www.marktreichel.com

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-treichel/

Episode Overview:
In this episode of With Flying Colors, Mark unpacks NCUA’s proposed 2026–2027 budget — a spending plan that reduces staff by 23%, cuts contractors by a third, and reshapes how credit unions will be supervised.

What you’ll learn:

• Why NCUA’s staff will shrink to 967 employees — the lowest in over 20 years
• Which offices are hit hardest by the cuts
• How the hiring freeze and buyouts are creating exam disruption and turnover
• Why credit unions may see fewer exams, but bumpier interactions
• The role of technology investments and the $10 million “transformation fund”
• Why the industry is cheering now — and why the pendulum will eventually swing back

Takeaway:
The 2026 budget gives credit unions breathing room in the short term. But it also introduces risks, creates examiner churn, and sets the stage for future losses that could reverse course.