Capital Credits Explained: How TruLeap Membership Perks Put Money Back in Your Pocket

When you sign up for TruLeap services, you become more than a customer. You become a member-owner of a cooperative that gives back. This means actual dollars can find their way back to you through capital credits.

What Is a Cooperative and Why Does It Matter?

Unlike regular companies that focus on profits for shareholders, TruLeap operates as a cooperative. This business model puts you, the member, first. For just $1, you become a member-owner when you sign up for services.

What makes cooperatives different:

• You own a piece of the company – Your $1 membership fee makes you a part-owner
• Your voice counts – Members vote for the Board of Directors
• Money comes back to you – Excess revenue returns to members as capital credits
• Local focus – Decisions benefit the community, not distant investors

This cooperative structure creates a cycle where the money you spend on services can eventually come back to you.

How Capital Credits Work

Capital credits are your share of TruLeap’s financial success. When the company does well, so do you.

The process works like this:

• Join the cooperative – Pay the $1 membership fee when signing up
• Use TruLeap services – Your spending on Phone and Internet services builds potential credits
• Annual financial review – The Board of Directors reviews finances each year
• Credit allocation – If revenues exceed expenses, the excess gets allocated to members as capital credits
• Patience pays off – Credits remain in your name until the co-op’s finances allow for refund checks
• Check arrives – When finances permit, you receive a check for your portion of allocated credits

For example only: If you spend $100 monthly on qualifying TruLeap services, and the Board allocates 5% of revenue as capital credits one year, you might earn about $60 in credits for that year ($100 × 12 months × 5% = $60). This amount would stay in your account until the Board approves distributing those funds, which could happen years later.

Keeping Your Credits on Track

To make sure you receive your capital credit refunds, keep these important details in mind:

What qualifies for capital credits:

• Phone service – All telephone service charges qualify
• Internet service – All internet service charges qualify
• Equipment and other services do not qualify – Only core Phone and Internet services count

Tips for receiving your refunds:

• Update your address – Capital credit refunds can continue for years, so always keep your mailing address current with TruLeap
• Keep records – Save information about your membership for future reference
• Stay connected – Even former members can receive capital credit refunds for past service

Since refunds can arrive years after the credits were earned, many former members receive unexpected checks long after moving away from the service area.

Beyond the Check: Other Member Perks

Your TruLeap membership offers more than just capital credits. As a member of this cooperative, you gain access to several community benefits.

Annual meeting benefits:

• Free meal – Enjoy food while connecting with other members
• Vote in elections – Help choose who sits on the Board of Directors
• Door prizes – Get a chance to win various prizes
• Community updates – Learn about future plans directly from leadership

TruLeap also supports the community through:

• Student scholarships – Graduating high school students in the service area can apply for financial help for college
• CoBank Sharing Success program – Since 2014, TruLeap has donated $121,939 to local projects including:
  • Boys & Girls Club shade structure
  • Filer School District library space
  • Equipment for Filer Police and Fire
  • Paint for Buhl Family Network

The cooperative’s community involvement extends throughout the year with participation in:

• Walk for Wishes
• Relay for Life
• Operation Secret Santa (feeding 60 families and 172 kids in 2022)
• Year-round support for local food banks

These TruLeap Membership Perks demonstrate how the cooperative model benefits both individual members and the broader community.

Common Questions

When are capital credits refunded?

The Board of Directors decides when to issue refund checks based on the cooperative’s financial position. There’s no fixed schedule—refunds happen when finances allow.

What happens if you move?

If you move, you should update your mailing address with TruLeap. Capital credits remain in your name, and refund checks can arrive years after you’ve moved from the service area.

Do capital credits expire?

No, capital credits do not expire. They remain in your name until refunded. This is why keeping your contact information current is so important.

Are capital credits taxable?

The tax status of capital credits can vary based on your situation. You should consult with a tax professional regarding how to handle capital credits on your tax returns.

What if I inherited an account?

If you inherited an account from a family member, contact TruLeap to update the account information so any future capital credit checks will be properly directed.

How to Become a Member Today

Joining TruLeap as a member-owner is simple:

1. Sign up for Phone or Internet service
2. Pay the one-time $1 membership fee
3. Start earning capital credits on qualifying services

Your membership automatically puts you in line to receive capital credits when they’re allocated and eventually refunded. Plus, you gain all the other benefits of being part of a community-focused cooperative.

For detailed information about all the advantages of membership, visit the TruLeap Membership Perks page.

Your Membership Matters

As a TruLeap member, you’re not just a customer—you’re an owner. Your capital credits represent your stake in a company that puts community first. The cooperative model means that when TruLeap succeeds, that success gets shared with you and your neighbors.

The money you spend on Phone and Internet services doesn’t just disappear into corporate profits—it can come back to you while also supporting local projects that make our community stronger.

To learn more about becoming a member or to check service availability in your area, call TruLeap at 208-326-4331.