What Happened to Pioneer Military Loans?
Pioneer Military Loans (also known as Pioneer Military Lending or Pioneer Services) provided personal loans to military service members for over 30 years. Now under new ownership and with a new name, Pioneer Military Credit is excited to be back providing access to responsible personal loans for members of the United States Armed Forces.
With the reopening under Pioneer Military Credit, we are continuing our mission to serve the financial needs of military families. Please see frequently asked questions and answers below.
Company FAQs
For over 85 years, Pioneer provided financial products to U.S. consumers. In 1986, Pioneer saw an opportunity to help the underserved military market, becoming the first stateside lender focused on personal loans for military personnel. Pioneer served the military market under the brand names: Pioneer Military Loans, Pioneer Military Lending, and Pioneer Services. While initially only serving customers through local offices in military communities, Pioneer was quick to leverage the speed and convenience of the internet to reach military stationed worldwide, becoming the first online personal lender exclusively serving the U.S. military.
For over 30 years, Pioneer helped 1.5 million military families with their financial needs. The company received national and local industry recognition for its responsible approach to lending, free financial education programs, and giving back to the military community.
For the majority of the company’s existence, it was privately owned. In 2009 it became a part of the MidCountry family of companies and for the next decade operated as a division of a federal savings bank.
Other business priorities within the MidCountry ownership group triggered the decision to close the 85-year-old business. Pioneer Services stopped accepting new loan applications in July 2019 and active customers were notified that their accounts were under new ownership. The news of the closure was challenging for customers as well as many passionate Pioneer Services team members who were committed to helping military service members solve financial challenges. This passion for helping members of the military drove the actions of several past members of the leadership team to restart the Pioneer business.
If you took out a loan with Pioneer before August 1, 2019, Pioneer Military Credit is not the owner or servicer of your loan. If you had an open balance on August 1, 2019, the previous Pioneer Services sold your loan, and servicing was transferred to Systems & Services Technologies, Inc. (SST). You can contact SST by phone at 1-866-208-2110 or email at SSTPioneer@alorica.com. For more information, please view the Manage Account page.
Pioneer Military Credit was founded by past leaders of Pioneer Services who understand the unique challenges of military life and have over 50 years of combined experience in serving members of the military. Having secured the intellectual property of the former company, Pioneer Military Credit is now offering many of the same products and services that Pioneer provided military families for over 30 years. Through its strategic partnership with Lead Bank, Pioneer Military Credit offers access to personal loans exclusively for United States military personnel of all ranks and branches.
Pioneer Military Credit has formed a strategic partnership with Lead Bank to provide personal loans to eligible members of the United States military on a national basis. All loans offered through Pioneer Military Credit are originated by Lead Bank and serviced by Pioneer Military Credit LLC. Lead Bank, with over 90 years of banking experience, is a Missouri state-chartered, federally insured bank, regulated by the Missouri Division of Finance and the FDIC. By obtaining a loan with Lead Bank through Pioneer Military Credit you receive the protection and security of a financial institution and the assurance that all loan products are fully compliant with the Military Lending Act (MLA), the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA), and other consumer protection laws.
Loan Process FAQs
All ranks and branches of the United States military who are on active duty status, including members of the National Guard and Reserves who are called up to active duty status under Title 10 or Title 32 are eligible to apply. You must be at least 18 years old and be the actual named applicant to submit an application. Verification of your identity and military status is required. State of legal residence could impact your eligibility to apply.
Plans are underway to accept loan applications from career retired military (20+ years of service) in the future. Visit the Retired Military Loans page to submit your information and be contacted when we are accepting applications.
As the new business grows and expands, we will continue to evaluate the eligibility of other military statuses and military affinity audiences.
To apply for a loan, you will need to provide your current military status and pay grade, social security number, other employment and income information (if applicable), contact information, and bank account information for receiving your money and making payments. If you have restricted access to your credit report, you will need to temporarily lift the freeze in order to apply. Keep in mind, that the more accurate your information is on the application, the quicker we can make a decision.
You can apply for a loan 24/7/365, wherever you are, by visiting PioneerMilitaryCredit.com and clicking on any apply button or link. You will be directed to a secure online application to enter your information and set up an account.
Upon confirmation of eligibility to apply, you can submit your entire application, select loan offers, upload any required documents, provide bank information, and sign your loan documents all online in a matter of minutes. If unable to complete the entire process in one session, you will have an account login to return to the application and finish.
Pioneer Military Credit only allows borrowers to have one active loan through Pioneer at a time. But if your loan is in good standing, you may be eligible to refinance your loan and receive additional funds. To see if you are eligible, submit a new application today.
Personal loans are available from $500 to $10,000 in terms from 6 to 36 months, with no collateral required. The loan amount and term you may be approved for depends upon your credit profile, current income, and other factors that are captured and evaluated in the application process. Apply Now.
In most cases, your money will be deposited directly into your checking or savings account within 24 hours, excluding weekends and banking holidays. Same-day funding may be available for loans that are completed prior to 12:00 pm CST.
Several factors are considered in defining an interest rate on a loan, including your credit history (based on a consumer credit report), your employment history, and your debt-to-income ratio. We cannot determine an interest rate or APR on your loan until you submit a complete application.
All loans offered through Pioneer Military Credit are compliant with the APR/MAPR caps as outlined in the Military Lending Act. You can be assured that loans offered through Pioneer Military Credit have no hidden fees and all costs for your loan will be fully disclosed to you prior to accepting or signing your loan agreement.
If you change your mind or find a better loan with another financial institution, you may cancel your loan with no obligation and no cost to you. Simply return the funds in full within 15 days of signing for your loan and your account will be closed. If you need to return the money and cancel your loan, please give us a call at 1-888-356-3848. Pioneer was the first personal military lender to offer a 15-day return guarantee and challenged other military lenders to also adopt the policy.
Loan Management FAQs
We offer several repayment options to choose from, each designed to help you protect your credit history. With a Military Allotment, you can repay your loan through an automatic deduction from your military paycheck. It’s a great way to ensure your payment is always made on time. With an Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), your payment is automatically withdrawn from your bank account.
Or you can select Manual Pay and mail a personal or certified check or money order each month to the following address.
Pioneer Military Credit
PO Box 6874
Lee’s Summit, MO 64064-6874
Please include your account number on your check
If you already have a loan through Pioneer Military Credit and want to make a one-time payment or change your repayment method, please log in to Online Account Access or call us at 1-888-356-3848.
If you have a current loan and wish to change your repayment method to a Military Allotment, please log in to Online Account Access, navigate to your active loan and click on the Setup Allotment button.
If you selected Military Allotment on your recent loan and did not complete the myPay setup on the DFAS website, the following information will be helpful.
- Log in to myPay
- Navigate to the Allotments section and click “Start Savings Allotment” or locate existing allotment to make any edits.
- Enter the following information for WesBanco Bank, Inc. (Allotment Bank)
Routing Number: 083901825
Account Number: Enter your Social Security Number
Account Type: Savings
Monthly Amount: Enter your monthly loan payment, plus a $3 transfer fee required by the processing bank. Log in to Online Account Access to locate your monthly payment amount. - Submit the form
If you’re in the Coast Guard, you’ll need to follow a similar procedure on the Global Pay Self Service Portal. If you have additional questions, please call us at 1-888-356-3848.
You can log in to Online Account Access at any time to view your loan balance and obtain a payoff quote. Or you can also call us at 1-888-356-3848.
You can pay your loan off at any time and there are no prepayment penalties. To obtain a payoff amount, log in to Online Account Access or call us at 1-888-356-3848.
When you apply for a loan, Online Account Access is automatically set up using the email address you provided and the password that you created as part of the process.
If you forgot or need to reset your password, you can reset it at any time by clicking the “Forgot My Password” link on the Account Login screen. You can also change your password on the Profile page from within Online Account Access.
When logging in to Online Account Access you need to correctly enter your username (your email address) and password. If you can’t remember your password, you can reset it at any time. If you continue to have trouble logging in, please contact us at 1-888-356-3848.
Please Note: Online Account Access is only available for loans originated through Pioneer Military Credit on or after 12/30/2021. Any loans that you had with the previous Pioneer Services are not owned or serviced by Pioneer Military Credit. For these accounts, please visit the Manage Account page for more information.
For 24/7/365 access to your account information, log in to Online Account Access or call 1-888-356-3848 and follow the prompts on our automated phone system. You can also talk directly with a customer service representative during our standard business hours of Monday through Friday from 9 am to 5 pm (Central Standard Time).
As part of the loan application process with Pioneer Military Credit, you agreed to the terms of our Electronic Consent and Acknowledgment, Consent to Communications, and Privacy Notices. If you no longer wish to receive communications electronically, want to request paper copies of your communications, seek to limit phone calls or text messages, or need to make other alterations to your current communication consents, please call us at 1-888-356-3848. You may also have the option to opt-out of specific communication types and formats (including marketing solicitations) in a method provided in the actual communications you receive. Changes to your communication consent may not become effective until we have received it and have had reasonable time to process it.
Industry FAQs
The Annual Percentage Rate (APR) is the total cost of your loan at an annualized rate.
The Military Lending Act (MLA) is a federal law that is meant to protect active-duty service members and their covered dependents from predatory lending practices. The law applies restrictions and other requirements to specific types of consumer credit (including credit cards, lines of credit, payday loans, cash advances, installment loans not secured by collateral, etc.). It includes a 36% Military Annual Percentage Rate (MAPR) cap, inclusive of all finance charges, credit insurance premiums, fees for ancillary products, and any application or participation fees sold in connection with the covered credit. The regulation also restricts mandatory arbitration, required allotments, and prepayment penalties on these products. For more information, please view an official release from the Department of Defense.
All loans offered through Pioneer Military Credit are fully compliant with the Military Lending Act.
The Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) provides various civil/legal protections for individuals entering military service, called to active duty, or currently serving in the military. This includes a 6% interest rate cap adjustment on loan obligations that were taken out PRIOR to being called to active duty.
If you are in the National Guard or Reserve and have been called up to active duty, you may be eligible for this temporary reduction in interest rates on your loan obligation while activated. If you were already on active duty when you took out a loan, you do not qualify under the SCRA. For information on the act, please view the official SCRA website or contact customer service at 1-888-356-3848.