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Desert Financial Credit Union

Logo: https://www.desertfinancial.com/-/media/desert-financial/misc/logos/dflogo-199x72.ashx?h=72&la=en&w=199, Non-free logo, via Wikipedia4

Credit union in Arizona

Desert Financial Credit Union is a credit union based in Phoenix, Arizona, that operates over 50 branches and ATMs throughout Coconino, Gila, Maricopa, Pinal, and Yavapai counties and statewide in Arizona. Desert Financial remains federally insured by the NCUA (National Credit Union Administration) and in addition will be regulated by the Arizona Department of Financial Institutions, which regulates state-chartered credit unions in Arizona.2 Wikipedia text CC BY-SA 4.0

Last updated Oct 21, 2026.

Overview

1939Founded1
  • Industryfinancial services1
  • HeadquartersPhoenix1
  • Websitewww.desertschools.org/personal
  • Legal formcredit union3
  • LEI549300HFXTV55C2HHM893
  • StatusActive3
  • LEI statusIssued and current3
  • Registered address148 N 48th St, 85034 Phoenix, United States3
  • Registered withNational Credit Union Administration, 687133

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Desert Financial Credit Union is a credit union based in Phoenix, Arizona, that operates over 50 branches and ATMs throughout Coconino, Gila, Maricopa, Pinal, and Yavapai counties and statewide in Arizona. Desert Financial remains federally insured by the NCUA (National Credit Union Administration) and in addition will be regulated by the Arizona Department of Financial Institutions, which regulates state-chartered credit unions in Arizona. Desert Financial is the largest local credit union in Arizona, managing over $9 billion in assets as of 2026, with over 500,000 members.2

Corporate structure

Desert Financial Credit Union sits at the top of its group. 2 entities, 1 country on record. Switch between the flow chart and the network, and select any entity to see its details.

  • Desert Financial Credit Union Phoenix, Arizona, United States
    • DEFINE MORTGAGE SOLUTIONS, LLC Subsidiary · Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Built from parent and subsidiary links from GLEIF, the Global Legal Entity Identifier Foundation (CC0). Each entity in the chart links to its source.

The story

Desert Financial was originally named Arizona Educational Association (A.E.A.) #1 Federal Credit Union and was chartered in 1939 to serve the financial needs of area teachers. In 1972, the credit union rebranded to Desert Schools Federal Credit Union (following a brief existence as Desert School Employees Federal Credit Union) to better define its niche market. In 1996, they expanded their charter to serve three counties in Arizona and disregarded vocation as a membership qualifier. In 2020, Desert Financial became a statewide charter.

In 2018, the Desert Schools Federal Credit Union was renamed Desert Financial Credit Union, in order to address misconceptions that it still only served members of the education community. The rebranding was promoted during a commercial aired locally during Super Bowl LII, featuring Phoenix native Alice Cooper and playing upon his band's 1972 song "School's Out".

From Wikipedia’s article on Desert Financial Credit Union, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.5

Products and brands

Desert Financial Credit Union offers a variety of financial products, including:

Savings and checking accounts

Savings certificates

IRAs

Read the full text

Home equity loans

Mortgage loans

Business loans

Consumer and business platinum, bonus, and bonus rewards plus Visa credit cards

Vehicle and watercraft loans

Direct deposit

Money market

Internet and mobile banking

Wills and trusts

From Wikipedia’s article on Desert Financial Credit Union, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0.5

Timeline

  1. 1939Founded Founded1

Sources

The numbers on this page point here. Each one links to the record it came from.

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