Give Me Credit

Divorce does not erase your name from a loan. That is the hard truth attorney David Cox breaks down in this Summer Encore episode of GMC #34. Even if a divorce decree assigns a debt to your ex, lenders are not part of that agreement. If your name is on the account, you are still responsible. And if payments are missed, your credit takes the hit anyway. We talk through what actually happens with jo...

The Big Dumb Machine and 7 Truths About Credit, Debt, and Financial Recovery Season One comes to a close as hosts JS Whaldo and John Mackey look back on forty-five episodes of Give Me Credit and the biggest lessons learned from conversations with attorneys, credit experts, mortgage professionals, appraisers, loss mitigation specialists, and consumer advocates. After a year of discussing credit rep...

Experian, Credit Scores and the Hidden Business Behind Consumer Data Are credit bureaus really neutral? In Episode 45 of Give Me Credit, hosts JS Whaldo and John Mackey examine how Experian evolved from a credit reporting agency into a powerful marketing platform that profits from consumer financial behavior. This episode explores the relationship between credit bureaus, credit scores, consumer da...

Attorney David Cox of Two Rivers Law returns to Give Me Credit for a second conversation with hosts JS Whaldo and John Mackey. This episode dives into the realities of legal judgments and debt collection. Winning a lawsuit may establish who owes money, but collecting that money can be expensive, difficult, and time-consuming. Topics include: Why a judgment doesn't guarantee payment Writs of execut...

Most people think a home appraisal is just another box to check during the mortgage process. It is not. In our latest episode of Give Me Credit, we break down what an appraisal actually is and why it can completely change the direction of a real estate deal. We talk about: • Why appraisals are legal, data-driven arguments• The difference between appraisals, inspections, and tax assessments• Why li...

What happens when credit systems stop seeing people and start seeing patterns? In this latest episode of Give Me Credit, John Mackey and I welcome ethics professor Neil Tift back to the podcast for a deeper discussion about algorithmic credit systems and the growing power imbalance inside modern lending. We talk about: • How predictive data can override human context• Why financial hardship often...

In this episode of Give Me Credit, John and I sat down with Mike Brennan, founder of The Realty School, and we talked about a gap in real estate education that doesn’t get enough attention. Real estate agents are not being trained in financial literacy in any meaningful way, especially regarding credit, debt, and how buyers qualify for a mortgage. I Get full access to Mortgage Lending Explained at...

This week on Give Me Credit, John Mackey and I sit down with real estate educator Michael Brennan, of The RealtySchool.com, for a conversation that goes far beyond passing a licensing exam. We explore what real estate professionals are actually responsible for during a transaction, including contracts, disclosures, negotiations, legal liability, ethics, and protecting consumers from costly mistake...

If you’ve been trying to make sense of today’s mortgage options, you’re not alone. In this episode of Give Me Credit, John turned the microphone on me, and we dug into two of the most misunderstood topics in lending right now: Adjustable Rate Mortgages (ARMs) and Temporary Buydowns. There’s a lot of noise online about both products. Some people call them dangerous. Others act like they’re magic so...

Most people think credit is just a number sitting quietly in the background of their lives. A tool that measures behavior and spits out a score. But the more time you spend inside this system, the harder it is to pretend it is passive. Credit does not just observe. It tracks patterns, records decisions, and then shapes what happens next. It influences where someone can live, what they will pay, an...

You fix your credit report. Or at least, you think you do. The balance shows zero. The account says settled. The bankruptcy is discharged. And then… it shows up again. In this episode of Give Me Credit, we brought back attorney Jacob Hippensteel for a third time because the deeper we go into this system, the more problems we uncover. This time, we’re talking about the issues that don’t just hurt y...

A powerful, real-life conversation about debt, credit stress, and financial recovery. In this episode, M shares her personal experience with falling behind financially and the emotional toll that comes with it. We discuss why people avoid checking their credit, how to communicate with creditors, and practical steps to regain control of your finances. If you are feeling overwhelmed by bills or unsu...

If you think your credit report exists to help you, this episode is going to change that. In this conversation, John and I sit down again with consumer attorney Jacob Hippensteel to take a deeper look at what is really happening behind the scenes of the credit reporting system. And here is the uncomfortable truth. You are not the customer. The credit bureaus are not built to serve you. They are bu...

In this episode, we sit down with divorce attorney David Cox to unpack one of the most misunderstood financial traps in divorce. Here is the hard truth. A divorce decree may assign a debt to one spouse, but it does not rewrite the original contract with the creditor. If your name is on that loan, you are still on the hook. Period. We walk through what really happens when an ex-spouse misses paymen...

Most people don’t understand how debt collection works until they’re already in it. In GMC 33, I sit down with John Mackey to walk through his new course,  Debt Collections: Lies, Damn Lies and Deceit . We go module by module, breaking down what he teaches and why it matters if you’ve ever dealt with a collector. This episode isn’t the course. It’s your preview of what you’ve probably never been t...

In Part 1, we pulled back the curtain on a hard truth. Most people believe someone is actually reading their credit dispute letter. That’s not entirely accurate. In Part 2, we take you inside the system. And once you understand what really happens, you won’t look at a dispute the same way again. J.S. Whaldo and John Mackey walk through what happens after you hit send. Your story, your details, you...

Most people believe that when they dispute something on their credit report, they are starting a conversation. They imagine that someone, somewhere, will read their explanation, review the evidence, and decide whether the information should be corrected. It feels personal—like a chance to explain what happened and set the record straight. But the modern dispute process doesn’t really work that way...

We spend twelve years in school learning history, math, and science. Yet many students graduate without ever learning how a checking account works, what an overdraft fee is, or why a missed payment can follow them for years. That gap is finally starting to get attention. In this episode of Give Me Credit , John Mackey and I discuss a new Minnesota law requiring high school students to complete a p...

Today’s episode goes deeper. In Part 1, we questioned whether Credit Karma functions as financial education or referral marketing. In Part 2, we examine the structure itself. One polished credit score. Frequent alerts. Pre-approval offers one click away. It feels empowering. But most users are seeing a VantageScore, while many lenders, especially in mortgage underwriting, rely on FICO scoring mode...

This week on Give Me Credit, we sit down with FCRA attorney Jacob Hippensteel, owner of Hippensteel Law Firm to talk about one of the most powerful and misunderstood consumer protection laws in America, the Fair Credit Reporting Act. Your credit report is not just a score generator. It is a federally regulated legal document. And you have enforceable rights under the FCRA. Jacob breaks down what t...

Give Me Credit #27: Credit Karma, VantageScore vs FICO, and the Marketing Machine Behind “Free” Credit Scores In this episode, credit expert John Mackey and mortgage underwriter J.S. Whaldo examine the Credit Karma business model and its impact on consumers. Topics covered: • How Credit Karma makes money through affiliate commissions and lead generation• Why free credit scores are part of a data-d...

If you think you already understand credit, this episode is your reminder that the rules are changing and not always in your favor. In this rerun of Give Me Credit Podcast Episode 10, credit expert John Mackey and mortgage underwriter JS Whaldo go back to the foundation of consumer credit protection: the Fair Credit Reporting Act. We talk about why it exists, what rights it gives you, and why so m...

We’ve never done this before, but some episodes are too good to let pass by. Due to John taking a short break, we’re re-running GMC #16, one of our highest-rated episodes. Packed with insights, expert guidance, and moments that had our listeners talking, this episode is a must-hear whether you missed it the first time or want to relive the highlights. Don’t miss out. Tune in now and discover why G...

Most people think debt collection is about repayment. It’s not. It’s about leverage, data, and getting you to say or do just enough to build a legal case against yourself. In today’s podcast episode, credit expert John Mackey pulls back the curtain on the modern debt collection industry and introduces his course, Debt Collections: Lies, Damn Lies, and Deceit . We talk candidly about how consumers...

Episode 23: Inside the Debt Collection System and the Course Teaching Consumers How to Navigate It In this episode of the Give Me Credit podcast, mortgage expert J.S. Whaldo interviews credit authority John Mackey about the debt collection industry, the surge in consumer debt lawsuits, and why most people lose simply because they do not understand the legal process. Mackey explains that debt colle...