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When the real estate market crashed in 2008, homebuyers across the United States were impacted. Not only did their mortgages go underwater, but so did their credit scores. Their purchasing power was reduced to next to nothing, and many buyers couldn’t imagine a way out of this predicament. Fortunately, time helps heal all wounds, particularly when it comes to credit. Many of these previous homebuy

ers are now seeing their credit scores rise and may be ready to enter the housing market once again. Before that can happen, however, these buyers could use the help of an experienced broker to make sure their credit is as clean as possible — that’s where you come in.
© 2016 Color My Credit, LLC

06/03/2026

✅How many of these basic financial questions can you answer off the top of your head right now?

What is the exact balance of your checking account today?

What is the net amount deposited by your employer each month?

What is your exact rent or mortgage payment?

What is your exact property tax bill for the current year?

What is the total combined balance of your non-mortgage debt?

What is the annual percentage rate (APR) on your primary credit card?

What are the annual fees attached to your current credit cards?

When does the promotional 0% interest rate on your balance transfer card expire?

What is your current credit score?

How much do you spend on groceries each week?

How much do you spend on food delivery apps and dining out each month?

How many automatic subscription payments go out each month?

How much are you paying for cellphone lines or data limits you never use?

How much do you pay in banking, overdraft, or ATM fees each year?

How much money is sitting in your dedicated emergency fund?

How much do you set aside for irregular but inevitable expenses, like car repairs?

What month do your auto and homeowners insurance policies renew?

What is the next big thing you are saving up for, and what will it cost?

What percentage of your take-home pay actually makes it into savings each month?

If your income stopped today, how many months could you cover your expenses?

Most people can tell you their favorite Netflix show, their Starbucks order, or who won the Super Bowl, but surprisingly few can answer these basic questions about their own money. Financial confidence doesn’t come from making more money. It comes from knowing where your money is, where it’s going, and what it’s doing while you’re busy living your life.💰

So how did you score?

🖍️ 0–4 answers: Financial Tourist — You’re along for the ride, but someone else might be driving.

🖍️ 5–9 answers: Money Explorer — You’re paying attention and starting to connect the dots.

🖍️ 10–14 answers: Cash Cartographer — You know the landscape and are building a map for your future.

🖍️ 15–19 answers: Legacy Builder — You’re making intentional decisions instead of financial guesses.

🖍️ All 20 answers: Color My Credit Black Belt 🥋🎨 — You don’t just know your numbers; you’re actively designing your financial future.

Challenge yourself: Pick the three questions you couldn’t answer today and find the answers before the week is over. Small awareness creates big change. After all, you can’t color inside the lines if you don’t know what picture you’re drawing!

04/18/2026

Most mortgage content online is either outdated or oversimplified. Here’s what’s actually worth knowing right now.

1. VA Loans — Still the Best Mortgage in America

Zero down. No PMI. Competitive rates. If you’ve served, this program exists as a thank-you. Use it. The only cost: a one-time VA Funding Fee (some veterans are exempt entirely).

2. FHA Loans — The Entry Point for Imperfect Credit

3.5% down with a 580 credit score. More forgiving on debt-to-income than conventional loans. The catch most people miss: mortgage insurance doesn’t automatically go away on post-2013 FHA loans. Plan your refinance into conventional once you’ve built equity.

3. HomeReady & Home Possible — The Underrated Middle Ground

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac’s 3%-down conventional programs. Lower PMI than standard conventional, cancellable once you hit 20% equity, and they allow non-borrower household income to help you qualify. Often a smarter move than FHA if your credit is solid.

4. Guild’s 1% Down Program — 3% Equity on Day One

You bring 1%. Guild covers 2% as a non-repayable grant — no strings, no repayment. You close with 3% equity already built in. Available for buyers earning up to 80% of area median income, 620+ credit score, DTI up to 50%. PMI applies but is cancellable. This is one of the most powerful tools available for buyers with income but limited savings.

5. Guild’s 10% Down, No MI Investment Property Program

This one surprises people. Most investment property loans require 20–25% down — and layer on mortgage insurance if you go lower. This program lets qualified investors purchase a non-owner-occupied property with 10% down and zero PMI. No MI means your cash flow math actually works from day one. I am currently locking loans on this program. Eligibility depends on credit, reserves, and DTI — reach out to see if you qualify.

The best loan isn’t the one that went viral. It’s the one that fits your actual numbers.
Questions? Let’s talk.

Alisa Glutz | Guild Mortgage NMLS # 204235 |
480-206-6516
For educational purposes only. Not a commitment to lend. Programs subject to change. Eligibility subject to credit approval.

03/11/2026

Emergency? You may be able to access $1,000 from your 401(k) without the penalty

A rule that went into effect in January 2024 allows workers to withdraw up to $1,000 from a retirement account for an emergency without the usual 10% early withdrawal penalty. But there are a few important details people should know before touching their retirement savings.

What counts as an emergency

Examples could include:
• Car repairs
• Medical bills
• Preventing eviction or foreclosure
• Funeral expenses
• Other immediate family emergencies

Plans usually allow self-certification, meaning you confirm the emergency without needing extensive proof.

How the $1,000 emergency withdrawal works

Step-by-step
1. Check if your employer’s 401(k) plan offers the emergency withdrawal option.
Not every plan has adopted the rule yet.

2. Confirm your vested balance.
You can withdraw up to $1,000 OR the amount above $1,000 in your account (whichever is smaller).

3. Request the distribution from your plan administrator or portal.
It will be labeled “Emergency Personal Expense Distribution.”

4. Self-certify that the expense is a personal or family emergency.

5. Receive the funds.
The 10% early withdrawal penalty is waived, but it still counts as taxable income.

6. Optional but smart: repay the money within 3 years to restore your retirement balance.

The fine print most people miss

• Only one emergency withdrawal per year is allowed.

• If you don’t repay it, you generally can’t take another emergency withdrawal for 3 years unless you contribute at least that much back into the plan.

• Your plan must leave at least $1,000 in the account after the withdrawal.

My practical advice❤️🖍️
(the part nobody tells consumers)

Retirement withdrawals should be treated like pulling the emergency brake on a train.

Use it if:
• eviction is coming
• utilities are about to be shut off
• medical emergency

Do not use it for:
• vacations
• consumer spending
• “I’ll just replace it later”

Retirement money compounds quietly for decades. Even $1,000 today can become $10,000+ over time, so this tool should stay in the emergency drawer, not the convenience drawer.

12/08/2025

Some of you are driving around with a car that feels more like a financial trap than transportation. You’re upside down, the payments keep coming, the repairs keep stacking up, and the loan feels like it was designed to keep you underwater.

You’re not alone. And you’re not stuck.

Let me tell you about someone I helped this week.

She bought a Mercedes with a seven-year loan at 28 percent interest.
Twenty-eight percent.
Her payment is nearly a mortgage payment, the car has more than 110,000 miles, and now it needs another $6,500 in repairs. She’s only three years into the loan and still owes over twenty thousand dollars.

She felt hopeless.
But the truth is, even when you’re upside down, you can still get out the smart way.

Here’s the path:

1. Start with your credit before you start with the car.
Go to MyFICO.com and check your Auto Scores (not just your regular scores). These are the ones lenders actually use for car loans. You want those auto scores in a “prime” zone so you can qualify for a much lower rate on the next loan.

2. Get your credit cards below 10 percent utilization.
This one step can move your scores more than anything else. Pay them down, let the statement close, and make sure the updated balance hits your credit report before you walk into a dealership.

3. Your goal is not to “win” with the current loan. Your goal is to qualify for a better one.
You’re not trying to make the negative equity disappear. You’re trying to make sure the next loan is at a low enough rate that rolling the negative equity in doesn’t crush you again.

4. Stick with reliable brands when you trade out.
Toyota. Honda. Models known for lasting, not just looking good on day one. Your job is to think long game, not dealer hype.

5. When you shop, focus 100 percent on the new loan’s structure.
Lower rate. Reasonable payment. No unnecessary add-ons. Your power is in being prepared before you start negotiating.

The woman with the Mercedes is now on track to trade out of her sinking loan and into a reliable car with a realistic, affordable payment. The upside-down part didn’t disappear, but the trap did.

If you’re sitting in a car that feels like a financial mistake, don’t let shame freeze you. There’s a way out if you approach it strategically.

You can come out of this smarter, stronger, and set up differently than before. And if you need help figuring out where you stand, I’m here!

12/02/2025

How to Maximize Your Insurance Score
(and why it matters, but isn’t everything)

Insurance companies don’t price you the same way mortgage lenders do. They use a separate score that measures patterns of behavior. It isn’t judging your worth. It’s predicting your likelihood of filing a claim. That score is only one piece of your premium, but it’s a piece you can control more than you realize.

Here’s how the system thinks, in plain English.

It rewards consistency, discipline, and stability.
It penalizes chaos, unpredictability, and sudden swings.

So the goal isn’t perfection. It’s pattern-building. When you show stable habits over time, you move into better pricing divisions, and your premiums fall.

Here are the habits that push your insurance score upward.❤️❤️

👉🏻Keep your credit cards under 10 percent of their limit.
Balance size matters, but behavior matters more. Insurance scoring loves low utilization because it signals calm, not crisis.

👉🏻Never miss a payment.
A single late payment can echo for years in the insurance model. The system reads it as instability.

👉🏻Avoid opening multiple new credit lines at once.
New accounts suggest financial stress, even when they aren’t. Slow, steady credit activity looks safer.

👉🏻Clear old collections or charge-offs.
Unpaid, recent negative items, even tiny ones, pull you straight into a higher-risk division. Paid looks better, but deleted is best.

👉🏻Keep long-standing accounts open.
Age of credit shows maturity. Closing an old card can accidentally drop you into a weaker lane.

👉🏻Use your cards every month but lightly.
Dormant cards don’t help. Active, low, predictable use builds a strong pattern.

🫵Now here’s the grounding truth.

Your insurance score is not the whole picture.
Insurers also look at:

• your driving history
• claims history
• the type and age of your vehicle
• your ZIP code
• household drivers
• home condition and roof age
• mileage

The insurance score is just one lever among many. But it’s the lever you can move without waiting for a claim to fall off or a roof to be replaced.

When you stack good habits consistently, month after month, the system eventually has no choice but to place you in a lower-risk division. And that is where the real savings live.

This is how you put yourself in the strongest position possible: build a pattern that signals stability. The system rewards predictability. The more calm your financial behavior looks on paper, the cheaper your coverage becomes.

People feel powerless in insurance pricing because they can’t see the machinery. Once you understand the machinery, the levers appear.

11/19/2025

🧠 Dear Reporters: Here’s What Homeowners Are Really Asking Me About Mortgages Right Now

Every week reporters hit my inbox with questions about mortgages, credit, and what’s actually happening in people’s lives.

This week, three big themes keep popping up in my emails, and they’re the same three questions I hear from my clients every day:

1. “What really happens if I miss a mortgage payment?”

Short version:
It’s scary, but it’s not instant doom.

• Most loans have a grace period (often about 15 days) where you’re not reported late to credit, but you may get a late fee after that.

• Your credit report doesn’t show a late mortgage payment until you’re a full 30 days past due. That’s when the big score drop happens.

• By 60 and 90 days late, the letters get louder and the word “default” starts showing up. Foreclosure is a process, not a lightning strike, but you don’t want to test how long it takes.

If you do miss one:

• Call your servicer before they chase you.

• Ask about a one-time late fee waiver, 30 day late courtesy removal and how to get back on track.

• If it’s a bigger hardship, ask about forbearance or loan modification.

A single late payment is a bruise, not a death sentence. A pattern is the problem.

2. “Why did my mortgage payment go down this year?”

Not all surprises are bad.

Your payment can drop for a few reasons:

• Escrow adjustment: If your property taxes or insurance went down or your servicer collected too much last year, your escrow gets recalculated and your monthly payment can drop.

• Refinance: If you refinance to a lower rate or stretch the term, your monthly payment can go down (even if your total lifetime interest goes up).

• PMI removal: Once you have enough equity, you may be able to drop private mortgage insurance, which can lower your payment by $100–$300+ a month depending on your loan size. Pick up the phone and call your mortgage servicer to ask about options for removal.

Moral of the story:

Your payment is not just “principal and interest.” It’s a little bundle: principal, interest, taxes, insurance, maybe PMI. Any piece that changes can move the whole number up or down.

3. “What exactly is down payment assistance and is it a trap?”

Down payment assistance (DPA) is money that helps cover your down payment and/or closing costs, usually from a state agency or nonprofit, so you don’t have to bring as much cash.

It can look like:

• A grant (true gift, often tied to income limits or staying in the home a certain number of years)

• A forgivable second loan that disappears slowly over time if you meet the rules

• A deferred-payment loan you repay later when you sell or refinance

Who tends to qualify?

• First-time buyers (which often means “no home in the last 3 years”)

• Buyers under certain income limits

• Sometimes teachers, nurses, first responders, or specific neighborhoods

DPA is not a scam. The trap is when no one explains the fine print: recapture rules, second liens, or higher rates in exchange for the assistance. Used wisely, it’s the bridge that moves you from “we can afford the payment but not the cash” into a real set of house keys.

Reporters ask me these questions because homeowners are living them in real time.

If you’re sitting with any of these in your head right now:
afraid of a missed payment?
confused by your new escrow bill?
or wondering if down payment help
is for “people like you”?
….you are exactly who I spend my days talking to.

🖍️ Color My Credit isn’t about being perfect. It’s about understanding the rules of the game so you can stop playing scared.

💬 Got a question you wish a reporter would ask me? Drop it in the comments. I’ll answer here…and maybe in my next interview too.

10/10/2025

🚗 What To Do When You’re Upside Down On Your Car

Lately, I keep hearing the same thing:

“I really need a new car… but I’m upside down on mine.”

Let’s slow this car down before you hit the trade-in trap. Being “upside down” isn’t a death sentence….it’s just math, mixed with a little emotion.

💡 Step 1: Check Your Math Before You Panic

“Upside down” means you owe more than your car is worth on paper.
But are your numbers even right?

• Log in to your lender’s portal for your exact payoff (not what’s on your last statement).

• Then get real quotes from Carvana, CarMax, and Facebook Marketplace to see what the market says your car’s worth.

• Subtract value from payoff = that’s your true “upside down” amount.

You might be shocked — it’s often way less than you think.

🧠 Step 2: Ask Yourself Why You Want a New Car

Is your car unreliable, unsafe, or costing more to fix than it’s worth?
Okay, that’s valid.

But if you just want something new, it might be your brain craving a little dopamine, not a new payment.

A $700 car payment looks shiny until you realize it comes with higher insurance and another five to seven years of debt.

Sometimes, the smartest move is to love the one you’re with while you rebuild your equity and your peace of mind.

⚙️ Step 3: If You Truly Need to Replace It, Be Strategic

✅ Do:
• Get preapproved with your bank or credit union before visiting the dealership.

• Ask about programs that can help with negative equity but read the fine print twice.

• Consider refinancing your current loan to lower payments while you plan your next move.

❌ Don’t:
• Roll old debt into a new loan without realizing you’re paying interest on your past choices.

• Assume leasing will fix it . Most leases can hide that debt inside the deal.

• Let a dealer tell you “we’ll take care of it” without seeing the math in writing.

🎯 Flip Mode Mindset

If you’re $4,000 upside down with a $600 payment …that’s about seven months of payments.
Ride it out. Rebuild your position.
Save for your next down payment.
In a year, you’ll be in the driver’s seat again not the passenger of your past.

💬 Bottom Line:
You can’t drive your way out of negative equity but you can plan your way out of it.
Don’t let a temporary imbalance convince you that you’re stuck.
Your financial story doesn’t end in a dealership parking lot. It just needs a new route.

09/30/2025

💡 Is it time to rethink health insurance? 💡

Most of us keep paying higher and higher premiums 💸 only to get less coverage and more headaches. Here’s a thought: what if you only used insurance for what it’s really meant for—catastrophic events (heart attacks, cancer, major surgeries)—and paid cash for the rest?

That’s called a hybrid approach 👉 catastrophic insurance + direct-pay or subscription-based doctors.

✅ The Upside:
• Predictable monthly costs for routine care (like $70–$120 for unlimited visits with a subscription doctor).

• Cash prices for labs, imaging, and meds that can be 50–90% lower than insurance billing.

• Protection from six-figure bills when life throws a curveball.

⚠️ The Blind Spots:
• Subscription doctors (Direct Primary Care) don’t cover specialists or hospital care.

• Not every service is included—make sure you ask what’s extra.

• You still need a plan (and a fund) for big stuff until you hit your deductible.

✨ The Key: A hybrid plan isn’t for everyone, but for many families it can mean saving thousands while keeping control of your care.

Before you switch, use this quick rule of thumb: insurance for disasters 🚑,
cash or subscription for the basics 🩺.

Would you explore a setup like this for yourself?
(See comments for green flags and red flags when looking for subscription based direct primary care.)

09/24/2025

📌Credit Freeze / Unfreeze Links & Instructions

Keep this saved so you can always manage your credit freezes with one click.

Experian
🔗 https://www.experian.com/freeze/center.html
1. Click “Freeze or Unfreeze.”
2. Log in or create an account.
3. Choose “Freeze” (or “Lift/Unfreeze”) and confirm.

Equifax
🔗 https://www.equifax.com/personal/credit-report-services/credit-freeze/
1. Click “Place or Manage a Freeze.”
2. Sign in or create a “myEquifax” account.
3. Select “Freeze” or “Unfreeze” and follow prompts.

TransUnion
🔗 https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze
1. Click “Start Freeze” or “Manage Freeze.”
2. Log in or set up an account.
3. Choose “Freeze” (or “Lift/Unfreeze”) and save changes.

Now just hold down this area and copy and paste it into your Notes app so you can easily access it wherever you are and can easily freeze and unfreeze your credit quickly.

09/16/2025

🚨 Student Loan Transfer Credit Reporting Errors – What You Can Do

If you’ve ever had your student loan sold or transferred from one servicer to another (like Nelnet ➡️ Aidvantage, MOHELA, CRI, etc.), you may have noticed something scary:
suddenly your credit report shows late payments (30, 60, 90+ days) … even though you never actually missed a payment.

👉 This happens because during the transfer, the old servicer sometimes marks the account as “closed/late” before the new servicer updates the records.
👉 It’s not your fault—but those lates can wreck your credit score for years if you don’t challenge them.

The good news? You have rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) to fix this. You just need to go directly through the credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion). Do not waste time going back and forth between loan servicers—they’ll just send you in circles.

🛠️ Step 1: Get Your Reports

Pull your free credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and save the pages that show the incorrect late payments.

🛠️ Step 2: Send a Written Dispute to the Bureaus

Mail each bureau a certified letter with your proof. This forces them to reinvestigate with the servicer.

Here’s a cut-and-paste letter template you can use (just replace the info in brackets with your details):

✂️ Credit Dispute Letter Template ✂️

[Your Name]
[Your Address]
[City, State, ZIP]
[Date]

[Credit Bureau Name]
[Credit Bureau Address]

Re: Dispute of Inaccurate Credit Reporting under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
Account in Question: [Loan Servicer Name, Account/Loan Number]

Dear [Credit Bureau],

I am writing to formally dispute inaccurate information appearing on my credit report, in accordance with my rights under the Fair Credit Reporting Act (15 U.S.C. § 1681i).

The account referenced above, originally serviced by [Old Servicer] and transferred to [New Servicer] in [Month, Year], is being reported as 90+ days past due. This information is inaccurate and misleading for the following reasons:
1. At the time the alleged delinquency was reported, my account was in transfer between servicers and/or under review for discharge/forbearance.
2. I was not delinquent on this account, and the reporting of late payments is erroneous.
3. This inaccurate reporting is damaging my credit profile and does not reflect the true status of the account.

Enclosed, please find supporting documentation, including:
• Proof of my loan transfer and/or discharge application
• Current credit report page showing the inaccurate late payment reporting

Requested Action:
Please conduct a reinvestigation of this account and either correct the reporting to accurately reflect the account’s status or delete the inaccurate late payment entry entirely.

Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.

Sincerely,
[Your Signature]
[Your Printed Name]
[SSN last 4 digits / DOB for identification]

Enclosures:
• Copy of driver’s license or ID
• Proof of address (utility bill, etc.)
• Documentation listed above

🛠️ Step 3: Mail Certified to All 3 Bureaus
• Experian: P.O. Box 4500, Allen, TX 75013
• Equifax: P.O. Box 740256, Atlanta, GA 30374
• TransUnion: P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016

Send certified mail with return receipt—this starts the 30-day investigation clock.

🛠️ Step 4: If They Don’t Fix It

If the bureaus don’t fix the error within 30 days, file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB.gov) and the U.S. Dept. of Education Ombudsman.

✨ Bottom line: Don’t let servicer transfer errors destroy your credit. These “ghost lates” are fixable, but you must take action through the credit bureaus with documentation.

Address

Scottsdale, AZ
85250–85271

Website

http://colormycredit.com/

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