Citizens State Bank Is Now Avadian Credit Union. Now What?

We are excited to welcome you to Avadian Credit Union. We know that with any transition, there are many questions. On this page, you'll find key dates you need to know regarding the transition of your Citizens State Bank accounts to Avadian accounts as well as answers to common questions about the transition. 

Important Dates

Federally insured by NCUA

Your deposits are insured by the National Credit Union Administration effective immediately up to $250,000 for each deposit account ownership category. 

Your deposit accounts are also insured for an additional $250,000 by Excess Share Insurance Corp., a licensed insurance company.

Account Conversion Date: Oct. 1, 2022

In preparation for the account conversion, please note the following:

The Vernon Main branch will close at noon on Friday, Sept. 30.

Citizens State Bank's online, mobile, and telephone banking will go down at noon on Friday, Sept. 30. 

All online banking and internal transfers previously scheduled through Sept. 30 will occur as planned.

No scheduled online banking and internal transfers will occur after Sept. 30.

Branches

New hours for the Vernon Main branch:
8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday

The Vernon Downtown branch will re-open Oct. 1 with the following hours:
8:45 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday
Closed for lunch 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. daily

If you have checking accounts, return the following to Avadian by Sept. 15, 2022 (found in New Member's Guide):

Choice Checking Account Features Form
Overdraft Authorization Form

If you have a CD or IRA/Roth IRA CD:

Your interest earned since your last payment received will be paid on Sept. 30, 2022, and then the end of the month going forward.

If you are a CSB online banking user:

Save your CSB account statements and tax records from CSB's online banking by Sept. 15, 2022. 
Save your CSB tax forms from CSB's online banking by Sept. 15, 2022.

To use Avadian's online and mobile banking:

Individuals: Create an online banking account on or after Oct. 1, 2022.
Businesses: Call 1.888.AVADIAN (1.888.282.3426) or visit a branch to enroll in online banking on or after Oct. 1, 2022.

Enroll in e-Statements

Starting Oct. 1, 2022.

Debit Cards and Checks:

Your CSB debit card will be deactivated Sept. 30, 2022.
You should receive a new Avadian debit card in mid-September. Activate your new card on or after Oct. 1, 2022.
You should receive new Avadian checks in mid-September. Begin using your new checks starting Oct. 1, 2022.
CSB-issued checks will be accepted until Sept. 30, 2023. 

Direct Deposits:

Set up direct deposits using your new Avadian MICR number on Oct. 1, 2022.

You will find your MICR number on the checks you receive in mid-September.

Non-Mortgage Loan Payments:

Make your loan payments as you normally do until Sept. 30, 2022.
Starting Oct. 1, please send all loan payments to:
Avadian Credit Union
P.O. Box 360287
Birmingham, AL 35236-0287

Mortgage Payments

You should have received a letter in August about your mortgage payments. Starting with the date stated in that letter, please send all mortgage payments to:
Avadian Credit Union
3301 Memorial Parkway S.W.
Huntsville, AL 35801

Accidental Death and Dismemberment Coverage Through the Club:

This policy will be discontinued on Sept. 30, 2022. 

Starting Oct. 1, 2022, you will be eligible for $2,000 in coverage at no cost as an Avadian member. You will receive a form from TruStage Insurance in the mail. Simply complete it and return it to claim your free coverage. You may also call them at 800.779.5433 to claim your free coverage or purchase additional coverage.

Fee Holiday

The following fees will not be charged between Sept. 30 and Dec. 31, 2022: 

Member Inquiry Fee
Statement Copy Fee
Account Fee

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What happens to my Citizens State Bank (CSB) account now that CSB is Avadian?
A: Nothing will change with your accounts until we complete the process of converting your accounts from CSB to Avadian.

Starting in October, you will begin receiving monthly or quarterly statements depending on what accounts, loans, and transaction types you have.

Q: Can I still open CSB accounts?    
A: Now that the acquisition has been completed, you can no longer open CSB accounts. However, you can open an Avadian account or apply for a loan at one of the Vernon branches, at any other Avadian branch, online at avadiancu.com, or by calling 1.888.AVADIAN (1.888.282.3426) now, and we can merge it with your CSB accounts after the account conversion date.

You will be asked to establish membership first, and you may do so if you live, work, worship, or go to school in one of Lamar, Pickens, Franklin, or Fayette counties in Alabama or one of the other counties Avadian serves. (If you do not live, work, worship, or go to school in one of these counties, you will, unfortunately, need to wait until the account conversion process is complete.)

Q: Is my money still insured and safe now that CSB is officially Avadian?
A: Absolutely. You probably have even more coverage than you currently have.

Your accounts are now federally insured by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). The NCUA will insure up to $250,000 for each deposit account category per member. This is similar to the coverage you had with the FDIC.

On top of that, Avadian offers coverage up to an additional $250,000, provided by Excess Share Insurance Corporation, a licensed insurance company.

Q: Will the CSB locations stay open? Will the hours change?
A: Yes.

Beginning Aug. 1, the main Vernon branch will operate with new hours: 8:45 a.m. until 5 p.m. Monday through Friday (excluding federal holidays).That means both the lobby and the drive-thru are fully open and operationally from 8:45 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

And, effective Oct. 1 the downtown drive-thru facility will re-open as a full-service branch. Its hours will also be 8:45 a.m. until 5 p.m., but it will be closed each day from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. for lunch.

But extended branch hours aren’t the only change you’ll notice when it comes to accessing your accounts. When your CSB account(s) convert to an Avadian account(s), you will have access to them like never before. In fact, you can conduct your financial business a number of ways: 17 additional branch locations throughout Alabama, online and mobile banking, online account opening, online chat, and a 24-hour Call Center. You will also be able to access your accounts through the CO-OP Shared Branching network with more than 5,000 branches and more than 30,000 ATMs nationwide.

Q: What about the staff at CSB?
A: We are excited to report that we have offered every current CSB employee a job upon completion of the acquisition. Most of the staff has chosen to stay on after the transition to Avadian.

Q: I'm not used to credit unions. How does it work once I'm a member?
A: As an Avadian member, you will be a part-owner of the credit union and eligible to apply for our products and services. Now that the acquisition is complete, Avadian will be opening a savings account for you and fund the required $5 to begin the process of converting your accounts over to Avadian. This $5 is yours and buys your share into the credit union. The date of the account conversion is Oct. 1.

Q: What do I need to do with the savings account that will be opened for me?
A: As an Avadian member, you are required to maintain a $5 minimum balance in this savings account. We will open a savings account and fund the $5 minimum requirement as a courtesy to all CSB customers. This $5 is yours and buys your share into the credit union, making you a part-owner of Avadian and eligible to apply for products and services. This account is just to establish your membership during the conversion of your account(s). During the conversion process, it will not be open for deposits and will not incur any fees. When the conversion of all accounts to Avadian’s system is complete on Oct. 1, this account will merge with your CSB account. Once it does convert, it will then act as a normal savings account and be susceptible to our regular fee schedule.

Q: I have a loan with CSB. Will my payments change? Where do I make my payments?
A: Your payments will not change. If you have a CSB loan, you will continue to pay as you normally do until your CSB loan converts to an Avadian loan. At that time, you may have more options to make your payment depending on the type of loan you have.

 Additional information regarding your loan payments will be included in the New Member's Guide and letters you will receive in the mail.

Q: Can I continue to access my account via the CSB website and CSB mobile banking site/app?
A: You will be able to continue to access the CSB website and mobile banking site/app until the date all CSB accounts convert to Avadian accounts. After this time, you will no longer be able to access your former CSB online account.

We recommend you download any account information, including transaction history, prior to the account conversion date (Oct. 1).

Once the account conversion is complete, you will be able to register for Avadian's online and mobile banking.

You will receive more specific information about the account conversion date in the coming weeks.

You will need your new Avadian account number to enroll in online banking. You will be receiving a letter with an New Member's Guide. Your member number will be included in that letter.

Once enrolled, you will be able to access your accounts via avadiancu.com or the Avadian app. You will also be able to sign up for e-Statements.

Q: Will telephone banking still be available after CSB becomes Avadian?
A: Yes, starting Aug. 1 and going through Sept. 30, you will be able to access your CSB account information through telephone banking by calling 205.695.8800.

Starting on Oct. 1, this number will no longer be available. However, you will be able to access your account information by phone by calling 1.800.874.1394 or 205.985.0550.

For tips about navigating Avadian's telephone banking, click here. 

Q: Do I need to change my direct deposits?
A: You do not need to make any changes to your direct deposits until the account conversion date (Oct. 1). At that time, you will need to change all automatic draft payments and direct deposits to reflect your new Avadian account number and our routing/transit number: 262087528. If you have these set up through your CSB debit card, please adjust to your new Avadian debit card number as well.

You will receive more specific information about the account conversion date in the coming weeks.

Q: Can I continue to use my CSB debit cards?  
A: Yes, you may continue to use your CSB debit card until Sept. 30, 2022. By that point, you will have already received an Avadian debit card, and you will need to activate it on or after the conversion date.

You are now able to use your CSB-issued debit card at the new ATM Plus+ located at the Vernon Main branch in the drive-thru. If you happen to incur any fees, these fees will be refunded to your account. The functionality of the ATM Plus+ will depend on your debit card. Access will be limited to cash withdrawals only with a debit card from CSB or another institution. The ATM Plus+ will be fully functional with an Avadian debit card. If you currently have a CSB debit card, you should receive an Avadian debit card before Oct. 1 which you can activate after Oct. 1.

You can also use the ATM Plus+ at the following Avadian locations:

• Hoover
• Greystone
• Chelsea
• Colonnade
• South Parkway
• Madison
• Geneva
• Dothan West Main
• Gardendale
• Helena
• Trussville
• Midtown Birmingham

You may also use your CSB debit card at other credit unions who participate in the CO-OP shared ATM Network. To find a CO-OP ATM near you, click here.

Specific dates and additional instructions will be included with your new Avadian Visa Debit Card.

NOTE: Your daily debit card limits will now be $510 for ATM transactions and an aggregate of $7,500 daily for all point-of-sale transactions. Point-of-sale transactions include using your PIN at the point of sale and transactions conducted using a signature at the point of sale.

Q: What if my CSB debit card(s) gets lost or stolen before my new Avadian debit card(s) is activated?  
A: If your CSB debit card is lost or stolen, please contact either of the Vernon branches.

 If you lose your Avadian debit card(s) after it is activated, stop by any Avadian branch or call 1.888.AVADIAN (1.888.282.3426) to receive a replacement card.

Q: Can I continue to access my safe deposit box at CSB?
A: If you currently rent a CSB safe deposit box, you will continue to have access to it.

Q: Do I need to throw away my CSB checks?
A: No. If you still have a supply of CSB checks, we will honor them through September 2023. You will receive new Avadian checks soon. More information regarding your Avadian checks will be included in the New Member's Guide you will receive.

When the time comes to stop using your CSB checks, we recommend that you shred any unused CSB checks. You may also bring them to a branch, and we’ll make sure they are properly destroyed.

Q: What if I need to reorder my CSB checks before my checking account converts to an Avadian checking account?
A: You can contact the Vernon branch to place a check order.

Q: What do I need to know about Avadian?  
A: CSB chose Avadian for our 88-year history of providing a wide array of products to consumers at impeccable levels of service. Those products include checking accounts, savings accounts, loans, credit cards, electronic services, business services, investments, online account opening, financial planning services, mortgages, home equity lines of credit, and safe deposit boxes. We live and work by our mission, which is to be the only financial service provider that will go out of its way every day to value you as a person, to make you feel delight and to improve your life.

Q: Who should I contact if I have questions about my CSB account?  
A: Just ask the staff at the two Vernon branches anytime.

Q: Who should I contact if I have questions about Avadian or my account there?  
A: Feel free to call Avadian Member Service at 1.888.AVADIAN (1.888.282.3426). You may also visit avadiancu.com for more information or chat online with an Avadian representative.

Q: Where can I learn more information about the acquisition?  
A: We will continue to keep you updated on the conversion process and how it affects you. You may visit avadiancu.com and click on the link at the top of the website. Of course, you can always call us at 205.695.9162, or call Avadian toll-free at 1.888.AVADIAN (1.888.282.3426). If you have questions about your accounts, you will need to call the Vernon branch.