Help has arrived.  The Helping Expand Lending Practices in Rural Communities (HELP Act), which broadened the category of rural small creditors that may be eligible for certain provisions under the Truth in Lending Act takes effect next week. So what does this mean for credit unions?

Wouldn't all of our jobs be easier if we could look into a crystal ball?  Year-end predictions are usually pretty interesting to read.  Predictions for the where the credit union landscape will be in the year 2040 highlights some very noteworthy challenges and bright spots. Let's look at the future according to the current and emerging trends making up the predictions that Credit Union Times is reporting on for the year 2040:

Taco Tuesday has been a "thing" since the late 1980's, and it certainly has maintained its stronghold in the restaurant business, even seeing a dramatic increase in popularity after the 2014 Legos movie. A new generation of taco fans are asking moms and dads to make it a staple for Tuesday night dinners nationwide. But perhaps what has propelled Taco Tuesday into a phenomenon for generations to come is the same technology that has changed the face of banking: The mobile phone.

When it comes to loan originations, credit unions are leading the pack. According to an analysis of NCUA and FDIC data conducted by the Washington-based consulting firm Callahan & Associates, credit unions originated almost twice as many loans as banks did in the second quarter of 2015. Do you know what that means for you?

Lending is the lifeblood of your credit union. It should be seamless and efficient from application to disbursement, all the way through loan modification and payoff. It’s no secret that consumers have moved to a more mobile way of life. Banking has seen its fair share of migration to mobile in recent years. But online lending and peer-to-peer (P2P) is a trend that has been gaining serious momentum in the world of mobile banking.

Putting the "Mobile" in Auto Loans

When it comes to auto loans, credit unions are "car-jacking" the industry, being the pace-setter in percentage growth among lenders.  With impressive acceleration in the number of auto loans originating from credit unions last year, 2015 is the year for you to put the pedal to the metal and increase your market share:

How Mobile Lending should change your social media marketing strategy

Most marketers will advise you that the proper use of social media isn't to solely promote your products and services.  A picture of your product will not "go viral" (unless perhaps there is something glaringly wrong with the photo).  I recently read an eBook from September of this year called "Why Your Social Media isn't Working" and found this great piece of advice:

Millennial.  Millennial.  Millennial.

There.  I used it.  And I am not alone.  Has anyone noticed that in the past few weeks every credit union subscription news feed you get has featured article after article about millennials? Who they are. When they will save. Where they will bank. What they will eat for lunch today. Why they are continually throwing the credit union industry curve balls.   And so on, and so on.