Empowering Financial Futures: Credit Union of Georgia Teams Up with Equifax for Credit 101 Webinar

Credit Union of Georgia recently partnered with Equifax to host a powerful and informative Credit 101 Webinar, helping members take control of their financial health through a deeper understanding of credit. As the first credit union in Georgia to pilot this initiative, the session marked a meaningful step in advancing financial education and literacy across the community.

Held on March 27, 2025, the virtual event drew 137 registrants, with 35+ active participants joining live to build their credit knowledge and financial confidence.

“Our goal is to provide our members with the tools and knowledge necessary to make informed financial decisions,” said Michelle Dobbins, VP of Marketing at Credit Union of Georgia. “Partnering with Equifax allows us to deliver trusted credit education that helps our community build financial confidence and security.”

What the Workshop Covered

This engaging and accessible webinar, powered by Equifax’s trusted credit expertise, explored:

• Understanding Credit – What credit is and why it matters
• Defining Credit Advantages & Disadvantages – How credit can help or hinder your goals
• Creating a Healthy Financial Relationship – Strategies to maintain and build credit

Participants also learned how to read credit reports, interpret scores, and avoid common pitfalls that can damage financial standing.

What is a credit report?

A credit report is a detailed summary of your financial behavior, including account types, balances, and payment history. Lenders use it to assess your creditworthiness.

What is a credit score?

A credit score is a three-digit number (typically ranging from 300 to 850) that represents your likelihood of repaying your debts. It’s calculated based on the data in your credit report.

Key factors in a credit score:

• Payment history – How consistently you pay bills on time
• Credit utilization – How much of your available credit you’re using
• Length of credit history – How long you’ve had credit accounts
• Credit mix – How many types of credit do you use (credit cards, loans, etc)
• New credit – Frequency of new account applications

Maintaining healthy credit includes reviewing your reports annually, paying bills on time, limiting new applications, and reducing outstanding debt. As a bonus tip, participants learned the importance of freezing their credit to help prevent identity theft and fraud.

Best Practices for Building and Maintaining Credit

• Review your credit reports from all three bureaus (Equifax, TransUnion, and Experian) at least once a year via AnnualCreditReport.com
• Pay bills on time every month — payment history is the most important scoring factor.
• Keep revolving debt below 30% of your available credit limit.
• Limit applications for new credit to only what you need.
• Consider a credit freeze to help prevent fraud or identity theft — this doesn’t require being a victim of fraud and can be lifted at any time.

Why Good Credit Matters

Good credit helps open doors in many areas of life, including:

• Building assets: Easier access to favorable loan terms for big purchases
• Starting a business: Lenders often assess personal credit before offering business financing
• Employment: Some employers review credit as part of the hiring process

Due to the overwhelming interest and success of the webinar, Credit Union of Georgia is excited to announce another Credit 101 Webinar coming this fall! Credit Union of Georgia remains deeply committed to offering free, high-impact financial education to support our members in building a stable financial future.

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Last Updated: December 3rd, 2025