Mortgage applications surge amid record-low rates

Mortgage loan applications surged 23% last week, according to the Mortgage Bankers Association, as record-low interest rates convinced many homeowners it was time to refinance into lower-cost loans. **** Mortgage applications surge amid record-low rates:

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A Perfect Example - What Makes Credit Unions Different from Banks!

When the government shutdown hit in October and paychecks stopped, thousands of federal employees were left wondering how to make ends meet. Credit unions across the country stepped up—but Keesler Federal Credit Union went above and beyond. No loans, no hassle—just your paycheck Instead of making members apply for emergency loans, Keesler Federal launched its Paycheck Relief Program. Revolutionary in its simplicity, it worked like this: if you were a federal employee with direct deposit at Keesler Federal, your paycheck kept coming—interest-free, fee-free, and stress-free. Each qualified member could receive up to $6,000 per pay period for as long as 90 days. No hoops, no headaches. From October 1 until the shutdown ended, Keesler Federal advanced more than 5,000 paychecks totaling $6.5 million to 1,710 members. For non-members, they even offered zero-interest loans up to $6,500 with a year to pay it back. This proactive approach meant that before the first missed paycheck, Keesler Fed...

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Sunday Reading - What's the point of a consumer electronics show?

What's the point of a consumer electronics show? Consumer electronics shows are large convention-type events where companies debut new technologies and products. The largest and most notable shows are CES in Las Vegas, a trade show every January, and IFA Berlin, which takes place annually in September. The events have historically introduced novel, cutting-edge products that later became household standards, like HDTVs, VCRs, DVDs, and gaming consoles ( see list ). Over time, these shows evolved from product showcases ( see last year's coolest gadgets ) into complex industry ecosystems, serving as a meeting ground for startups, multinational technology companies, investors, and the media. Hardware launches, keynote speeches, and...

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Eight Credit Unions Pay $42 Million in Special Dividends to 1.1 Million Members

By Jim DuPlessis | January 05, 2026 at 04:00 PM So far this season, CU Times has tallied 19 credit unions, which have announced $160.3 million in special dividends for members. Eight more credit unions have reported special dividends, paying their 1.1 million members $42.1 million in December and January. The bulk of the dividends came from Police and Fire Federal Credit Union of Philadelphia and Eastman Credit Union of Kingsport, Tenn., which each announced $16 million in rewards approved by their boards. The late January payout from Eastman ($9.7 billion, 356,492 members) will bring its total special dividends to $225 million since 1998. A news release from the credit union said “the Extraordinary Dividend is never guaranteed, but the strong financial performance of ECU in 2025 enabled the Board of Directors to approve this year’s $16 million payout.” Eastman’s $16 million payout represents about $47 per member and 19 basis points of its averag...

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New Year’s Resolution: Getting Your Estate in Order

Helping families and their businesses plan for the future Your Most Important New Year’s Resolution: Getting Your Estate in Order Happy New Year to all. Every January, millions of Americans resolve to lose weight, exercise more, or learn a new skill. These are admirable goals. But there’s one resolution that matters more than all of them combined—one that most people avoid because it forces them to confront their own mortality. Get your estate in order. Not next year. Not when you retire. Now. The Problem With Tomorrow Here’s what I see constantly...

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Syracuse Fire Department Credit Union

Congrats, Tonia, on your promotion! ================================================= Remember, you're not alone with NCOFCU.org Join/Upgrade Check out some of NCOFCU's additional features: First Responder Credit Union Academy Financial Literacy Podcasts YouTube Mini's Blog Job Board

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Sunday Reaing - Can the seasons really make you depressed?

Can the seasons really make you depressed? Seasonal affective disorder is a form of depression that repeats during predictable seasonal shifts, impacting an estimated 5% of the global population—predominantly women. Symptoms of the condition occur with significant cyclical changes in daylight hours, with prevalence increasing in regions north of 40 degrees latitude (less commonly in the Southern Hemisphere). Its etiology—or root cause—remains unclear to researchers. Though “winter blues” are commonly reported, SAD is a distinct, diagnosed subtype of major depressive disorder first formally described in 1984 ( see criteria ). Key symptoms—lasting roughly four months each year—resemble common depression: fatigue, increased sleep, carbohydrate cravi...

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What Could Tokenized Deposits Mean for CUs?

WASHINGTON—Noting that the FDIC has expressed support for tokenized deposits as insured bank liabilities, not experimental digital assets, a new analysis offers some insights into what that could mean for financial institutions, credit unions and the market in 2026 and beyond. As PYMNTS Intelligence pointed out in its report, regulatory clarity reduces risk for banks moving from pilots to live deployments, and large banks and infrastructure providers are already testing real-world tokenized deposit use cases. “At its simplest, tokenization converts an existing claim into a digital representation on a distributed ledger,” the report explained. “The underlying asset does not change, but the infrastructure that tracks ownership and settlement does. In banking, that distinction is critical. Tokenized deposits do not create new money. They represent traditional bank deposits, issued and redeemed by regulated institutions but designed to operate on modern, programma...

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Are Credit Unions Serving First Responders Ready for the Coronavirus?

As the coronavirus outbreak continues to grow are credit unions serving first responders ready? Credit unions serving first responders will be a primary point of contact as first responders come off duty and into the credit union. ARLINGTON, Va.—How effective are credit union plans for addressing pandemics and business continuity? It’s a question credit unions need to be asking right now as the coronavirus outbreak continues to grow. Death tolls this week topped 1,100, with a record 100 officially reported as getting sick in a day. The coronavirus has already surpassed SARS (severe acute respiratory syndrome) in number of affected and killed. Experts told CUToday.info the growth of the coronavirus that CUs should be reviewing their pandemic and business continuity plans, which likely have not been visited since the SARS outbreak in 2002. “I think it's too early to tell what kind of impact the coronavirus may have here in the U.S.,” said NAFCU Vice ...

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Fed Raises Rates to Highest Point Since 2001; Here's What CU Economists Are Saying

WASHINGTON—Emphasizing it remains “highly attentive to inflation risks,” the Federal Resoerve has moved to hike interest rates by 25 basis points, setting the target range for federal funds at 5.25 to 5.5%--their highest level since 2001. The Federal Open Market Committee made the announcement Wednesday at the close of its July two-day meeting here, and suggested it may not yet be done with rate increases. “Recent indicators suggest that economic activity has been expanding at a moderate pace. Job gains have been robust in recent months, and the unemployment rate has remained low. Inflation remains elevated,” the Fed stated in a release. Tighter Conditions “Tighter credit conditions for households and businesses are likely to weigh on economic...

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Strategies for Rebuilding Consumer Loans Post-Covid

Here are strategies recommended by Kremer and D’Acierno for making the comeback: 1. Meet credit-ready consumers where they are looking for credit. Traditional outbound marketing, even in digital forms, depends on grabbing the right eyeballs at a time when the consumer is actually seeking credit. That’s a tough challenge, according to Kremer. He suggests that financial comparison sites, such as Bankrate.com, The Ascent and NerdWallet, present a better opportunity for exposure. Today’s consumers, should they not have an offer of financing directly with their prospective purchase, are not going to wait to stumble across a web banner promoting loans, suggests Kremer. Proactively, they go hunting the best credit deals, he says, and the comparison sites are the first stop. 2. Seek opportunities where people are seeking new credit. Even as the “new normal” continues to unfold, a key opportunity for lenders is the home improvement market, which began during the pandemic, a...

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