4-19-14: US Government Excellent Links to Financial Training Information

[I received an EXCELLENT (!!!) email today from the US.gov website.

"10 Tips for Managing Money During Life's Big Moments"

(http://promotions.usa.gov/financial-literacy.html)

The email was full of great links for website training from the US government - all free. The Toolkit listed below has many free publications - PDFs for download. The You Tube videos suggested - see my notes - a couple were poor in content, but the one on "student loan repayment" is a winner - and keeper for reference on what becomes due, when, and what happens in the "post graduation process" when the government wants to have repayment payments paid.

The downloadable PDFs - I will put these up in our Crisis-Coaching "Free Subscriber's" Library, too, so you can find these anytime you need these. (If you are not a  Crisis-Coaching Member yet, start by "opting in" on the right  - this gets you "Free Subscriber" status. We don't 'spam' - we protect your privacy and won't share your email address or name.)

These are worth a read - - The Consumer Action Handbook is a "wealth of information" - a WOW! It covers: credit and loans, insurance, identity theft, mobile purchases, info on "deceptive advertising and other practices", confusing financial language, and educational resources. The publications listed below are available for download from the government link listed above as well  (just under the title to this post.)

• Guide to Disability Income Insurance (1.23 MB)
• Guide to Long Term Care Insurance (157 KB)
• Consumer Action Handbook (3.7 MB)
• Savings Fitness (928 KB)
• Fighting Fraud 101 (451 KB)
• Smart Saving for College: Better Buy Degrees (340 KB)
• Job Dislocation: Making Smart Financial Choices after a Job Loss (130 KB)
• How to Submit a Complaint (84.5 KB)
• My New Money Goal (91.3 KB)

Below is a copy of the email that I received: (You can opt in to receive this free email, too, if you want to receive it. https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/USAGOV/subscriber/new?preferences=true#tab1 )

If it is in BLUE below and underlined - it is a "clickable" link.

........................

"Making financial decisions can be confusing and overwhelming, to the point that you do nothing to prepare for your financial future. But this Financial Literacy Month, we’re helping you understand finance basics so you can make money decisions with confidence.

Step one was understanding your credit. (USA.gov - blog post)

Step two was planning and preparing for retirement.  (USA.gov - blog post)

Step three is learning how to manage your money wisely to prepare for major life events like going to college, buying a house or having a baby. No matter where you are in life these tools can help you:

 READ:

• Opening your first bank account or considering account options for your kids?Here's what you should know. (USA.gov website - section teaching about setting up accounts for children)

• Make teaching your kids about money fun with these games and comic strips from Kids.gov. (kids.gov helps train kids on money management - free)

• There are lots of ways you can finance a college education.Learn what options are available to you. (USA.gov - information on financing education)

• Big life events like buying a house or having a baby are exciting! LetMyMoney.gov help you handle the finances. (free training - US government website)

• Manage your money in good times and bad with these tips on borrowing wisely, saving and more. (FDIC Loan Borrowing Information website)

WATCH:

• Where does your money go each month? A simple budget might help you understand. (You Tube Video budget training)   Depending on your knowledge of budgeting - you might find this a bit obvious - - not "real training" - just says right down your expenses  - if you make less than you spend, cut down in one or more areas. )

• Banks or credit unions. How do you decide which is right for you? (You Tube video shows benefits of a credit union over using a bank for your accounts: our analysis - was this created by a credit union? It totally misses the advantages of why you might want your accounts in a bank. Not balanced in presentation.)

• When do you have to start repaying student loans?This video helps explain. (This is a helpful You Tube video so you understand 'when' you have to start repaying US government student loans, and how long you can push "extensions"  - and how to ask for the extension.)

• Are you thinking about declaring bankruptcy? Learn about the process and alternatives. (You Tube short  3- minutes training video on information on bankruptcy from the UScourts.gov)

ORDER:

Order the FREE Financial Foundations toolkit to get advice and confidence you need to make sound money decisions.

You can follow us.gov on  Twitter, Facebook, Google+  or our blog using the hashtag #mymoney to get the latest updates."