Welcome, County of San Mateo Employees
San Mateo Credit Union (SMCU) and The County of San Mateo is providing you with Access to Free Counseling with Industry Leader BALANCE
Our counseling services range from money management to housing to debt management and everything in between. Our counselors are certified. and they are your financial gurus, here to give you the right guidance and support, whatever your financial situation.
To speak with a counselor, call toll-free 888-456-2227 or complete form
Let the counselor know you are going through the SMCU county counseling program.
Monday–Thursday 7:30 AM–6 PM, Friday 7:30 AM–5 PM, Saturday 9 AM–2 PM (Pacific Time)
BALANCE’s Privacy Policy may be found Here Privacy Policy
The program is for any employee who have a credit score below 650 and you want to improve your financial health. If your credit score is 650 and above you can still take advantage of any of the counseling sessions for free through the partnership with San Mateo Credit Union (SMCU) and the County of San Mateo
Choose the free counseling session that fits your situation:
Credit Report Review(special program for those with a score under 650 or those that wish to review, understand or improve their score)
We will review your credit reports and answer questions about credit scoring, building a strong credit history, and correcting any inaccuracies that appear on the report. A clean credit report means you are a candidate for better rates on mortgages, car loans, personal loans, credit cards and securing insurance.
You are entitled to a free copy of your credit report every 12 months from each credit reporting company. You can request your free credit report at: www.annualcreditreport.com.
Debt Counseling
Our counselors work with you to create a comprehensive plan to get out of debt. We will work with you on communications with your creditors, if a consolidation loan would be right for you or a Debt Management Plan and find your best solution. To design the most effective plan for becoming debt free, your counselor will need to know your monthly income and living expenses as well as how much you owe to each of your creditors.
Budget Counseling
Our counselors review current spending patterns and create a spending plan which allows you to take charge of your financial situation by creating financial goals and developing an action plan for overcoming challenges that threaten your future growth.
Housing: Foreclosure Prevention/Default Counseling
This counseling is for those at risk of falling behind on their mortgage payments or are already delinquent. A HUD-certified Housing counselor can work with you and your mortgage servicer to identify which options are available. The housing counselor will help develop a comprehensive action plan specifically tailored to your unique financial circumstances.
Housing: Pre-Purchase Counseling
Buying a house is the largest purchase you will probably ever make, so it is vital to have as much information as possible in preparation for taking that step. A neutral, non-biased, HUD-certified housing counseling counselor can help you navigate the roadmap to homeownership. A housing counselor will help you:
· understand how much buying power you have
· create a successful and sustainable spending plan
· identify any potential down payment assistance programs
· explain the different types of mortgage loans, how to pick the right realtor, and the importance of a home inspection
· prepare you for closing in order to confidently make this financial commitment
Please also reach out to SMCU for programs available for home buying options
Q&A
Who is BALANCE?
Balance is a non-profit with a commitment to promoting financial wellness starting back in 1969 originally as the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of San Francisco (CCCSSF). For more than 50 years, we’ve dedicated ourselves to providing money management education and assistance to local consumers. Since then, we’ve grown nationally through various partnerships with the financial services industry, government agencies, local charters, and corporations. Today we are known as BALANCE and continue our commitment to educate, inform and empower our clients to take control of their financial lives.
How long with the session(s) take?
That depends on you. Each session runs about one hour. Then your work begins. Depending on the session you could expect 2-4 further sessions for you to be successful in your financial empowerment.
Who are the Counselors?
The over 50 counselors on staff have gone through extensive training and certification to be the best for you. The certified BALANCE counselors are required to successfully complete certifications from Accredited Financial Counselor certification by AFCPE and Planning Education . Also they are required to earn the Certified Financial Counselor Certification from the National Association of Certified Credit Counselors. They must meet and complete the Fair Credit Reporting Act Certification Program. The Housing counselors also must successfully complete the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s housing counselor certification and the NIS by signing and agreeing to abide by NIS Code of Ethics, Conduct, and Guidelines with certification from NCHEC.
Will my employer be notified of my participation and what I talk about?
No, the session(s) will be confidential and your name or information will not be shared with your employer.
Exclusive County Programs
County Employee Down Payment Assistance Program
San Mateo Credit Union is proud to be partnering with County of San Mateo for a down payment assistance program. Please check back often or review your employee communications for upcoming informational sessions.
County Employee Quick Cash Loan Program
SMCU has been serving County employees since 1952, and we’re proud to be the preferred lender for this exciting Quick Cash program in partnership with the County of San Mateo Department of Human Resources.
You can also visit your County Benefits page or the SMCU County page for more information on these two programs.
For more info about the programs available at SMCU email [email protected] or call 650-363-1725