Real Clients, Real Success

Every client has a story. Setbacks. Hard work. Success. When you hear their stories you may be surprised at how much of yourself you see in their circumstances. No matter the differences, however, the end result is the same across every story - they decided to make a change and reached their goals as a result. You can do the same.

Financial Tips and Advice

We blog about all kinds of financial topics - from the psychology of spending to the simplest ways to cut costs. Browse our extensive backlog of educational articles.

  • Woman reviewing financial documents

    Coronavirus Benefits are Ending Soon – What to Know and How to Prepare

    The Federal CARES Act has offered benefits to help those who have been hit hard financially by the coronavirus outbreak. But with a handful of COVID relief programs ending soon, what should you do to plan financially? Let’s a look at the most important programs coming to a halt and how to prepare.
  • Apartment for rent sign

    How to Rent When You Have Bad Credit

    Finding a new apartment is stressful enough in the best of circumstances, but if your credit is less than stellar, things can get pretty difficult. So what can you do if your credit score is low but you need to find a new apartment? Here are some steps to take if you’re trying to rent an apartment with bad credit.
  • community property concept

    What You Need to Know If You Live in a Community Property State

    In community property states, assets and liabilities that either person acquires during the marriage become the joint property of both spouses. In other words, “what’s mine is yours” legally applies to all sorts of income and debts. Here's what that can mean for you.
  • opening a shop while wearing a facial mask

    Smart Ways to Support Local Businesses During Quarantine

    If you’re trying to support a local restaurant during the current pandemic, the solution may seem simple: just boot up your favorite delivery app and place an order. Unfortunately, while ordering food on your phone is great for convenience, it’s not always great for the restaurant. Here are some alternative ways to directly support your local favorites.
  • A crowd at a gay pride parade

    Regaining Pride in My Finances: A Queer Journey From Struggle to Strength

    For many in the LGBTQ community, the experience of coming out and processing their identity is tied to their personal financial journey in many painful and and sometimes long-lasting ways. This is a story of one writer's struggle and eventual triumph and the lessons they learned along the way.
  • Father camping indoors with his young kids

    The Secret to a Quarantine Staycation that’s Actually Fun

    While many places in the U.S. are starting to allow businesses to reopen, and stay-at-home mandates have been relaxed to safer-at-home orders, if you’re playing it safe and trying to minimize the risk for yourself and others, you probably won’t be traveling anytime soon. To help fill that summertime void, we’ve drummed up some ideas for a fun quarantine staycation:
  • Mother working in a garden with two small children

    How Minimalism Can Improve Your Relationship With Money

    One way to address an uneven budget is to change your philosophy toward spending and embrace minimalism. Adopting a "less is more" mindset can save you a lot of money, but in a number of ways, it can also improve your relationship with personal finance. Here's what you need to know about minimalism and your budget.
  • couple starting a home improvement project

    How Do HELOCs Work and When Should You Use One?

    A HELOC is a type of second mortgage. Instead of getting the full loan amount upfront, however, you’ll open a line of credit that you can borrow against multiple times. It can be a helpful option if you anticipate needing to take out multiple loans in the coming years, but HELOCs aren’t always the best way to go.
  • Eviction notice hanging on a door

    How to Prepare for the End of an Eviction Moratorium

    During the coronavirus pandemic, you may have received temporary relief in the form of an eviction moratorium. These moratoriums help keep people in their homes during this difficult time, but they don't prevent your rent or mortgage from falling further behind and once a moratorium ends you’ll need to bring yourself current or face a potential eviction.
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  • The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) is an association of nonprofit consumer organizations that was established in 1968 to advance the consumer interest through research, advocacy, and education. Today, nearly 300 of these groups participate in the federation and govern it through their representatives on the organization's Board of Directors.

  • The National Council of Higher Education Resources (NCHER) is the nation’s oldest and largest higher education finance trade association. NCHER’s membership includes state, nonprofit, and for-profit higher education service organizations, including lenders, servicers, guaranty agencies, collection agencies, financial literacy providers, and schools, interested and involved in increasing college access and success. It assists its members in shaping policies governing federal and private student loan and state grant programs on behalf of students, parents, borrowers, and families.

  • Since 2007, the Homeownership Preservation Foundation (HPF) has served as a trusted, neutral source of information for more than eight million homeowners. They are partnered with, and endorsed by, numerous major government agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Department of the Treasury.

  • The mission of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is to create strong, sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all. HUD works to strengthen the housing market in order to bolster the economy and protect consumers; meet the need for quality affordable rental homes; utilize housing as a platform for improving quality of life; and build inclusive and sustainable communities free from discrimination.

  • The Council on Accreditation (COA) is an international, independent, nonprofit, human service accrediting organization. Their mission is to partner with human service organizations worldwide to improve service delivery outcomes by developing, applying, and promoting accreditation standards.

  • The National Foundation for Credit Counseling® (NFCC®), founded in 1951, is the nation’s largest and longest-serving nonprofit financial counseling organization. The NFCC’s mission is to promote the national agenda for financially responsible behavior, and build capacity for its members to deliver the highest-quality financial education and counseling services.