Real Solutions - A National Credit Union Foundation Program

VITA, or Voluntary Tax Assistance Programs, is an IRS program that offers free tax help to those who qualify and help them take advantage of special tax credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit. In a series of three webinars, Real Solutions will demonstrate how credit unions can provide this service to their community and gain meaningful new relationships with members.

Research by the Government Accountability Office and Internal Revenue Service indicates that between 15% and 25% of households who are entitled to the Earned Income Tax Credit do not claim their credit, or between 3.5 million and 7 million households. The average EITC amount received per family in 2002 was $1,766. Using this figure and a 15% unclaimed rate would mean that low-wage workers and their families lost out on more than $6.5 billion, or more than $12 billion if the unclaimed rate is 25%.

Over the next few months, we’ll talk about growth strategies for reaching…(read more)

It’s time to be real about social media. Throwing up a Facebook page, jumping into a blog, or blasting updates via Twitter because you heard you’re supposed to will exhaust you and annoy your members. To do it well (or decide if you should do it at all), you need to understanding, strategy, and the right tools to implement…(read more)

Do you know any REAL Solutions credit unions that have delayed confirming their eligibility for NCUA low-income designation or CFDI certification?

Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner announced the Community Development Capital Initiative (CDCI), and our expectation is that it will make hundreds of millions of dollars available to qualifying credit unions…(read more)

Almost every day I’ve seen a new press release, TV spot or blog post on why consumers should (and are) making the switch to credit unions.

It’s both a huge opportunity and responsibility for credit unions, but one thing it’s not: warm fuzzy altruism. It’s important to understand that implementing new products that help low-wealth members is a growth strategy. To succeed in this area, product and service development has to focus on empathy and service coupled with viability and sustainability...(read more)