Financial Education
Learn money at your own pace
Free courses and guides on budgeting, credit, buying a home, and retirement. Open to members and to anyone in the community, with nothing to buy at the end.
Four tracks, thirty-eight modules
Each track is a short series of self-paced modules. Start anywhere, stop anywhere, and pick the thread back up when life allows.
Budgeting and saving
Nine modules on building a spending plan you will actually keep, sizing an emergency fund, and automating savings so it happens without a decision.
Credit and borrowing
Eight modules covering how a score is calculated, what actually moves it, how to read a credit report, and what lenders look at beyond the number.
Buying a home
Eleven modules from first savings goal to closing table, including down payment programs, escrow, points, and what a 30-year fixed at 6.375% APR really costs.
Retirement and later life
Ten modules on IRAs, employer plans, Social Security timing, and the paperwork that spares your family a difficult month.
Teens and young adults
A six-module starter track written for a first job and a first account, with a version teachers can run in a classroom period.
Printable guides
Twenty-two one-page worksheets and checklists you can print, fill in by hand, and bring to an appointment at a branch.
How it works
No cost, no catch, no sales pitch
Summit is member-owned and not-for-profit. Financial education is part of how a credit union is supposed to earn its charter, so the library is free to everyone and no module ends with a product application.
Getting started takes about a minute
You can read every guide without an account. Signing in only adds progress tracking.
Pick the question in front of you
Most people arrive with something specific: a car loan next month, a lease ending, a first paycheck. Choose the track that answers that, not the one that sounds most thorough.
Work through the modules
Each module ends with a short worksheet using your own numbers. Nothing you enter is stored on our servers or tied to your account.
Bring it to a person
When you want a second opinion, book a free thirty-minute session with a Summit financial coach at any of our 42 branches or by video.
Common questions
Do I have to be a Summit member?
No. The full library is open to the public at no cost. Members get progress tracking and can book a coaching session, but the course content itself is identical.
Is this really free, or is it free with a catch?
It is free. There is no upsell, no email wall, and no product application at the end of a module. Summit funds the program out of its community education budget.
How long does a track take?
Modules run eight to fifteen minutes. A full track is typically two to three hours of material, and most people spread that over several weeks.
Can I get a certificate for an employer or a housing program?
Yes. The homebuyer track issues a completion certificate accepted by most down payment assistance programs in our service area. Sign in before you start so your progress is recorded.
Do you offer this for schools or workplaces?
We do. Summit runs classroom sessions and workplace lunch-and-learns at no charge within our branch footprint. Contact our community education team to schedule one.
Is the advice specific to my situation?
The courses are general education, not personalized financial advice. For guidance on your own accounts and goals, book a free coaching session with an advisor.
Rates current as of July 2026 and subject to change. Membership eligibility required. This is a demonstration website; rates, products, and figures shown are illustrative only.
Start with one module
Fifteen minutes on the thing that has been nagging at you is worth more than a whole course you never open.