The Currency of Connection

When you choose to bank local, you’re doing more than managing your money. You’re investing in your community, supporting your neighbors, and building a future that benefits everyone.

Buying your first home might feel out of reach, especially if you’re in your early 20s or navigating student loans, gig work or rising living costs. But here’s the truth: You don’t need to wait to become a homeowner.

If you’re planning to build a home or renovate your current one in Colorado, understanding construction loans is essential. Unlike traditional mortgages, construction loans are designed to fund the building process from start to finish.

If you're juggling multiple monthly payments — credit cards, personal loans, medical bills — you’re not alone. Debt can feel overwhelming, especially when interest rates are high and balances keep growing.

You’ve found the perfect home. But your current one hasn’t sold yet, and you need funds for a down payment. That’s where a bridge loan can help.

If you’re a medical or dental professional looking to buy a home, you may qualify for a special type of mortgage designed just for you.

Your guide to homeownership for veterans and service members

If you're in the market for a new or used vehicle, or even looking to save money on your current auto loan, a credit union like Westerra Credit Union offers flexible, member-focused solutions that can make your journey smoother and more affordable.

Running a business in Colorado takes vision, resilience, and the right financial tools.

Colorado homeowners who locked in mortgage rates around 3% during the pandemic years are now facing a tough decision.

On October 1st, 2025, a federal government shutdown was announced. Westerra Credit Union is showing up for it's members with the new Westerra Cares: Government Relief Loan.

In many parts of the country, access to traditional banking has quietly faded away. What used to be a quick stop at a neighborhood branch has turned into a long drive or a complicated search for basic financial services.

Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies can sound exciting, but they’ve also become a powerful tool for scammers. A growing scheme is targeting people in our community, convincing them to withdraw large sums of cash and deposit it into Bitcoin machines.

This year, there are three vacancies on the Board of Directors with terms of three years, ending in 2029.

It’s time to rewrite the story about money and what it means for your life. Every generation has faced its own mountains and storms. Baby Boomers had their advantages: stable jobs, rising wages, and affordable homes, but that was their chapter, not yours.

Because your money matters, and so does your peace of mind

So, you’ve got the idea, the passion and that spark that says, “I’m ready.” Whether you’re dreaming of a cozy café in Capitol Hill, a landscaping biz in Lakewood or an online shop run from your Highlands home — starting a business in Colorado is exciting!

In today's digital age, scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, and it's crucial to stay vigilant. At Westerra Credit Union, we want to ensure that our community is well-informed and protected against these threats.

Thinking of opening a new Westerra account? While we’d love to see you IRL, you can now open a Money Market Select, Secondary Share, Everyday Money or Smart Money Checking account anytime, anywhere through Digital Banking.

Colorado’s House Bill 25-1192, currently under review, aims to make financial literacy a graduation requirement for high school students. You may be asking yourself: should Colorado schools weave personal finance courses into their curriculum?

Whether you’re a first-time homebuyer or a seasoned homeowner, understanding Private Mortgage Insurance (PMI) is an essential step on your homeownership journey. At Westerra Credit Union, we’re here to support you every step of the way.

Is an adjustable rate mortgage right for me? Short answer: Maybe. Long answer: Let’s talk about it.

We are pleased to announce that Todd Marksberry has been appointed by the Board of Directors as Westerra Credit Union's Interim President & CEO.

Demonstrating its financial strength and stability, Westerra Credit Union (Westerra) announced it has been named to Newsweek’s list of America’s Best Regional Banks and Credit Unions for the second year in a row.

Our acceptance speech is dedicated to you.

Westerra Credit Union Announces Change in Leadership

Everyone knows the importance of saving money. But start looking into specific savings account options and interest-earning opportunities, and suddenly everything starts feeling a whole lot less straightforward. Luckily, you have plenty of options.

A lot has changed since the days of stashing away birthday money and weekly allowance in a ceramic piggy bank.

Support and Relief Resources

76 Teachers Were Awarded $500 Each and Nine School Districts Each Received $1,000

Learn about the advantages of a HELOC

Westerra is reaffirming its dedication to supporting local students and schools through a series of impactful initiatives that include comprehensive financial literacy programs, career development workshops, and more.

Join us on November 8th at 10:00 am mountain time for our First Time Homebuyer Seminar! Attendees will learn about the homebuying process from start to finish and receive $500 off closing costs if they attend the full seminar.

Get a quick snapshot of financial tips and tricks to help get started on the right financial foot forward.

Save the Day. Help your child set up an account

Discover practical tips for teaching kids about money at every age. From early lessons to budgeting for kids and teen money management, help your child build lifelong financial confidence.

We are excited to announce the opening of our new Littleton location! Join us for our Grand Opening Event on October 5th from 10:00 am to 1:00 pm where there will be swag, a raffle for 2 beach cruisers, refreshments and an opportunity to meet Dinger!

Credit Scores help prove to lenders our credit-worthiness in order for them to grant loan products. Are you trying to build your credit? Whether its information about credit, advice on making payments or ways to improve your score we have tips to help!

There are four main Money Personalities: the spender, the saver, the money monk and the avoider. Whichever Money Personality category you fall into, we have tips to help!

Our smart money checking is reverse tier checking account that helps members earn higher rates on lower balances with a competitive 6.00% APY on their first $2000 each month.

Ready for a vacation? We have tips to help you save for your next dream vacation. Whether its cancelling subscriptions, having a garage sale or opening an extra savings account to store your vacation fund, we have tips and strategies for you!

Westerra members can securely send and receive money using our Pay People (P2P) feature in digital banking or our mobile app!

Members should be aware of increased phishing activity where scammers are spoofing Westerra phone numbers to try to access personal information and account numbers from members.

We are proud to announce that we are the proud sponsor for this year's Denver Pridefest and the Denver Pride 5k. We will have a booth at the event and staff participating in the parade and 5K.

We are proud to announce the recipients of the 2024 Westerra Cares Scholarship Program. This scholarship recognizes students’ outstanding academic achievement, leadership potential and community involvement to help continue their educational journey.

We are proud to announce that we are turning 90 this year! We are committed to helping all of our members prosper, which is why we try stick to our roots while also making advancements to further improve the member experience.

Westerra partnered with the Colorado Rockies and chose a teacher to throw the first pitch during the May 10th game in honor of Teacher Appreciation week.

We are excited to announce that Daniel (DJ) Kutch has joined our team as the new Chief Financial Officer! With nearly 25 years of experience in the financial industry DJ is the perfect fit to ensure the sustainability for both Westerra and our members.

We are excited to announce that we will be hosting our annual all staff meeting and afternoon of service, "Volunterra" this Thursday from 12:00-5:00 P.M. MDT. During this meeting staff will work together to build kits to help support our community.

We are pleased to announce that we won the Diamond Award for our " Swim or Swim" video. The Video showcases our very own Cynnomon Gordon and how hard work, perseverance, and positivity helps her best protect our members.

Mark Your Calendar for the Virtual Annual Meeting on Tuesday, April 22, 2025 at 2:00 pm

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have announced some excited news! They now are offering a credit to eligible borrowers to assist with the down payment or closing costs for their new home.

We are proud to announce that we are entering our 10th year as a sponsor for Special Olympics Colorado's Annual plunge. This event raises money to support Special Olympic athletes so that they can participate in sports, health and other programs for free.

This free virtual seminar will provide attendees with valuable financial education, helping them make informed decisions about their finances and improve their overall financial well-being.

Westerra has been selected for Newsweek's "Best Regional Credit Unions" annual list! This list honors financial institutions that support members, support local initiatives and rank high on several criteria points.

Please read this article to learn more about our Annual Notices and important information for Westerra Credit Union 2024.

Curious about the benefits of having a good credit score? A good credit score can affect so many aspects of life like your borrowing power, housing and more!

Manage credit card debt effectively with a credit card balance transfer for lower interest rates and a solid repayment plan.

Before you apply for a mortgage or pre-approval, you’ll need to round up a few documents. We’ve compiled a documentation checklist to make it easy, so nothing gets forgotten.

Buying your first home is a big deal, but you’re not alone. We’ve assembled a few must-have resources here, so you can go from pre-approval to move-in day with total confidence.

Most folks hear the words “down payment” and assume they need 20% cash to buy a home. While that comes in handy, you’ve got a lot of choices to make in your down payment.

What exactly are credit scores, and why do they matter so much? This article walks you through credit scores, explaining how they work and what a good credit score looks like.

So you’ve decided to buy a home. Congrats! Now what?

Thank you for being a loyal member! With 2023 coming to a close, we invite you to reflect on our 2023 Highlights with us.

Westerra is happy to announce that Bryan Wisher has joined the team as our newest MLO.

While the holiday season is known for generosity and giving, it's also a time for scammers to try to line their stockings with your hard-earned money and personal information. In the spirit of the season, we have compiled our "12 Days of Fraud Prevention."

Westerra proudly supports schools in the Denver Metro area through our Westerra Cares Initiative. This initiative allows us to allocate monetary awards to school staff to pay for items or programs that benefit the students and allow for academic success.

Westerra received three prestigious community impact awards in recognition of “Westerra Cares”: Dora Maxwell Community Service Award [State/Regional Level; Honorable Mention National Level] and CU Times’ Luminaries Award – Community Impact [Individual].

Westerra is happy to announce that Kevin Kiernan has joined the team as our newest MLO.

Learn the art of financial management with debit cards! Discover their benefits and smart strategies for budgeting in our latest blog.

Shop using Westerra credit cards to earn rewards points for your purchases. Learn how to redeem Westerra points and where you can spend them in our latest blog.

A guide to earning and using your points.

The Board of Directors of Westerra Credit Union is pleased to announce the appointment of Steven Schmidle as its President and CEO, after serving as Acting President and CEO for the past several months.

Join Westerra in welcoming the newest member of our Mortgage team! As a trusted mortgage advisor, his strong foundation of knowledge and expertise will serve him, and his customer and clients well, as he steps into his this role.

Westerra Credit Union has been honored with the prestigious Dora Maxwell Social Responsibility Award by the Go West Credit Union Association in recognition of our Westerra Cares community engagement initiative.

In an article featured in the Banking Business News Network, Steve Schmidle, Acting CEO for Westerra, shares how Quincy Place combines personal connection with digital-based technology and convenience. Click here to read more. 

Westerra is excited to announce our new financing program called "One- time Close Construction- to- Permanent Loan" which will streamline loan processes for new home construction or renovation projects.

Laura Morales has been approved as an official member of the Westerra Board of Directors and Bill Abbey is returning to the Audit Committee. We appreciate Laura and Bill for their dedication to Westerra and congratulate them on these new roles!

This summer, you can find Team Westerra in your neighborhood! Members and community members are invited to stop by the neighborhood events and celebrations, say hello and learn about Westerra’s products and services.

The inaugural Scholarship Program provide financial assistance to high school seniors in the Denver Metro.

Ron was a tireless and diligent member of our Board and contributed to Westerra’s growth, including attending meetings and providing input on initiatives that served Westerra’s members, until his final days.

With 15 years of experience in the mortgage industry, his most recent role being at Wells Fargo, Kendall brings an approach to mortgage lending that is 100% client and customer focused.

We are excited to announce our new Quincy Place Location opening this summer. Please stay tuned for more exciting details to come.

Westerra was excited to partner Mile High United Way for a special company-wide volunteer event on April 18 in celebration of National Volunteer Week.

We recognize the news about Silicon Valley Bank & Signature Bank may cause concern. Read about the key differences between these for-profit banks and Westerra, a not for profit credit union where each individual depositor is federally insured by the NCUA.

The Polar Plunge is a cold-weather fundraiser aimed at raising $583,000 to provide critical funding for nearly 16,000 Special Olympics Colorado athletes. Supporting this important cause has become a cherished tradition at Westerra Credit Union.

The Housing section of the New York Times highlighted the low-down-payment option offered by Westerra Credit Union. The article provides a variety of information to readers about how to secure a mortgage without a large down payment.

Our Belmar branch staff was happy to have joined the celebration with the Sekulich family of Army Sgt. John Sekulich, who turned 106 years young. Click “Read More” for a link to the interview.

We have been notified of fraudsters impersonating Westerra employees attempting to gain access to sensitive account information. Westerra will never request for you to provide your online account password or passcode over the phone or through text message.

Westerra is pleased to award 71 grants to local schools in the following districts: 27J, Adams 12, Aurora Public Schools, Denver Public Schools, Douglas County Schools, Englewood Public Schools, Huerfano Re-1 School District, and Jeffco School District.

Mario Gil, Westerra's VP of Talent Development, talks about Pride, the LGBTQI+ Community, shares Westerra's values and focus on diversity, equality, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives.

Here is a list of common scams fraudsters use and what members should look out for during the holiday season.

Westerra is highlighting its partnership with the Colorado Clean Energy Fund's RENU program, a statewide residential Energy Efficient loan program.

Forbes' annual rankings of the Best-In-State Banks & Credit Unions in the U.S. names Westerra among the top 5 CUs in Colorado.

Forbes' published its annual rankings of the Best-in-State Banks & Credit Unions in the U.S., names Westerra among the top 5 CUs in Colorado.