Your Credit, Your Power: LGBTQ+ Financial Safety with TransUnion’s Margaret Poe

Your credit isn’t just a number — it’s a key part of your financial security. And for LGBTQ+ individuals and couples, strong credit can provide access, protection, and freedom, especially as you plan for retirement.  This time around, Matt sits down with Margaret Poe, Head of Consumer Credit Education at TransUnion, to break down how to safely check and monitor your credit, what red flags to look for, and what to do if something doesn’t look right. With holiday scams and online fraud on the rise, this is must-know information for anyone trying to protect their financial future. After the interview, Matt shares LGBTQ+-specific insights on why credit monitoring is essential for retirement planning — from housing options to relocation, name changes, and the unique financial challenges our community faces. Resources Discussed: • AnnualCreditReport.com • TransUnion Credit Essentials (free daily monitoring) Schedule your free consultation at 855-246-9211 or TakePrideInRetirement.com. --  Take Pride in Retirement is proud to be named one of the top Pride podcasts on the internet by FeedSpot. For more, go to https://blog.feedspot.com/pride_podcasts About Take Pride in Retirement:Take Pride in Retirement is a podcast dedicated to retirement planning solutions for the LGBTQ community. Host Matt McClure, a licensed fiduciary financial advisor, shares strategies to protect your hard-earned money while pursuing market-like growth. Matt holds the RSSA® credential as a Registered Social Security Analyst®, helping clients optimize their Social Security filing strategies to potentially increase lifetime income. He’s also a Certified Annuity Specialist® (CAS®), a designation earned through a 135+ hour graduate-level program in fixed-rate and variable annuities from the Institute of Business & Finance. Based in Georgia with his husband and two dogs, Matt spent over a decade in New York City, working with The Wall Street Journal Radio Network, NY1, and WCBS Newsradio 880. A career highlight includes reporting from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange. Chapters (00:00:00) - Take Pride in Retirement(00:00:53) - Take Pride in Retirement(00:02:20) - LGBTQ + Financial and Retirement Planning(00:03:44) - Take Pride in Retirement to Your Retirement(00:06:00) - Check Your Credit Regularly(00:06:53) - Why is it important to check your credit report and score regularly?(00:11:43) - Are Credit Report Red flags Signifying Identity Fraud?(00:14:17) - Do You Need to Improve Your Credit Score?(00:15:56) - Tips for Credit Monitoring(00:16:39) - Your Credit Report and the LGBTQ+ Community(00:19:47) - Take Pride in Retirement! 4 Action Items(00:24:20) - Take Pride in Retirement