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HomeFinancial CodeDiv. 5Ch. 4Art. 1§ 14407 Credit Union Shareholder Loss Reduction

§ 14407 Credit Union Shareholder Loss Reduction

Financial Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 14407 Credit Union Shareholder Loss Reduction

This law lets a credit union lower each member's share when the union’s assets are worth less than what it owes, and if the union later makes extra money, that extra is given back only to the members whose shares were cut, and only up to the amount they lost.

Key Takeaways

  • •A credit union can cut members’ shares only if a majority of members vote for it at a special meeting.
  • •If the commissioner steps in, they can approve the cut even without a full majority, as long as proper notice was given and a majority of the votes cast were yes.
  • •Any money the union makes later that’s more than the reduced asset value is only returned to the members who had their shares cut, and only up to the amount they lost.

Example

A credit union owes its members $100, but its assets are only worth $80, so it’s $20 short. It has 10 members each with a $10 share. The members vote, and a majority agrees to cut each share equally.

Each member’s share is reduced by $2 (because $20 loss ÷ 10 members = $2 each). Later the union sells an asset for $85, $5 more than the $80 it had after the cuts. That $5 is split only among the members who had their shares cut, giving each $0.50 back (up to the $2 they lost).

How to Calculate

Reduction per shareholder = (Total loss) ÷ (Number of shareholders)

  1. Find the total loss = Total amount owed – Estimated value of assets.
  2. Count how many shareholders own shares.
  3. Divide the total loss by the number of shareholders to get each person’s reduction.
  4. If later the union gets more money than the reduced asset value, give the extra back to those shareholders, but only up to the amount each lost.

Result: Each member’s share goes from $10 down to $8. Later the union gets $85, $5 extra. Extra per member = $5 ÷ 10 = $0.50, so each gets $0.50 back, ending at $8.50 each.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 14407 Credit Union Shareholder Loss Reduction

(a) Whenever the losses of any credit union resulting from a depreciation in the value of its securities or otherwise exceed its undivided earnings and reserve fund so that the estimated value of its assets is less than the total amount due its shareholders, the credit union may, if approved by a majority of all members at a meeting called to consider the matter, order a reduction of the liability to each of its shareholders, so as to divide the loss equitably among the shareholders. If thereafter the credit union realizes from its assets a greater amount than was fixed in the order of reduction, the excess shall be divided among the shareholders whose assets were reduced, but to the extent of the reduction only. (b) The commissioner may approve a reduction in the liability on shares approved by less than a majority of all members as provided in subdivision (a) if the commissioner finds, upon the written and verified application filed by the board of directors, that (1) notice of the meeting called to consider the question was mailed to each member entitled to vote upon the question, (2) the notice disclosed the purpose of the meeting and properly informed the membership that approval of the reduction in liability might be sought pursuant to this subdivision, and (3) that a majority of the votes cast upon the question were in favor of the reduction in liability. (Amended by Stats. 1998, Ch. 539, Sec. 18. Effective January 1, 1999.)

Last verified: January 11, 2026

Key Terms

credit unionundivided earnings and reserve fundreduction of the liabilitycommissionermajority of all members

Related Statutes

  • § 14404 Credit Union Investment Limits
  • § 14409 Credit Union Bond Requirements
  • § 14401 Credit Union Borrowing Limits
  • § 14402 Credit Union Property Rights
  • § 14403 Credit Union Property Holdings

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Financial Code. Section 14407.
View Official Source