A St. Paul Federal Credit Union certificate, like a St. Paul Federal savings account, is federally insured to at least $250,000 by the National Credit Union Administration (NCUA). Unlike a savings account, a St. Paul Federal Credit Union certificate has a specific, fixed rate of return and a fixed period of time until maturity. Penalties are applied if the certificate is redeemed before the date of maturity. Rates of return increase in correlation with the term of the certificate.