Desert Financial Credit Union, Incent Partner to Engage Next-Generation of Members

Marcell King

Incent, a leading provider of family and youth digital banking solutions for banks and credit unions, announced today Arizona-based Desert Financial Credit Union (480,000 members, >$9 billion in assets under management) selected its youth engagement platform. The credit union launched Kickstart, powered by Incent, to provide kids and teens with a free program and checking account that teaches younger members how to budget, save and spend money safely with adult supervision. 
 
Since launching in Fall 2024, Kickstart has sustained upward growth and received an overwhelmingly positive member response, particularly among teens. Using the program, any parent or guardian can open a free savings account for a minor, and for those with kids between the ages of 6 – 17, they can also open a free checking account, receive a debit card and access a youth-centric digital banking app that encourages kids and teens to build strong financial habits. 
 
Kickstart is designed to keep parents and guardians actively engaged with the following capabilities: pay kids for completing parent-assigned tasks like doing chores or getting good grades, help kids establish savings goals, provide “loans” with a customizable interest rate and payment plan, send money for allowances, set spending limits and more. Additionally, kids and teens are encouraged and rewarded with digital trophies when they demonstrate financially responsible behaviors including balancing a budget, establishing and achieving a savings goal or watching an educational video to increase their financial literacy.  
 
Michelle Murray, AVP product management at Desert Financial, said, “We were looking for a youth banking platform that would not only attract younger members, but more importantly, would also engage and build long-term loyalty to the credit union. Incent was the only provider that shared our vision and together we built a modern youth banking solution that is interactive and advanced, yet simple and intuitive to navigate. At Desert Financial, we were proactive in our search for a partner that could help us better engage with our younger members and Incent had a much stronger offering than the alternatives.” 
 
Incent’s youth engagement platform easily integrates with an institution’s existing digital banking technology infrastructure, providing a secure, real-world digital banking experience for children and teens. The white-labeled solution enables FIs to build brand awareness, maintain ownership of the account holder relationship and seamlessly transition the child to an “adult” account when they turn 18. The platform also ensures deposits and interchange revenue remain within the client institution rather than being diverted to third-party fintech sponsor banks. 
 
Murray continued, "With Kickstart, children can learn how to manage money firsthand using their own checking account, debit card, and/or Online Banking login. The ability to transact and manage money is an important element of financial literacy, and Kickstart empowers young members to build these skills early. We’ve already seen a 32 percent increase in total youth accounts opened, and the volume of debit card transactions per account is more than expected – averaging 8.5 transactions and $150 spent each month.  
 
“Parents and children are actively engaging with their accounts as well, with an average of 14 transfers into each youth account monthly via chore and allowance features, simulating the experience of earning an income. Together with the Incent platform, Kickstart firmly supports the financial well-being of our members and promotes long-term growth and loyalty," she said. 
 
Marcell King, president and COO of Incent, said, “Beyond delivering solutions that involve the families and drive financial wellness, Incent’s priority is to empower credit unions like Desert Financial to strengthen relationships with the next generation of account holders. They understand the importance of nurturing these younger consumers which ultimately leads to their sustainability for the foreseeable future. We look forward to growing with them on their journey.”   

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