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  • Phone: 716-854-3714

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  • About Us

    Two women shaking hands at counter

    The IRS Buffalo Federal Credit Union is a not-for-profit member owned and operated financial institution established to meet the needs of its members and members of their families.

    The IRS Buffalo Federal Credit Union received its charter on February 1, 1957, thanks to some determined IRS employees.

    These forward thinking individuals pooled their savings through payroll deductions so members could borrow money at favorable rates. The money earned from loans paid dividends (interest) to the savers. This same concept still exists today. We remain committed to anticipating and satisfying the financial needs of our members and their relatives. We strive to be the best place for our members to save their hard earned money and to borrow from when the need arises.

    In addition, we want to provide the services and conveniences that our members desire and deserve and have added many throughout the years.

    The Field of Membership consists of Federal Government employees and retirees in the Western New York counties of Erie, Niagara, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Genesee, Wyoming and Orleans, their spouses, children, grandchildren, siblings, parents, grandparents, stepparents, stepchildren, step-siblings, adoptive relations, domestic partners and legal guardians of primary potential members.

    Membership is lifelong unless terminated by either the Credit Union or the member.

    The Credit Union Movement

    Credit unions were formed in Europe in the early 1800's based on a simple premise: that people could pool their money together and make loans to each other.

    It wasn't until the beginning of the 20th century that the idea crossed the Atlantic into Canada. Although the first credit union act was passed in Massachusetts in 1909, it wasn't until the 1920's and 30's that the credit union movement really took off in the United States. By 1935, more than 3,300 credit unions in 39 states were serving 641,800 members.

    Today, there are more than 9,000 member-owned financial cooperatives, or credit unions, in the United States alone serving more than 72 million Americans. Today's credit unions have evolved to provide the wide range of financial products and services that members need and want. Credit unions represent one of the strongest financial networks in the world while continuing to uphold the founding philosophy of service to members, a sense of social responsibility and cooperative uniqueness.

    The one motto of the credit union movement is “People helping people”.

    Who Can Join?

    All Federal Employees, Retirees and their immediate Families are eligible to join!

    The term immediate family of any natural person means the following (whether by the full or half blood or by adoption).

  • Such person's spouse, father, mother, children, brothers, sisters and grandchildren.
  • The father, mother, brothers and sisters of such person's spouse.
  • The spouse of a child, brother or sister of such person.
  • Board of Directors

    • President – Barb Kalinowski
    • Vice President – Jack Klein
    • Treasurer – Andy Loeb
    • Secretary – Paula Kelman
    • Directors
      • Joe Giancarlo
      • Kathie Nichter
      • Don Schmid
      • Al Hartman
      • Carol Staszczyk

    Credit Union Staff

    • Manager - Lori Makowski
    • Member Services Representatives
      • Rosa Monegro
    • Supervisory Committee
      • Chair - Joe Hayek

    Supervisory Committee address:
    IRS Buffalo Federal Credit Union
    Supervisory Committee
    P.O. Box 1374
    Buffalo, New York 14226