Navy Federal Announces Significant New Investments in Its Members and Communities Nationwide
- Emphasizing role as a member-owned credit union, Navy Federal unveils expanded Member Giveback Program
- Additional $450 million will be directed to members as the program is implemented in the first quarter of 2025
- Office of Financial Opportunity announces increased support to external partners to better serve all communities
VIENNA, VA (October 24, 2024) – Navy Federal Credit Union today announced a comprehensive series of investments committing roughly $450 million in annual givebacks to the credit union’s 14 million members. Reaffirming its commitment to Veterans, Active Duty servicemembers, their families and underserved Americans, Navy Federal’s new program will add to the more than $4 billion already given back to members annually in the form of dividends, enhanced services and reduced fees.
Nearly half a billion dollars in total will be directed to Navy Federal members through various reforms, including the elimination of non-sufficient fund fees for checks/Automated Clearing Housing transactions in personal deposit accounts starting in early 2025.
“As a not-for-profit credit union founded to serve the military community, we believe our responsibility extends beyond being a trusted financial partner,” said Navy Federal President and CEO Dietrich Kuhlmann. “This expansion of our ongoing member giveback initiative will help foster greater financial empowerment and stability for our members and their families around the globe.
“Funds returned to members in the form of higher dividends, reduced interest rates and world-class service allow our members to potentially earn and save an average of $461 per year by banking with Navy Federal,” Kuhlmann continued. “While these statistics help separate us from the market, we continue to look for new ways to support our members, particularly with so many households being forced to tighten their budgets in the current economic climate.”
With benefits ranging from an average credit card APR roughly 6.8% below national averages to savings rates nearly twice the industry standard, financial incentives represent a key component of Navy Federal’s current giveback to its members.
Since becoming its CEO in March, Kuhlmann has continued to seek out opportunities to serve the United States military community more broadly, emphasizing financial education as a key, ongoing priority for the credit union.
Most recently, Navy Federal announced the launch of a new, three-year partnership with the USO that will focus on enhancing financial education for America’s men and women in uniform, specifically for early-career servicemembers and their spouses. The $9 million investment will be used to implement existing USO programming and establish new, signature initiatives intended to address the unique needs of our nation’s military community.
Beyond this, Navy Federal offers various financial education tools to its members at no cost. The credit union’s online education center, MakingCents, includes resources ranging from investment and retirement planning tools to free budgeting calculators, while its Mortgage Learning Center provides no-cost support to members navigating the home-buying process. Field advisors located within the credit union’s more than 360 branches also regularly host financial workshops and seminars across the nation. Broader institutional support includes free personal financial counseling services and credit monitoring through Navy Federal’s “Mission: Credit Confidence® Dashboard,” which is available to all members.
Alongside efforts aimed at improving the financial well-being of America’s servicemembers and their families, Navy Federal is also announcing developments within its Office of Financial Opportunity (OFO). Officially launched in January, the group’s focus is centered around the core areas of product and service innovation, investments and strategic partnerships, and minority depository institution support, with the underlying goal of expanding economic opportunity and access to credit for diverse and underserved U.S. populations within Navy Federal’s field of membership.
“The Office of Financial Opportunity will position Navy Federal to support and lead in the development of solutions to key national issues, ranging from the racial homeownership gap to systemic barriers to credit access,” Kuhlmann said. “As the world’s largest credit union, we have a foundational role to play in addressing these far-reaching problems, which have persisted in our country for too long. The OFO’s work will ensure Navy Federal’s influence remains a catalyst for good in our economy and in our society as a whole.”
Specifically, Navy Federal is partnering with the African American Credit Union Coalition to increase opportunities for historically underserved communities in the financial services space, including those in low- and moderate-income areas. The credit union also recently joined partners across the financial and housing industry as a founding member of the CONVERGENCE Collaborative, a collection of key stakeholders working to address systemic barriers to homeownership among Black, Hispanic and other minority groups in America.
Collectively, these and other efforts illustrate Navy Federal’s ongoing commitment to member service as it continues to refine its products, services and business practices. This pledge, too, extends beyond Navy Federal’s member base. In 2023 alone, Navy Federal supported over 250 nationwide nonprofit organizations as part of its efforts to champion community, fostering relationships with various organizations that align with the credit union’s values and institutional priorities.
Navy Federal Credit Union: Established in 1933 with only 7 members, Navy Federal now has the distinct honor of serving more than 14 million members globally and is the world’s largest credit union. As a member-owned and not-for-profit organization, Navy Federal always puts the financial needs of its members first. Membership is open to all Department of Defense and Coast Guard Active Duty, Veterans, civilian and contractor personnel, and their families. Navy Federal employs a workforce of 24,000 and has a global network of 360 branches. For more information about Navy Federal Credit Union, visit navyfederal.org. Federally insured by NCUA. Equal Opportunity Employer. Equal Housing Lender.