today to provide some clarification on a few topics.

Branch Services

Earlier this week, we made the decision to offer branch lobby services 'by appointment only' for the safety of our members and employees. All drive-thrus continue to be open for teller services. Credit unions and banks around the country are taking similar steps in accordance with guidance from the CDC to help slow the spread of the virus. While this is unusual, it is not a reflection of the current or anticipated financial position of the credit union. Gold Coast FCU is financially sound as is the nation’s financial system. Financial institutions are classified by the federal government as an ‘essential business’ and critical to maintaining the nation’s infrastructure. Therefore, Gold Coast Federal Credit Union will remain open to serve our community, even if steps are taken either at the national or state level requiring businesses to temporarily close to reduce the spread of COVID-19.

Deposits

Gold Coast FCU is a member of the NCUA and your deposits of up to $250,000 are insured by the federal government. In addition, Gold Coast provides an extra $100,000 in share insurance. Your money is available to you as you need it, so there isn’t a need to withdraw cash in larger amounts than you normally use. In fact, keeping large amounts of cash on your person or at home is more risky and can be dangerous. Instead, consider using your debit card for purchases, and utilize our electronic services for other payments. Online banking, mobile banking, mobile check deposit, and bill pay provide you the access you need with the convenience of conducting business from anywhere.

Steve Bush
President / CEO
Gold Coast Federal Credit Union

COVID-19 Member Notice 3/18/2020 from our CEO/President, Steve Bush

Over the past few business days, Senior Management and myself have been meeting regularly to discuss the effects of the COVID-19 outbreak on credit union operations. As of today, we decided the best course of action for the health of our members and staff is to make lobbies accessible by appointment only beginning on March 19, 2020 until further notice. We will continue to serve members through drive-thru lanes for those branches which have the capability. As you have seen over the past couple of weeks, we are in unprecedented territory and changes happen quickly. Management will continue to monitor the situation, gather information provided by the authorities and make adjustments as necessary. Until further notice, here are our extended branch hours:

To set-up an appointment to meet with a Gold Coast team member, please call 561-720-6479. In addition to our branch system, Gold Coast Federal Credit Union has a variety of service channels. These include our ATM network, suite of e-service products and Member Connection team at 561-965-1000. We understand the stresses and difficulties the outbreak has caused yourself and your family. We appreciate your dedication and the patience you have shown throughout these changes.

Sincerely,


Steve Bush
President / CEO
Gold Coast Federal Credit Union

COVID-19 Fraud and Scam Alert

Please be aware that with the COVID-19 making headlines daily, hackers and scammers are now using this potential public health crisis as an opportunity to take advantage of unsuspecting businesses and consumers. 

Fraudulent emails have surfaced claiming to be from the Center of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or the World Health Organization (WHO) directing unsuspecting recipients to harmful websites that load malware or other harmful applications, under the ruse of offering important pandemic information. In response to these and other campaigns, the WHO and CDC have issued alert warnings to consumers to be on the lookout for individuals posing as the organizations. 

The best practice in avoiding scams and hackers is to not click on any links in emails you were not expecting or you did not request, just delete the emails. As a reminder, if you are a Gold Coast FCU Debit Card holder and suspect fraudulent activity on your account you should call 1-800-472-3272.

A message from GCFCU President / CEO, Steve Bush

To Our Members:

I wanted to take this opportunity to discuss the ways Gold Coast Federal Credit Union is addressing the outbreak of COVID-19 and assure you of our preparedness for the situation.

As part of an overall Disaster Recovery / Business Continuity Plan, the credit union has a detailed pandemic plan to help avoid operational disruptions. Management has been closely monitoring the information provided by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), along with guidance from industry organizations and the NCUA. The primary focus of our efforts is the safety of our staff and our members. In addition to our normal processes, we are taking additional steps to proactively make our member contact areas safe.

Gold Coast FCU offers members a wide variety of options which provide members the ability to conduct transactions without visiting one of our branches. We encourage you to take advantage of our suite of electronic services including ATMs, online banking, mobile banking, mobile check deposit, bill pay and direct deposit. If you are not set up for Online Services, please send an email to ContactUs@gcfcu.org. Additionally, you can contact our Member Connection team at (561) 965-1000 if you need assistance with any of your accounts.

Be assured your credit union is actively monitoring the situation and will continue to take steps to reduce the risk of exposure and disruptions to service. Thank you for your continued support of Gold Coast Federal Credit Union.

Sincerely,


Steve Bush
President / CEO
Gold Coast Federal Credit Union