MADISON, Wis. — The American Dream is not disappearing, but it is changing, according to new research that serves as “both a mirror and a map” for credit union leaders that one person says also offers insights into “what matters now” to both members and potential members alike.
As the CU Daily reported here, TruStage has released its 2026 What Matters Now” study, conducted in partnership with Ipsos, which is based on responses from more than 8,800 consumers nationwide along with qualitative interviews.
Now, in addition to that reporting that shares many of the topline findings, Opal Tomashevska, director of multicultural business strategy with TruStage offers a deeper dive for CU Daily readers into what the research has found and how credit unions can effectively apply it.
The CU Daily: First, what is the purpose of this research?
Tomashevska: The purpose of What Matters Now is to listen closely to consumers and translate what we hear into practical insight for the financial services industry. This year’s study gives us a clearer view of how people are defining stability, security and the American Dream in a very different economic reality.
For credit union leaders, the value is not simply in the data points; it is in understanding the human story behind them so we can design experiences, products and outreach that feel relevant, accessible and rooted in empathy.
The CU Daily: How does TruStage apply it?
Tomashevska: We use this research as both a mirror and a map. It reflects what consumers are experiencing right now and plans for the future. It helps us identify where financial providers can remove friction, build trust and make protection easier to understand and act on. At TruStage, those insights inform how we think about product design, education, messaging, partnerships and the support we provide to credit unions as they serve members across many life stages, cultures and financial realities.
The CU Daily: It is difficult not to be struck by the fading American Dream for many? Is this a correct way to view these findings? Or do you view it differently?
Tomashevska: I understand why people might describe it as a fading American Dream, because many consumers are telling us that the traditional path feels harder to reach as they focus on more immediate stability. But I would frame it a little differently. The American Dream is not disappearing; it is changing.
For many people, the dream is less about a single milestone and more about financial breathing room — being debt-free, having emergency savings, being able to retire comfortably, and providing for family. That shift matters for credit unions because it means members may need help defining progress in smaller, more achievable steps, not just through the big markers we have historically emphasized.
The CU Daily: That fading Dream is a topline finding and gets the headlines. What else in these findings would you highlight?
Tomashevska: One finding I would elevate is how differently financial stress shows up across identities and life circumstances. The study shows that the pressure is not evenly distributed and that is important for credit unions to recognize.
For example, younger consumers may still be highly focused on homeownership, while many older consumers are focused on debt reduction, emergency savings and retirement readiness. We also saw meaningful differences by race, ethnicity and neurodivergence.
Measuring the financial view and habits of those who identify as neurodivergent was new this year, and not something we’ve seen in other studies. This group is younger, more diverse and carries a heavier stress load, despite similar income and higher employment rates compared to their neurotypical peers
The takeaway is that there is no one-size-fits-all member journey. Credit unions that can segment with care, listen deeply and personalize support will be better positioned to meet members where they are.
The CU Daily: The research is titled, ‘What Matters Now?’ So, what does matter now?
Tomashevska: What matters now is stability people can actually feel. Consumers are concerned with rising costs and simply making ends meet vs. the upward mobility. In fact, 46% of consumers say salary alone isn’t enough to get by and that you need a hustle to fill the gap. That’s up 7% from our 2022 study.
For credit unions, that means the most meaningful solutions may be the ones that help members feel more confident in everyday decisions: how to manage debt, how to build savings, how to protect income, how to prepare for the unexpected and how to move toward long-term goals without feeling overwhelmed.
Again, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all solution here. This should serve as a framework for credit unions to work with their members on what they need for individual success and stability.
The CU Daily: Is there a longer-term trend line you’ve seen taking place as the result of this research?
Tomashevska: The longer-term trend is that financial stability has become more complex and more personal. Consumers are not only comparing themselves to broad economic benchmarks; they are comparing their lives to their parents, their peers and the expectations they were raised with.
Over time, we have seen the definition of success become more individualized. That creates both a challenge and an opportunity for credit unions. The challenge is that traditional assumptions about what members want may not hold. The opportunity is that credit unions already have a relationship-based model that can adapt to a more personal definition of financial well-being. Credit unions still hold that trust advantage over other financial institutions, and it can be a big differentiator in this economy.
The CU Daily: What does the increase, whether out of necessity or desire, in side hustles and gig work mean to the future of work and to how credit unions serve these consumers?
Tomashevska: It tells us that income is becoming less predictable for many households. Some people are pursuing side work because they want flexibility or entrepreneurship, but many are doing it because a single salary no longer feels sufficient.
For credit unions, this raises important questions about how we evaluate financial health, structure products and communicate with members whose income may fluctuate month to month. There is an opportunity to support these members with flexible savings tools, cash-flow guidance, access to affordable credit, protection products and financial education that reflects the reality of multiple income streams.
The CU Daily: Did TruStage add anything in this year’s research that you haven’t probed for in the past?
Tomashevska: Yes, one of the important additions this year was a deeper look at identity, including consumers who identify as neurodivergent. That allowed us to better understand how financial worry, confidence and access can differ for groups that are often underrepresented in traditional financial research.
We also looked at Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) options for the first time. Of consumers who anticipate getting a loan in the next five years, 9% said they would pursue BNPL. Interest was highest among Gen Z, Millennial and Black consumers. This signals a need for credit unions to find flexible ways to help consumers meet their urgent needs when salary isn’t keeping up.
The CU Daily: There is a wealth of information that has been uncovered here. How does a credit union apply these findings? Where should it begin?
Tomashevska: I would encourage credit unions to begin with their own members. Use the national findings as a prompt, then ask: What does this look like in our field of membership? Where are our members showing signs of strain? Which groups are engaging less, borrowing differently, delaying major life decisions or asking for help in new ways? What are your frontline staff hearing directly from consumers?
From there, credit unions can prioritize a few practical actions — simplifying language, making protection and savings conversations more accessible, tailoring outreach by life stage, and training frontline teams to recognize the different ways financial stress may show up. The goal is not to solve everything at once; it is to build more relevance and trust at each point of contact.
The CU Daily: The CU Daily is publishing a 2026 series, ‘The Profitability Imperative,’ which focuses on ways credit unions can improve their bottom lines for the benefit of members and the CU’s own longer-term futures. What might a credit union take away from this research that would align with that objective?
Tomashevska: The connection between member well-being and credit union sustainability is very real. When credit unions understand what members are worried about, they can design solutions that are more useful, more timely and more likely to deepen relationships. That can support growth, retention and responsible revenue while staying true to the cooperative mission.
The research suggests that profitability does not have to come from pushing more products; it can come from better alignment — offering the right help at the right moment, making financial protection easier to access, and strengthening trust with members who are navigating a more uncertain financial landscape. In that sense, empathy is not separate from performance. It is part of the strategy.
