Back to school season is here! Whether it’s buying a backpack for elementary school, sending a teenager off to college, or starting a first full-time job after graduation, back to school season is full of financial firsts. For many, it also brings a familiar spike in expenses, from school supplies and new clothes to activity fees and technology costs. For educators, it can also mean reaching into their own pockets to stock classrooms with essential supplies. And this year, millions of federal student loan borrowers will soon need to resume payments, adding another layer of financial pressure for recent graduates and their families.
Back to school season may look different from one family to the next, but the need for trusted financial guidance remains the same. Whether helping parents manage seasonal expenses, students build healthy money habits, or graduates navigate student debt, credit unions are designed to meet people where they are.
More Than a Place to Bank
Across the country, 86% of credit unions provide structured financial education or coaching, helping families and young people navigate everything from back to school budgeting, considering different accounts, student loans, credit scores, and first paychecks. Many credit unions also offer youth accounts, starter credit cards, and personalized coaching that help younger individuals build healthy financial habits before costly mistakes have a chance to compound.
As student loan payments remain part of the financial reality for millions of borrowers, that guidance is even more valuable during this back to school season. Credit unions help members understand repayment options, borrow responsibly, and build realistic plans that balance today’s bills with tomorrow’s goals.
Investing in the Next Generation
For credit unions, supporting education begins long before graduation and goes well beyond financial products and back to school season. SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union invests directly in California’s students and educators through grants and scholarships that help expand opportunity both inside and outside the classroom. In 2025, its Education Foundation awarded more than $280,000 through 95 grants, benefiting more than 16,000 students. This year, SchoolsFirst also awarded more than $200,000 in scholarships to 245 students to help cover educational expenses.
Nationwide, Backbone members are finding new ways to make financial education practical, engaging and relevant to the next generation. especially during back to school season.
- Orsa Credit Union is taking that challenge across both digital and real-life learning environments. As the first financial institution on Roblox, Orsa is meeting young people where they already spend time through an interactive experience that teaches budgeting and money management in a hands-on digital world. At the same time, Orsa is connecting that effort to in-person financial literacy through more than 50 student-run credit unions, creating a bridge between virtual engagement and real-world money habits.
- Wright-Patt Credit Union has distributed more than 1,500 financial learning kits to Ohio students while equipping teachers with classroom-ready financial education resources, helping students align with the state’s Financial Literacy Standards.
- And at Vantage West Credit Union, more than 900 free financial coaching sessions last year helped members build budgets, pay down debt, and save for the future, with a $50 incentive to put those lessons into action.
Together, these programs reflect a simple, but significant idea: when people gain the confidence to manage their money early, they’re better prepared for every financial milestone that follows.
A Strong Start Matters
The financial decisions people make early in adulthood often shape the opportunities available to them for years to come. Opening a first account, building credit responsibly, managing student debt, and learning to budget are the foundation for long-term financial wellbeing. And starting early is not just a good habit, it can be financially powerful. And what better time to start than back to school season? For example, at Orsa Credit Union, a student who completes a 52-week savings challenge in fifth grade and saves $1,378 could have more than $56,000 by age 65 at a hypothetical 7% annual return, compared with about $25,000 if that same savings challenge starts the year after college. That is the power of time, habit, and compound growth working together.
For credit unions, financial education isn’t a one-time lesson, but part of a lifelong relationship. The credit union difference means that people can trust their financial institutions to understand their circumstances and walk with them through every step of the way, generation after generation.
Want to Learn More?
Backbone is a national coalition of credit unions committed to helping people build financial confidence at every stage of life—from the first day of school to the first day on the job, and every milestone after. Visit Backbone.us to learn more.
Disclaimer:
This content was provided by Backbone, a national coalition of credit unions committed to helping people build financial confidence at every stage of life.
The information provided in this article is for educational purposes only and is not intended as financial, investment, legal, or tax advice. Individual financial situations vary, and readers should consult a qualified professional regarding their specific circumstances. Any examples, calculations, or projections are for illustrative purposes only and are based on hypothetical assumptions. Actual results will vary and are not guaranteed.
References to credit unions, organizations, programs, products, or services are provided for informational purposes and should not be considered endorsements or recommendations.
