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Articles by Tony Waltrich
How Well Do You Know Second Quarter Performance Data?
This is part of the Callahan Financial Performance Series. Presented by the analysts at Callahan & Associates, the series helps leaders interpret data to drive smarter decisions and uncover new approaches to measure performance.
What’s Driving Loan Growth In 2026?
Interest rates rose rapidly in 2022 and 2023, forcing U.S. households to wrestle with elevated costs for housing, vehicles, insurance, and more. Although inflation has cooled, persistent higher prices have outpaced wage growth, leaving many households under continued financial pressure. As a result, the products driving credit union loan growth look different from what they did just a few years ago.
Members Are Borrowing Differently In 2026
Top-Level Takeaways Consumer borrowing is shifting away from purchasing big assets and toward preserving cash flow and flexibility. Credit unions are reporting weaker auto demand, surging home‑equity usage, and record credit card balances as members adapt to a high‑cost, high‑pressure economic environment. Rising costs are reshaping how members borrow. After several years of increased prices for housing, vehicles, insurance, and other household essentials, members are adjusting how they use credit.
Mortgage Lending Is Back, But It Looks Different
Mortgage lending rebounded in the first quarter of 2026, although that momentum remains fragile with rising mortgage rates and inflation already clouding the outlook. According to data from Callahan & Associates, first mortgages were up 46% for credit unions as modest gains in affordability drew borrowers back into the market.
Credit Unions Are Having A Margin Moment
This is part of the Callahan Financial Performance Series. Presented by the analysts at Callahan & Associates, the series helps leaders interpret data to drive smarter decisions and uncover new approaches to measure performance. Callahan clients can access the full version of this article right now on the client portal. Read it today. Credit unions wrapped the first quarter of 2026 from a position of balance sheet strength despite persistent uncertainty in the broader U.S. economy.
New Graduates Face A Cautious Job-Hiring Landscape
The U.S. job market is cooling, and new grads are feeling the chill. According to the LinkedIn Grad’s Guide 2026, hiring for entry-level roles is down roughly 7% year-over-year and remains below pre-pandemic levels. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reports the unemployment rate rose to 5.8% at the end of 2025 for recent college graduates aged 22-27. At the same time, the National Association of Colleges & Employers (NACE) projects employers will hire just 1.6% more new grads compared to 2025.
42% Of U.S. Households Experience Financial Hardship
A family can be working and paying the bills and still be one car repair away from crisis. For millions of U.S. households, financial hardship feels just as precarious as poverty, yet their numbers are undercounted by official measures. Federal poverty level (FPL) guidelines vary by household size but rely on a single national baseline for the continental United States, regardless of wide differences in local cost of living. Only Alaska and Hawaii have separate guidelines.
The Callahan Guide To The 2026 Final Four
Last year’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament marked the first time since 2008 that all four No. 1 number one seeds made it to the Final Four. The feat brought with it concerns that March Madness was losing its magic. This year is a different story. Although the 2026 Final Four features top programs with leading seeds, this tournament has had its fair share of miracle moments — UConn over Duke — and upset wins — High Point, Iowa, Texas.
The Affordability Crisis Hits Credit Union Members
This is part of the Callahan Financial Performance Series. Presented by the analysts at Callahan & Associates, the series helps leaders interpret data to drive smarter decisions and uncover new approaches to measure performance. Callahan clients can access the full version of this article right now on the client portal. Read it today. For millions of American households, paychecks no longer stretch to cover the basics.
How Do K-Shaped Recovery Trends Impact Credit Unions?
This is part of the Callahan Financial Performance Series. Presented by the analysts at Callahan & Associates, the series helps leaders interpret data to drive smarter decisions and uncover new approaches to measure performance. Financial Wellbeing Isn’t Marketing. It’s Strategy. Members don’t remember rates. They remember who helped them feel safer and more confident with money — creating the emotional connection that drives deeper engagement and participation.
Household Financial Health Trends In 2025
During the past five years, U.S. households have weathered one challenge after another — from the COVID-19 pandemic’s disruption of the labor market to stubbornly high inflation. Although some households are moving past these hardships, many are still under financial pressure. Prices for core necessities such as food, energy, and housing are pinching budgets; interest rates on credit cards and mortgages have remained persistently elevated; and insurance premiums continue to rise.
A 2025 World Series Prediction Backed By Credit Union Data
In baseball, stats tell a story — the same goes for performance data when it comes credit unions. That’s why, when October rolls around, Callahan lets the numbers pitch their prediction for MLB supremacy. This year, the 2025 World Series features a classic battle royal between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Toronto Blue Jays. The introduction of a Canadian team presents a new challenge for determining a statistical standout, but the analysts at Callahan & Associates are eager to take a swing.
Credit Union Mergers Are On The Rise
Credit union merger activity is on track to grow in 2025, suggesting that mergers and acquisitions are here to stay. Amid industry consolidation, the average credit union size has jumped 186% in the past 10 years, growing from $188.2 million to $538.2 million as credit unions chase the efficiencies that come with scale. Mergers are growing in scale, too. As of June 30, 2025, the average asset size for a merged credit union was $66.3 million.
Unpacking The Surge In Credit Union Operating Expenses
This is part of the Callahan Financial Performance Series. Presented by the analysts at Callahan & Associates, the Financial Performance Series helps leaders interpret data to drive smarter decisions and uncover new approaches to measure performance. Operating expenses at U.S. credit unions have been on the rise as cooperatives reward staff, invest in technology, and pay for strategic guidance. Unfortunately, this has come at the expense of stronger earnings.
The New Retirement Reality Reveals Startling Facts
Faced with financial fragility and rising costs, many Americans would rather work indefinitely than risk retiring broke. In an April 2025 BlackRock survey of 1,000 registered voters, 31% of respondents had no retirement savings, 30% would have difficulty paying an unexpected $500 bill, and 23% had no readily available savings. What’s more, in the same survey, 41% of respondents said they’d rather work their whole life than risk running out of money in retirement. WORK VS.
Industry Insights
No Comments From employee engagement to community impact and beyond, these are the initiatives credit unions must focus on to stay aligned and prepared for the challenges ahead. Read More » No Comments Members are changing the way they deposit their money, saving more and opting for lower-yielding, more liquid account types. Read More » A partnership with the Institute of Gerontology at Wayne State University has helped the credit union reduce reports of elder fraud by as much as 50%.
Credit Union Asset Quality In 1Q 2025
How Does Your Asset Quality Compare? Book a free 1:1 session to benchmark your credit union against two to three peer groups of your choice. You’ll receive a detailed report with key insights to guide your team’s decision-making. With Callahan, it’s never been easier to leverage industry data to assess credit union performance, uncover new opportunities, and strengthen your strategic initiatives. Book now.
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