How to Join Desert Financial Credit Union (DFCU)

We’re so excited you’re interested in joining Desert Financial! With so many big benefits, rewards and better banking experiences, we promise you won’t look back at your banking past. The following explains how to join Desert Financial Credit Union (DFCU) and make the switch from your old bank. We also share a little about us too, so you know what to expect and most importantly, what you get!

Joining Desert Financial is not only a great move to make, it’s easy and takes only about 10–20 minutes. Keep in mind, you will need to open a savings account with $25. This is your share in Desert Financial Credit Union as part-owner! In addition to opening a savings account, here are the steps for becoming a member:

Meet one of three requirements.
Know what you need.
Choose how to join.
Make the switch.

Then, get a snapshot of what you have to look forward to! (Here’s a sneak peek: Free Checking¹, an annual cashback bonus,² convenient online and mobile banking, supporting the community and so much more.)

1. Only One Requirement

Anyone can be a member of Desert Financial. You just have to meet one of these three requirements:

Live, work, attend school, volunteer or worship in our membership coverage area, which includes all of Arizona (with the exception of Apache, Graham, Greenlee and Santa Cruz counties) OR
Be an immediate family member of a current Desert Financial member OR
Be an employee of Desert Financial

2. What You Need to Open an Account

Here’s what you need to open an account:

Valid driver’s license or government-issued ID
Social security number
Phone number and email address
Date of birth and address

3. Ways to Join

You can conveniently open an account online or if you prefer, call us so we can help you step-by-step through the process. You can also come into a branch where we can meet you personally and ensure you’re all set up in-person. It’s up to you!

Open an Account Online.
Call eBranch at (602) 433-5626.
Visit your local branch.

4. Making the Switch

The first step is to apply for and open an account. Next, if you’re moving all of your banking over to Desert Financial, we created a Switch Kit with instructions that can guide you through the process. Click on the image below to get the three steps and you can download this guide.

You’ll also see a checklist of tasks to complete like closing your old accounts, enrolling in Online Banking, downloading the mobile app, setting up direct deposit and automatic bill pay, and other to-do’s to get your new banking situated.

Get to Know Us Better!

Helping You Meet Your Financial Needs and Goals

Desert Financial offers the same products and services as most banks — plus better banking benefits like Free Checking, fewer and lower fees, lower loan rates, higher interest on savings accounts and more. Feel free to tour our website to learn about all of our offerings:

Checking and savings accounts
Auto loans and refinancing
Mortgage loans and refinancing
Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC)
Personal loans
Credit cards
A suite of business banking solutions

You may be surprised to know that we also offer financial planning products and services for wills and trusts, investments and insurance for life, home, business or Medicare.

Get More & A Better Way to Bank

In addition to financial products and services, we offer MORE such as:

Cash Back: an annual cash bonus,² sweepstakes, $100 for referring a friend,³ up to $500 for an auto refi⁴ and a credit of up to $5,000 toward your closing costs when you buy a home and use a Participating Broker!⁵
Convenience: open an account online, use Online Banking and our mobile banking app, apply for a loan online and shop for a new home using the HomeScout app
Community: you support Random Acts of Kindness and local teachers, share in our success and help give back to your community

Relationship Rewards Program

Back to that annual cash bonus … The Member Giveback Bonus² is a part of our free Relationship Rewards program distributed every year to our members who do the most transacting, saving and borrowing with us. In 2021, we gave away $14 million total to our members! There are three rewards levels, and the more points you earn, the more benefits you get as you level up — from loan and product discounts to fee waivers and a bigger bonus. Learn more about the program and giveback bonus so you don’t miss out on anything!

Our Giving Back Philosophy

We generously give back not just because that’s what credit unions do, but because we truly care about making lives better. As we’ve grown, we’ve been able to reinvest funds in more ways that benefit you, our members, community and team. Here’s a glance at our giveback efforts:

Member perks like our Relationship Rewards program, cash back, convenience, kindness and community
Local outreach including nonprofit partnerships, volunteering, fundraising and donations, scholarships, grants, Teacher Appreciation, Random Acts of Kindness and crisis-relief solutions
An extensive list of employee benefits such as our fun culture, giveaways, PTO for volunteering, financial assistance for employees experiencing hardship, incentives and our InvestED program offering tuition coverage for online academic programs at Arizona State University

By simply being a member of Desert Financial, you’re supporting all of the ways we give back. You help us share success!

Now that you know how to join and allowed us to introduce ourselves, we’ll let you make the next move. Make sure to connect with us too on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and LinkedIn to learn more about who we are and what we do for you. (We’re always posting new sweepstakes and giveaways!) We look forward to getting to know you better and would love to help you with questions you might have.

Ready for a change?

It’s easy to switch your bank or credit union!

FIND OUT HOW

¹Account Opening Criteria: Primary account holder must be 18 years or older and meet Desert Financial’s membership eligibility and credit qualification requirements, including opening a Membership Savings account with a minimum balance of $25. Checking account is free; however, fees incurred — such as a stop payment or NSF fee — will apply. For complete terms and conditions, refer to the published Statements of Terms, Conditions and Disclosures booklet.
²Must be a Rewards Member or Rewards+ Member for a minimum of six months per calendar year to be eligible for annual cash bonus (“Member Giveback Bonus”). Additional restrictions apply. See Statements of Terms, Conditions, and Disclosures for full details.
³Refer-A-Friend cash bonus offer valid for a limited time only. New member must present completed Referral Form at time of account opening and establish a Membership Savings and Checking account. New members cannot have any existing accounts (primary or joint owner) within the last 12 months. Member and referee cannot begin credit union membership on the same business day.
Cash Bonus Criteria: To receive the cash bonus, the new checking account must meet the following criteria within the first 90 days: 1. Minimum of 30 posted transactions and 2. Establish direct deposit. 3. Must be open and cannot be delinquent (more than 30 days) at time of bonus payment. Bonus will be deposited into the qualifying Checking and referring member’s account within 10 business days in the month following the end of the first 90-day period if qualifications are met. Referring member must have an open and active share account at time of bonus payment and be at least 18 years of age. Employees of Desert Financial Credit Union, its subsidiaries, affiliates, or agencies and their immediate family (including spouse, parents, siblings, children, grandparents or grandchildren) are not eligible for bonus offer. Bonus amounts are subject to all applicable taxes and the responsibility of the member. Bonus cannot be combined with any other account opening offer. Referrals limited to five per member. Terms and conditions subject to change without notice.
⁴The cash back is paid based on 1% of the total loan amount ($10,000 minimum), not including any additional loan dollars toward ancillary products (Guaranteed Asset Protection [GAP], Mechanical Breakdown Protection [MBP]). The cash back will be deposited into your Desert Financial savings account within one business day of the loan funding. Maximum cash back amount is $500. Cash back amounts are subject to all applicable taxes and are the responsibility of the member. Offer is available for the refinancing of non-Desert Financial auto loans only and is valid for a limited time only.
⁵Participation in the Real Estate Broker Program is voluntary. Desert Financial Credit Union and its subsidiary Define Mortgage Solutions LLC do not receive any benefit, monetary or otherwise, from the Participating Broker under this program. Participating Brokers are non-affiliated third parties of Define Mortgage Solutions LLC and Define Mortgage Solutions LLC makes no warranties or representations about the service provided by the Participating Brokers. To participate in this program, the member does not have to finance the mortgage loan with Define Mortgage Solutions LLC. Amount of credit will vary and is based on 25% of the buyer’s agent’s commission up to a maximum of $5,000. For full program details, see the Real Estate Broker Program Notice. Mortgage loans are offered by Define Mortgage Solutions, LLC, NMLS ID #1761612, a subsidiary of Desert Financial Credit Union. BK#0949053