Would your members pay to make deposits to their credit union share accounts? That's a question that soon may be up for debate depending on what happens at the next Federal Reserve Board meeting.

The continued sluggish economic recovery is causing the Fed to consider policy changes designed to better stimulate the economy. The Fed's Open Market Committee discussed several scenarios at its Oct. 29-30 meeting, including cutting the 0%-0.25% rate the Fed currently pays banks and credit unions on the $2.5 trillion in financial institution reserves being held at the Fed.

Several banks already have indicated that if the rate is cut, they may start charging depositors to cover the cost of deposit insurance federal regulators charge them. Some credit union economists argue that a “negative interest” scenario likely will not happen and, even if it does, the impact on many institutions will be limited to nonexistent.