USEFUL EXTRAS


CREDIT AND BUDGETING, INCLUDING COUNSELING

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The Federal Trade Commission advises on receiving credit counseling at this site.

For free credit and budgeting counseling call Consumer Credit Counseling, 301/231-5833

Credit counseling is offered free on Tuesdays at 2 p.m. at the Gilchrist Center in Wheaton.

HOC’s staff member, Valerie Johnson at 240-773-9310, provides individual financial counseling. Counseling is also available with our volunteers Chanpen, 301-320-5015, and Harriet Horvitz, 301-622-9276.

DebtAdvice.org is a service provided by the members of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) [call 800-388-2227 or visit the website], most of them known as Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS). The NFCC sets standards for "credit counseling, debt reduction services, and education for financial wellness." The site provides a directory of local agencies that can provide advice.

Another organization providing information on non-profit credit counseling services is the Association of Independent Consumer Credit Counseling Agencies (AICCCA) [call 800-450-1794 or visit the website.]

If a credit-counseling firm has not joined either the NFCC or the AICCCA, find out why before paying any fee.

FINANCIAL SOLUTIONS:
for a basic guide to smart money. You can print the list of tips.

Need help getting out of debt? Other contacts: The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) provides some education online. You can see their free online newsletter with news, tips and information about financial education at www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/moneysmart/newsletter/index.html. See instructions for subscription at www.fdic.gov/about/subscriptions/index.html.

MONEY MANAGEMENT: For a free package of helpful publications on saving, investing, protecting and getting the most for your money, see www.mymoney.gov to order the "My Money" tool kit, or call 1/888- 696-6639, between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. The “My Money” tool kit has information to help you choose and use credit cards, get out of debt, protect your credit record, understand your Social Security benefits, insure your bank deposits, and start a savings and investing plan.

A web site calling itself Practical Money Skills for Life gives advice on many money matters such as improving your credit rating and giving an allowance to your children.

YOUR CREDIT RATING
Anyone residing in Maryland can receive a free credit report once a year. You can use www.annualcreditreport.com/cra/index.jsp to request your report.
If you want to know what is in a credit report, click on this description given by "the Motley Fool."
(Call or write these companies:)
  Equifax: 1-800-685-1111www.credit.equifax.com Call for your free report.
  Experian: 1-888-397-3742 www.experian.com You may apply on-line.
Click here.
  Trans Union: 1-800-888-4213www.transunion.com You may obtain the form
to be mailed in (if you have
Adobe Acrobat Reader)
in pdf format. Click here.
After you get your report, call 1-877-382-4357 or see www.ftc.gov if there is a problem about it and to get help restoring good credit.

If you get your credit report from TransUnion, as above, you also get your credit score.

Your use of credit cards affects your credit rating. The Washington Post of January 25, 2004 included this article about credit.

You can estimate the credit rating (FICO score) that a bank would give to you at this site.

Families of Montgomery County public school students and alumni or private high school students are eligible for membership in the Montgomery County Teachers Federal Credit Union (MCTFCU). For information, call 948-9880 or visit www.mctfcu.org.

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