Financial counseling is assisting clients in the development and creative use of all their resources to achieve economic financial security or well-being by generating alternatives from which the client chooses. Ultimately the client is assisted to improve quality of life with less wasteful resources. The processes are: (more…)

There seems to be an abundance of activity on the financial literacy front. Vitt et al. (2000) identify 91 programs offered by schools, Cooperative Extension, colleges (including community colleges), the military, faith-based organizations, community groups, employers, and others. The National Endowment for Financial Education lists over 150 educational resources from a wide range of agencies, organizations, and firms in its Economic Independence Clearinghouse database; many of these materials are available in multiple languages. (more…)

The lack of ability to work due to disability is a stressful time, not only physically but also emotionally. The uncertainty of the future, as for how to provide themselves and their family the support of living are some of the questions when they are confronted with a serious illness or injury. Find out about Social Security, supplemental security benefits, and disability at www.ssa.gov. (more…)

You have just completed the necessary step to examine and diagnose your financial planning process. You are now ready for the next step. The concepts and principles of investing discussed in this section may be considered a prescription to aid in the improvement of your financial health. (more…)

It’s always wise to carefully evaluate all of your options before making a financial decision. That’s especially true when it comes to bankruptcy because of the long-term consequences, and there are many options that people consider including reverse mortgages. What exactly is a reverse mortgage and is it a good idea for paying off your debt? (more…)

Debt begets more debt. Has there been a truer statement? This is especially true right now during a very hard economic cycle. Most people are struggling to pay their debts and it seems that when you take one step forward, you are pushed two steps back. Here are the ways that this happens (and what you can do to get out of the cycle). (more…)

When you loan money or charge an item to a credit card, you are using cash loan or credit. Credit is an arrangement to receive cash, goods, or services now and pay for them in the future. Consumer credit is the use of credit for personal needs. It is also an indicator of consumer spending and demand. A common form of consumer credit loan is a credit card account issued by a financial institution. (more…)

When it comes to financial basics, and your money matters become more complex, you need a proper record keeping guidelines. Gone are the days when the bankbooks and canceled checks were the only pieces of paper we had to keep and organize. Now, bank records, bank statements, bank account, savings account records, mutual fund statements, deductible expenses, and bunch of other papers threaten to drown us. In this situation, having an effective and efficient record keeping are more important than ever. There should be a record keeping guidelines that save our days. (more…)