Bank failures might not be getting the attention in the media they were a year ago, but don't be fooled!  We are still in the full throws of a banking crisis, with banks failing at DOUBLE the rate they were this time last year.

And there is more trouble on the horizon, with a whopping 775 banks on the FDIC's troubled bank list.  That's 1 out of every 10 banks!  For years, on national radio and television, we have been touting the benefits of joining a credit union and NOW is the perfect time to re-visit this discussion.

The bottom line is simple: credit unions are in healthier financial shape than banks.

Banks were five times more likely to have failed during the economic downturn than credit unions. Only 25 credit unions failed (0.32 percent of the total) compared to 130 banks (1.56 percent).

But that's not the only reason credit unions deserve a look…

Next: A little history