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.

  • father and daughter doing homework together

    Can You Afford to Homeschool? Evaluating the Costs of Alternative Education

    As the coronavirus pandemic makes the prospect of the new school year murky at best, many parents are moving toward alternative options, including homeschooling their children. To help you understand the potential financial implications, here's a breakdown of the costs associated with homeschooling.
  • using a smartphone to check credit score

    3 Times You Should Check Your Credit Score (and 3 Times You Shouldn’t Bother)

    Good credit is a marathon, not a sprint, and your score right this minute only really matters in a few specific instances. So while it never hurts to know where you stand, here are three moments when knowing your credit score really matters, and three times when it doesn’t help at all.
  • young woman on the phone

    Tips for Repaying Credit Card Debt After a Long Layoff

    Have you been laid off or endured a longer-than-anticipated work furlough? And if so, you may have had to reach for the plastic to scrape by. That’s a totally reasonable approach to getting by, but once your income is back in place, you’ll need a plan for paying off your debt.
  • woman reviewing information on her cellphone

    How to Find and Claim Your Old Retirement Accounts

    Whether you quit on your own accord, are fired, or laid off, leaving a job can be hectic. In the midst of the transition, dealing with a retirement account might get pushed pretty low on your to-do list. Here’s how to track down old accounts, and what you can do to get your finances organized.
  • father and daughter reviewing the family bills

    How to Prepare for the End of a Credit Card Deferment

    Many credit card issuers offer hardship programs for customers experiencing a financial setback. The problem, however, is that sometimes these programs end before your situation has gone back to normal. So let’s take a look at what happens when your credit card deferment ends, and what you can do to protect yourself.
  • cashier in grocery wearing face covering

    The 5 Best Budget Tricks I Learned in Lockdown

    Quarantine has forced nearly all of us to adopt new behaviors in order to get by. In fact, you’ve probably come up with some great budget-trimming tactics simply out of necessity. Here are a few of the budgeting tricks we learned in lockdown that are sticking with us for good.
  • celebrating at an outdoor wedding

    What Marriage Means for Your Credit

    For many people, marriage represents the joining of two to become one. But what about your credit history? If your spouse has had some setbacks, what does that mean for your credit score? And how can you can help (or hurt) each other as you work to build a lifetime of strong credit? Here's what you need to know.
  • 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.
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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.