1-Yr APY
1.25%
Quick take: Bethpage Federal Credit Union now operates as FourLeaf Federal Credit Union (bethpagefcu.com redirects to fourleaffcu.com). It is an NCUA-insured credit union headquartered in Bethpage, NY with about $12.5B in assets. As of September 25, 2026, FourLeaf Federal Credit Union (formerly Bethpage FCU) posted 1.25% APY on its 1-year share certificate and 4.15% on the 5-year (its 13-month certificate paid 4.00% and the 60-month 4.15%; $50 minimum). Membership: Open to anyone nationwide by opening a $5 Bethpage savings account, no NY residency required.
Here is the full posted term ladder, checked September 25, 2026:
| Term | APY |
|---|---|
| 3-Month | 1.00% |
| 6/7/9/10-Month | 1.25% |
| 8-Month | 1.75% |
| 11-Month | 3.00% |
| 12-Month | 1.25% |
| 13-Month | 4.00% |
| 18/24/30/36/48-Month | 1.25% |
| 60-Month | 4.15% |
| 39-Month Bump Up | 1.25% |
APYs from fourleaffcu.com (APY in effect as of 9/25/2026). Credit unions reprice less aggressively than online banks, but rates still change, confirm on the FourLeaf (formerly Bethpage) website before funding. Promotional certificates (often on non-standard terms like 11/13/19/25/49 months) may pay higher than the standard rate sheet, ask before opening.
Open to anyone nationwide by opening a $5 Bethpage savings account, no NY residency required.
The workaround: $5 opening deposit to a Bethpage savings account.
Federally insured credit unions are legally required to limit membership to a defined "field of membership", but many CUs structure their bylaws to make joining trivially easy via a small donation, a free non-profit membership, or a low-fee sponsor-organization sign-up. The donation/sponsor approach lets you become an Associate Member, which qualifies you for the same accounts and rates as direct-eligibility members. Once you've opened a small share savings account ($5-$50 typical), you can open share certificates online in minutes.
If you can't qualify for Bethpage membership, the most accessible national CUs are Alliant (Foster Care to Success $5 donation), Bethpage ($5 savings account, no donation needed), and Connexus ($5 Connexus Association donation).
Posted rates checked September 25, 2026 (credit unions from their own rate pages; Ally from ally.com, APYs accurate as of 09/26/2026; Barclays from banking.us.barclays, valid as of 9/11/2026):
| Institution | APY (term) |
|---|---|
| Alliant CU | 4.10% (12-17 mo) |
| Affinity Plus FCU | 3.80% (12 mo) |
| Andrews FCU | 3.70% (12 mo) |
| American 1 CU | 3.35% (1 yr) |
| FourLeaf FCU (formerly Bethpage) | 1.25% (12 mo); 4.00% (13 mo) |
| Ally Bank (online bank) | 4.15% (12 mo) |
| Barclays (online bank) | 4.25% (12 mo) |
Credit unions can beat banks on share-certificate rates because they are non-profit and member-owned (on the September 25, 2026 check, though, Ally and Barclays out-paid all five of these credit unions at 12 months). They return profits to members in the form of better rates, lower fees, and lower loan APRs rather than to shareholders. But not every CU does this well. Restricted-membership CUs sometimes coast on rate; open-eligibility CUs (Alliant, FourLeaf/formerly Bethpage, Connexus) compete harder because they have to attract members nationally.
For an apples-to-apples comparison versus the highest online bank CDs (Marcus, Synchrony, Barclays, Ally), see Best 5-Year CD Rates 2026 and Credit Union vs Bank CD: structural differences.
A Multi-Year Guaranteed Annuity (MYGA) is the insurance-industry equivalent of a CD: a fixed rate locked for a fixed term, principal-protected, backed by the issuing carrier and your state's guaranty association. At the 5-year term, A-rated MYGAs topped out around 5.50-6.05% (public carrier rate sheets, October 14, 2026), versus FourLeaf (formerly Bethpage)'s 4.15% on its 5-year certificate.
Math at $250,000 over 5 years (simple annual compounding):
MYGAs also defer tax on interest until withdrawal, CDs and share certificates are taxed annually as ordinary income whether you touch the interest or not. For taxable retirement money you don't plan to withdraw for 5+ years, the MYGA almost always wins on math. The trade-off: MYGAs have a fixed surrender schedule (usually 5-10 years), while share certificates have shorter penalty periods. See CD vs MYGA Comparison for the full side-by-side.
Yes. The National Credit Union Administration (NCUA) insures federally chartered and most state-chartered credit unions up to $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category, the same coverage limit as FDIC. The two agencies use different funds (the National Credit Union Share Insurance Fund vs. the Deposit Insurance Fund), but both are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. In 50+ years of credit union history, no depositor has ever lost a penny of NCUA-insured funds.
What to verify before opening: confirm Bethpage's NCUA-insured status at ncua.gov/research using NCUA charter #08561. If you have more than $250K with one CU, restructure into joint, IRA, or trust ownership categories to expand coverage, each category gets its own $250K limit.
Bethpage Federal Credit Union is a legitimate NCUA-insured CU with a rate sheet that's competitive within the CU peer group. The 1-year rate is solid; the 5-year rate is meaningfully behind A-rated MYGAs. If you're a member by direct eligibility (or you've used a $5 workaround), the short-term certificates are a fine place for money you might need in 12-24 months. For 5+ year money, run the MYGA math first.
And remember: most CUs auto-renew at the rate posted on the renewal date, which is often well below the promotional rate you got at opening. Set a calendar reminder 30 days before maturity to compare current rates and decide whether to renew, withdraw, or move the money to a MYGA.
As of September 25, 2026, Bethpage posted 1.25% APY on its 1-year share certificate (9/25/2026). Rates change frequently; confirm on the FourLeaf (formerly Bethpage) website before opening.
Bethpage allows anyone nationwide to join by opening a $5 minimum-balance share savings account. There's no residency or employer requirement. Once you're a member, you can open share certificates from a desktop or mobile device, no branch visit needed.
Yes. Federally insured credit unions are insured by the NCUA (National Credit Union Administration) to $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category, the same coverage limit and federal backing as FDIC. The two agencies use different funds, but both are backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government.
For terms under 12 months: 90 days div. (terms <49mo). For longer terms: 180 days div. (terms >49mo). If accrued dividends are insufficient, the penalty comes out of principal, so the timing of the withdrawal matters.
$50. NCUA insurance covers up to $250,000 per depositor per CU; if you have more than that, split between institutions or use joint-account titling to expand coverage.
Yes, Bethpage typically auto-renews at the current posted rate for the same term unless you give written instructions during the grace period (usually 7-10 days). Set a calendar reminder; the auto-renewed rate is often below promotional or jumbo-tier rates available at maturity.
At the 5-year term, A-rated MYGAs topped out around 5.50-6.05% (public carrier rate sheets, October 14, 2026) versus Bethpage's 4.15% (9/25/2026). That's a gap of roughly 1.65 points or more on a 5-year contract. MYGAs are tax-deferred (interest isn't taxed until withdrawal); CDs are taxed annually. The trade-offs: MYGAs have a surrender schedule (usually 5-10 years), while CDs let you exit with an interest-only penalty. For taxable retirement money you don't need to touch for 5+ years, the MYGA usually wins on math.
This review reflects publicly posted credit-union rates and APYs checked September 25, 2026. Share-certificate rates change frequently, confirm current rates directly with Bethpage Federal Credit Union before opening an account. This article is general information for educational purposes; it is not a personalized recommendation, solicitation, or offer of any specific banking or insurance product. Bethpage Federal Credit Union is NCUA-insured to $250,000 per depositor, per ownership category, the same coverage limit and federal backing as FDIC. Hans Goldstein is an independent licensed insurance producer (NPN 20602398) appointed with multiple A-rated annuity carriers; he is NOT a credit union employee, broker-dealer, or registered representative, and is not paid by Bethpage Federal Credit Union for this review. No compensation has been received from Bethpage Federal Credit Union in connection with this content. MYGA comparisons reference rates from A-rated carriers as of the date stated; carrier rates change monthly. Always read the actual share-certificate disclosure or annuity contract before purchasing.
Hans Goldstein is an Enrolled Agent, admitted to practice before the Internal Revenue Service. Not affiliated with or endorsed by the IRS. General education, not tax or legal advice for your situation.