Credit Unions Respond with Relief and Support During Shutdown

The federal government shutdown is affecting federal employees and contractors, who may face furloughs or delayed pay until funding is restored. Credit unions across Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Virginia are stepping in with member-assistance programs to provide short-term relief and financial stability.

Assistance may include:

Emergency loan options
Reduced-rate credit cards
Payment deferrals and loan forbearance
Waived fees and penalties
Financial guidance and counseling

Members should contact their credit union directly for program details and eligibility. This list is not exhaustive and will be updated weekly on Tuesdays as new programs are announced. Programs and terms are set by each credit union and may change.

Alabama

Redstone Federal Credit Union

Government Shutdown Assistance Loan for impacted members.
Borrow up to $5,000 with no payments for the first 90 days.
Low interest rate; available online or in-branch.
Additional payment relief options offered.

All In Credit Union

Skip-a-Pay: Eligible members may temporarily pause a loan payment to ease financial pressure.
Payment Assistance: Short-term relief options are available for members whose income has been impacted.
Overdraft Protection and Lines of Credit: Flexible solutions designed to help bridge gaps caused by delayed paychecks.
Financial Counseling: Free, confidential guidance available to assist with budgeting and financial management during challenging times.

Florida

VyStar Credit Union

Offers Federal Government Shutdown Consumer Loan and hardship tools (deferments, Skip-a-Pay, due-date change, mortgage help).
Loan modifications, hardship deferments, and mortgage assistance available.
Loan up to $15,000; no payments for the first 90 days.
Skip-a-Pay fee applies; limits and eligibility rules apply.
Must be impacted; product-specific rules apply; interest accrues during deferrals.

Community First Credit Union

Government Shutdown Assistance Loan for government employees impacted by the shutdown.
0% APR and no payment for the first 90 days.
Borrow up to $5,000 on a 12-month term.

Members First Credit Union of Florida

Offers “Paycheck Protection” loan and Skip-a-Payment program; some fees waived.
Counseling available for impacted members.
Loan up to $5,000, up to 36 months at 5.99% APR (OAC); Skip-a-Pay request due by payment date.

USF Federal Credit Union

Skip-a-Pay (no fee) for impacted members plus Emergency Relief Loan.
Loan amounts range from $300–$2,500 with 4.99% APR for up to 12 months.
Early payoff allowed; funds typically disbursed within one business day.
Skip-a-Pay requires proof of government employment.

Keys Federal Credit Union

Government Shutdown Assistance Loan: Borrow up to one month’s net pay or $5,000 (whichever is lower) at 0.00% APR for 90 days. If the loan is not paid in full within 90 days, the rate will increase to the qualifying loan interest rate. The loan will be amortized on a repayment period of up to 36 months.
Loan Payment Deferment: Skip a payment on an existing loan for no additional fee.
Share Certificate Withdrawal: Withdraw funds from an existing share certificate without penalty.
No Payment for 90 Days: Your first payment will not be due for 90 days from your loan closing.
Free Balance Transfers: Lower your monthly payments by transferring your high-rate credit card balances to a Keys Federal Credit Union Visa Credit Card without a fee.
Free Cash Advances: Withdraw cash from your credit card at any Keys Federal Credit Union teller line at no additional fee.

City-County Employees Credit Union

“Shutdown Assistance” Loan and Skip-a-Pay program; no processing fees.
Loan up to $6,000, based on most recent direct deposit; 0% interest for 60 days.
Repayment plan required if balance not paid within 60 days.

Pen Air Credit Union

Furlough Relief Loan: 0% APR, up to four months, loan amounts up to $5,000. No prepayment penalty. First payment can begin up to 45 days after funding.
Flexible Payment Relief: One-month skip-a-payment or hardship option on qualifying loans (does not count toward normal annual deferments).
Financial Counseling: Free, confidential sessions with certified counselors to build a plan during the interruption and beyond.

Georgia

Kinetic Credit Union

Support Options for Members with Direct Deposit:

Furlough Loan: Up to two weeks of net pay.
0% APR for the first 60 days.
After 60 days, the rate will adjust to the current shared secured loan rate (currently 4.1% APR).
Flexible repayment terms up to 12 months.

Additional Support for All Affected Members:

Apply for a personal loan.
Penalty-free withdrawals on certificates.
Request loan payment extensions.

Robins Financial Credit Union

Paycheck Replacement Program: 0% interest loan equal to the last direct deposit amount for members with direct deposit to a Robins Financial Credit Union checking account.
Furlough Loan: Low-interest loan at 4.99% APR for six months for members without direct deposit to Robins Financial Credit Union.
Furlough Skip-a-Pay: One-month skip-a-payment available on qualifying loans for members impacted by a furlough.

Peach State Federal Credit Union

Government Shutdown Loan: Eligibility includes active-duty military or Department of Defense/government employees not receiving pay due to the shutdown and currently enrolled in direct deposit at Peach State Federal Credit Union.
Loans available up to 100% of the amount of the prior direct deposit received at Peach State Federal Credit Union, up to a maximum of $6,000, with 0% APR.
Skip-a-Payment: Members not receiving pay due to the shutdown may apply with no fee.

Virginia

Navy Federal Credit Union

0% APR Government Shutdown Assistance Loan available for eligible members.
Eligibility requires pay impacted by the shutdown and direct deposit with Navy Federal Credit Union.
Applies to federal employees, active-duty servicemembers, and federal government contractors paid directly by the government.
Loan amounts up to $6,000 with no fees, no credit check, and automatic repayment once pay resumes.
Enrollment required by the day before the scheduled pay date; registration accepted up to three days after.
Loans are disbursed only if government pay is interrupted.

Homebase Credit Union

Encourages impacted members to contact the credit union directly for relief options.
Assistance offered on a case-by-case basis.

Justice Federal Credit Union

Up to one month of net pay for eligible members in good standing. Minimum loan amount $500; 5.99% APR over 12 months.
First payment may be deferred up to 60 days; interest accrues during deferral.
Consumer loan or credit card payments may be deferred up to 30 days, with additional deferments available depending on the length of the shutdown.
Free, confidential counseling provided through GreenPath Financial Wellness.
Support available to new and existing members impacted by the federal government shutdown.

Northwest Federal Credit Union

Offering a Relief Line of Credit available for up to $10,000 at introductory 0.00% APR for 90 days.
After 90 days, it will convert to 8.99% APR for the remainder of the 24-month term.

Arlington Community Federal Credit Union (ACFCU)

Offering a one-month extension on all loan types for members with existing loans who need assistance.
Granting personal loans to compensate for missing payroll income for members requesting new loan funds for living expenses.
Loan Details:
Interest rate of 4.99%.
Maximum loan amount is one month’s payroll that is deposited to ACFCU.
First payment can be deferred up to 60 days.
No prepayment penalty.
Open ACFCU installment loans must be paid current.
12 months: Loan amounts up to $2,500.
24 months: Loan amounts from $2,501 to $5,000.

Peoples Advantage Federal Credit Union

Payment relief for existing loans.
0% interest short-term loans (for those who qualify) to bridge income gaps until pay resumes.

Apple Federal Credit Union

Government Shutdown Loan: For federal government employees with direct deposit to Apple Federal Credit Union and currently not being paid during the shutdown. Loan amounts up to $5,000 at 0% APR.
Skip-a-Loan Payment: Eligible members may skip their auto or personal loan payment. Visit AppleFCU.org to log in, view the eligible loan, and click on Skip-a-Pay.
Penalty-Free Certificate Withdrawal: All fees will be waived for early closure of a certificate.
Free Financial Counseling: Access confidential guidance through BALANCE Financial Counseling online or toll-free at 888-456-2227.
Personal Loans, Lines of Credit, and Credit Cards: Various loan types available to help ease financial hardship.

Topside Federal Credit Union

Short-Term Loans: For members with existing U.S. Government direct deposit payroll to a Topside Federal Credit Union account. Automatic approval available for a 12-month loan equal to the amount of the last payroll direct deposit or $5,000, whichever is less.
No interest will be charged if the loan is paid in full within 30 days of the President’s signature ending the shutdown. Credit inquiries are not required for this loan.
Hardship Extension for Existing Loans:
- One-month extension available for existing loans, lines of credit, and credit cards.
- Three-month extension with interest-only payments available for qualifying accounts.

Blue Eagle Credit Union

Offering members with loans a temporary reduction in their payments to either the interest due or 25% of the normal payment amount (whichever is greater) for a 90-day period. Verification of hardship from the shutdown is not required.
Offering members with external loans the opportunity to refinance them to the credit union with no payment for 90 days. Verification of hardship from the shutdown is not required.

BayPort Credit Union

Government Shutdown Assistance Loan: Eligibility requires pay impacted by the federal shutdown and active direct deposit with the credit union (requirements may vary).
Who’s Covered: Federal employees, active-duty servicemembers, and federal government contractors paid directly by the U.S. government.
Loan Features: Amounts typically up to $5,000–$6,000 with 0%–low fixed APR, no application fees, streamlined underwriting, and repayment beginning once pay resumes (program terms vary).
Enrollment Timing: Generally required by the business day before the scheduled pay date; many programs allow a brief grace period afterward.
Disbursement: Funds are released only if government pay is interrupted.
Additional Relief: Skip-a-Pay on eligible loans, fee waivers, payment deferrals, and free financial counseling (as available).

1st Advantage Federal Credit Union

Skip-a-Payment relief on existing loans.
Debt Resolution team assistance available to help identify solutions.
Penalty-free certificate withdrawals and borrowing options available.

Langley Federal Credit Union

Skip-a-Payment on existing loans.
Collections team solutions for hardship cases.
Penalty-free certificate withdrawals and borrowing.
Short-term loan for government employees to help offset furlough impacts.
12-month loan option available for furloughed government employees.

For guidance on how credit unions can amplify their relief efforts and advocate locally, read How Credit Unions Can Advocate During a Government Shutdown.

If you have questions, or if you would like to share how your credit union is assisting members during the shutdown, please contact Ibby Dickson at Ibby.Dickson@the-league.coop.