Year-End Tax Strategies for Credit Union Executives

As we approach year-end, there are several tax-optimization strategies credit union executives and recent retirees may leverage based on their current financial situation. Credit union leaders often have complex compensation and retirement benefit packages plus a unique tax delta that lend themselves to creative solutions that may help them save more money or manage their […]
How Credit Unions Can Invest in Life Insurance for Executives and Minimize Risk

Credit unions commonly use life insurance-based executive benefits, such as collateral assignment split dollar plans to retain key talent. One of the original intentions has always been to leverage these benefits to incentivize an executive to stay in place in exchange for receiving life insurance coverage and tax-free income throughout retirement. However, what happens when […]
How Curql Brings Fintech Solutions to Credit Unions

A challenge for credit unions today is to keep pace with banks, which have seemingly unlimited budgets to fuel innovative efforts, to deliver comparable value, capture more market share, and provide enhanced member experiences. However, the investment fund Curql presents an opportunity for credit unions to not just survive but thrive by embracing collaborative efforts […]
How Credit Unions Can Create First-App Status Using Data, Generative AI

In recent years, credit unions have made significant strides in enhancing their digital banking platforms and addressing challenges posed by the pandemic, such as high deposit rates. However, today credit unions are facing a new focal point—data—which the 2023 Strategy Priorities Benchmark Survey conducted by Jack Henry & Associates® explores. In the report, respondents, including […]
How Credit Unions Can Use Data to Maximize Mission and Margin

From Amazon to Apple, the largest, most successful companies are using data to gain more significant consumer insights, produce better products and services, and capture more business. Financial institutions are no exception, with large banks currently having a competitive advantage over market and member data. However, podcast guest Sam Brownell, CUCollaborate CEO and founder, wants […]
The Unique Opportunity SECURE Act 2.0 Offers Credit Union Executives

Last year, we released our white paper, The 125% Credit Union Executive, with ground-breaking data describing how credit union leaders could unlock up to 25% more in assets from their executive benefits by applying optimized executive financial strategies. In late 2022, the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement (SECURE) Act 2.0 was passed, including […]
How Bold Leadership Can Accelerate the Credit Union Movement

As credit unions continue to celebrate Leadership Month, Doug welcomes three credit union advocates in the fintech space to “C.U. on the Show” who believe leaders should get comfortable taking risks, innovating, and making bold strategic decisions if the credit union movement is to stay competitive—and survive. The conversation invites listeners to embrace bold leadership […]
Lessons in Leadership with NAFCU CEO Dan Berger

Credit unions are celebrating Leadership Month, so Doug was thrilled to welcome National Association of Federally-Insured Credit Unions (NAFCU) CEO Dan Berger, a significant leader in the credit union movement, to the show. NAFCU provides advocacy, education, and compliance support within the credit union industry. Berger is also an author, economist, and top lobbyist in […]
LifeNotes Strategy Use Cases: How Credit Unions Can Add Flexibility to Life Insurance-Based Executive Benefits

In a previous “C.U. on the Show” episode, Jay Rogers, senior executive consultant and director of business development at Stearns Financial, shared the firm’s groundbreaking LifeNotes Strategy. For over 40 years, Stearns Financial has worked with credit unions in succession and yield planning, retention, and balance sheet optimization. Its proprietary method involves credit unions and […]