Sarah Kimball, CFP®

About Sarah

Sarah Kimball is a CFP® (Certified Financial Planner) with 14 years in mortgage lending and personal finance. She worked as a Senior Loan Officer at Rocket Mortgage in Detroit for 6 years — originating over $120 million in residential loans — before transitioning to financial journalism at Bankrate where she built their first-time homebuyer content hub.

Sarah has been quoted as a mortgage expert by the Associated Press, U.S. News & World Report, and Realtor.com. She holds a BA in Finance from Michigan State University and her CFP from the CFP Board. At MONEYlume, Sarah helps renters understand whether buying makes financial sense, which loan program fits their credit profile, and how to negotiate with lenders on rate and fees.

Areas of Expertise

• Mortgage rate comparison & lender selection
• FHA vs. conventional vs. VA loan analysis
• First-time homebuyer programs (state DPA programs)
• Home affordability calculations & debt-to-income ratio
• Refinancing: break-even analysis & cash-out refi

Featured In & Cited By

• Associated Press
• U.S. News & World Report
• Realtor.com
• HousingWire
• Bankrate

Career Background

• Rocket Mortgage (Senior Loan Officer, 2010–2016)
• Bankrate (Mortgage Editor, 2016–2021)

Education: BA Finance, Michigan State University · CFP® (CFP Board) · NMLS Licensed Mortgage Originator

Editorial Standards

All content by Sarah Kimball, CFP® is written according to MONEYlume's editorial standards. Facts are verified against primary sources including the IRS, Federal Reserve, CFPB, and peer-reviewed financial research. Articles are updated when regulations or market conditions change significantly.