It claims to support servicemembers, but a recent lawsuit alleges it violated the Military Lending Act.
Founded by a World War II vet who understands the unique needs of servicemembers, Omni Financial may be able to help with a short-term installment loan — but negative customer reviews raise many red flags.
Anna Serio is a trusted lending expert and certified Commercial Loan Officer who's published more than 1,000 articles on Finder to help Americans strengthen their financial literacy. A former editor of a newspaper in Beirut, Anna writes about personal, student, business and car loans. Today, digital publications like Business Insider, CNBC and the Simple Dollar feature her professional commentary, and she earned an Expert Contributor in Finance badge from review site Best Company in 2020.
Omni Financial may be in violation of the Military Lending Act (MLA)
In December 2020, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) filed a lawsuit against Omni Financial. It alleges that Omni Financial required military members pay by allotment, which is illegal under the MLA. It also alleges that Omni Financial is in violation of other laws put in place to protect consumers, including requiring current servicemembers and retirees to sign up for automatic payments to qualify for a loan.
While Omni Financial didn’t accept or deny these claims outright, it has agreed to the consent order and will pay a penalty of just over $2 million. In addition, all customers paying by allotment should receive a notice for alternative payment options.
What type of lending will I find at Omni Financial?
Omni Financial offers short-term installment loans to members of the military. Loans start as low as $500 and can reach up to $10,000, depending on your creditworthiness.
You’ll have from 0.5 years to 3 years to repay what you borrow, and interest rates top out at Up to 35.95% — just under the 36% cap imposed by the Military Lending Act. You won’t pay a fee to apply or receive your funds, but Omni may charge origination, late and prepayment fees on your loan.
Applying either online, in person or over the phone takes a few minutes, and required documentation is minimal compared with similar lenders — generally, you’ll need to submit your most recent Leave and Earnings Statement. You might even see approval on the same day, with the option to pick up your loan loaded on a prepaid debit card or transfer funds to your bank account, which could take more time.
What are the benefits of an Omni Financial military loan?
15-day satisfaction guarantee to return loan
Apply from overseas
Offices on US bases
What to watch out for
Recent CFPB lawsuit alleges violations of the MLA
Difficult to reach customer support
Life and disability insurance suggestions
Negative online reviews
Compare more installment loan providers
If you’re stationed in the US, see other lenders you might qualify for by selecting your state — just be aware many short-term lenders don’t offer loans to members of the military.
We update our data regularly, but information can change between updates. Confirm details with the provider you're interested in before making a decision.
Generally, yes. Omni Financial protects your personal and financial details with industry-standard SSL encryption, which makes it difficult to intercept information you submit online. Its site is also protected by McAfee Secure against malware and phishing.
If you’re not comfortable applying online, you have the option of calling or visiting a branch.
Omni Financial reviews and complaints
Omni Financial doesn’t receive many reviews on its BBB page — and it doesn’t have a Trustpilot page. When looking for reviews, confirm that you’ve found the correct company. There is also a tax company called Omni Financial that has a similar web address to Omni Financial for military members.
Be cautious of Omni Financia’s life and disability insurance suggestion
Life and disability insurance might sound like a good idea if you’re in the military. But if you’re not participating in life-threatening operations in the near future, it’s typically not worth it. Some short-term lenders use insurance add-ons to get around interest rate limits — the Military Lending Act prohibits lenders from charging more than 36% in interest on loans to servicemembers.
Omni Financial clearly states the insurance is optional, though at least one borrower believes they were misled to believe that insurance is required to qualify for a loan. Read your contract carefully to make sure you aren’t paying for unnecessary additional services like insurance.
Am I eligible?
Eligibility for a loan from Omni Financial is open to:
Members of the Army, Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps or Coast Guard.
Career retired members of the US military.
Spouses of United States Armed Forces members.
You might also qualify for a loan if you’re no longer in the military but have previously qualified through Omni Financial.
How do I apply?
Apply online, in person or over the phone. It’s typically faster to apply at a branch, with the option to get your funds loaded on a prepaid debit card on the same day you’re approved. Otherwise, your funds are deposited to your bank account.
How to apply by phone depends on where you’re located:
US — 877-666-4872
Germany — 0800-937-5626
Italy or Belgium — 00800-937-56267
All other European countries — 702-437-6057
Japan — 012-099-8513
Korea — 003-0813-2055
To apply online:
Go to the Omni Financial website and click Apply Now at top right.
Select your status, military service branch and rank.
Complete required fields and review your full info before submitting your application.
Follow the directions to upload your most recent earnings statement.
Wait for a loan specialist to reach out with the specifics of your offer.
Carefully review your application, asking to opt out of add-ons like insurance if you don’t think it’s necessary.
Sign your loan documents.
Wait to receive your funds.
The whole process can take 24 hours, depending on how fast you upload your statement and how quickly you’re approved.
Cities and military installations with Omni Financial offices
Omni Financial operates offices in 20 states and a handful of military installations around the world. US cities with Omni Financial offices:
Clarksville, Tennessee
Colorado Springs, Colorado
Columbus, Georgia
El Paso, Texas
Evans Mills, New York
Fayetteville, North Carolina
Hinesville, Georgia
Jacksonville, Florida
Jacksonville, North Carolina
Junction City, Kansas
Killeen, Texas
Lakewood, Washington
Las Vegas, Nevada
Lawton, Oklahoma
Leesville, Louisiana
Newport News, Virginia
Norfolk, Virginia
Oceanside, California
Prince Georgia, Virginia
San Diego, California
US military installations with Omni Financial offices:
Camp Casey
Camp Castle
Camp Eagle
Camp Hovey
Camp Humphreys
Camp Lejeune
Camp Market
Camp Pendleton
Camp Stanley
Cheatham Annex
Dam Neck Fleet Training Center
Eielson AFB
European Theater
Fleet Activities Chinhae
Fort Benning
Fort Bliss
Fort Bragg
Fort Campbell
Fort Carson
Fort Drum
Fort Eustis
Fort Gordon
Fort Hood
Fort Huachuca
Fort Knox
Fort Leavenworth
Fort Lee
Fort Leonard Wood
Fort Lewis
Fort Polk
Fort Riley
Fort Sill
Fort Stewart
Fort Wainwright
Hawaiian islands
Hunter AAF
Joint Base Elmendorf — Richardson
Joint Base Langley — Eustis
Joint Base Lewis — McChord
Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story
K-16 Air Base
Kunsan AFB
Langley Air Force Base
MCAS Cherry Point
MCAS New River
Marine Corps Air Station Miramar
Marine Corps Recruiting Depot San Diego
McConnell AFB
NCTC Corry Field
Naval Air Station Fallon
Naval Air Station Jacksonville
Naval Air Station Norfolk
Naval Air Station Oceana
Naval Air Station Pensacola
Naval Amphibious Base Coronado
Naval Base Point Loma
Naval Base San Diego
Naval Medical Center San Diego
Naval Operation Base Norfolk
Naval Station Mayport
Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay
Naval Weapons Station Yorktown
Nellis AFB
Newport News Shipyard
Norfolk Naval Shipyard
North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD)
North Island NAS Halsey Field
Osan AFB
Peterson AFB
Pope AAF
Portsmouth Naval Hospital
Schriever Air Force Base
USAG Daegu
United States Air Force Academy
White Sands Missile Range
Whiteman Air Force Base
Whiteman Air Force Base Exchange
YUMA MCAS
Yorktown Coast Guard Training Center
I got an Omni Financial military loan. Now what?
Omni Financial loans come with regular monthly repayments over 0.5 years to 3 years. You can repay your loan by:
Cash
Money order
Check
ACH bank transfer
Military allotment
Military allotment might be the simplest way to pay off your loan, because repayments are automatic. If you overpay, you can ask for a refund by calling Omni Financial or emailing through its site.
Bottom line
Omni Financial’s short-term loans are designed for the military and could be a good option for servicemembers who’ve had trouble finding fast financing in the past. All credit scores are considered, but watch for add-ons that can make your loan a lot more expensive than you expected.
With so many negative complaints online, you may want to find another lender altogether. Start with our guide to short-term military loans to learn more about how short-term loans work for members of the United States Armed Forces.
Frequently asked questions
Our answers to questions commonly asked about Omni Financial.
Can I apply for a new loan while I’m still paying off my Omni Financial loan?
Yes, as long as you’ve already completed four repayments and meet Omni Financial’s requirements, which could be more stringent for larger amounts.
My application was denied. Can I qualify for a smaller amount?
Possibly, though it depends on the reason for your first application’s rejection. Reach out to Omni Financial before reapplying to learn more about your specific situation.
Can I submit a LES in the middle of the month?
No. Omni Financial accepts end-of-month LESs only.
How likely would you be to recommend finder to a friend or colleague?
0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Very UnlikelyExtremely Likely
Required
Thank you for your feedback.
Our goal is to create the best possible product, and your thoughts, ideas and suggestions play a major role in helping us identify opportunities to improve.
Advertiser Disclosure
finder.com is an independent comparison platform and information service that aims to provide you with the tools you need to make better decisions. While we are independent, the offers that appear on this site are from companies from which finder.com receives compensation. We may receive compensation from our partners for placement of their products or services. We may also receive compensation if you click on certain links posted on our site. While compensation arrangements may affect the order, position or placement of product information, it doesn't influence our assessment of those products. Please don't interpret the order in which products appear on our Site as any endorsement or recommendation from us. finder.com compares a wide range of products, providers and services but we don't provide information on all available products, providers or services. Please appreciate that there may be other options available to you than the products, providers or services covered by our service.
