Counseling
Counseling can be an intimidating word. It can be a scary word. It may bring all sorts of negative images to mind. But the reality is that counseling is just a way to organize your thoughts with a counselor who isn't emotionally involved in your situation.
Who Benefits From Financial Counseling?
Everyone. People who are in crisis will benefit by having a third party who can guide them through the process. Sometimes financial problems seem too big and intimidating. A good counselor can help bring that problem into perspective. People with average financial skills benefit from having a plan for improvement. Everyone has good financial habits and everyone has bad financial habits. Counseling will help you exploit your good habits and minimize your not-so-good habits Even people who are very good with money benefit from having input from others. It's always good to share experience and ideas as well as looking for new technologies that make life easier.
How does it work?
Financial counseling is goal oriented. We figure out where you are right now. Then we figure out where you want to be. Lastly, and most importantly, we help you figure out a step-by-step plan to get there. There are a lot of different ways to achieve the same goal. No plan will be the same because it is made with just you and your goals in mind.
What to Expect
Let us answer your questions
When you come into the Personal Money Management Center, you can expect to be greeted by friendly, non-judgemental staff. Counseling is completely confidential. The information you will need to bring depends on the problem or questions you have. Feel free to drop by or email our counselors who can assess your situation and let you know what information is necessary. You will also be asked to fill out a survey that gives us information about how you heard about us, what problem or questions brought you in, and some basic demographic information. This information helps us direct our efforts and to better serve your needs. No question is too small or unimportant.
Students
What can we do for you?
One of the key ingredients to a good life is money management skills. How much money you make in your chosen field of study doesn't matter as much as how you manage the money you make. Learning the art of saving money each month and investing early and regularly will result in the comfort of knowing that you can handle almost any emergency life throws your way. Even small amounts of cash each month can result big returns if invested over time.
Questions we can help you with- Cars
- What types of insurance do you need?
- How do you plan and save up for a car?
- How does a lease compare to a purchase?
- How much should I budget for car repairs and maintenance?
- Homes
- How do you prepare for home ownership?
- How much will I need for a down payment?
- How do I decide how much I can afford?
- What is escrow?
- How much will I pay in interest, taxes, and insuraces?
- Debt
- How do you deal with collectors?
- How do you pay off credit card debt?
- Can you negotiate a lower payment or settlement?
- What happens when you get a judgement or garnishment?
- Can I go to jail for unpaid debts?
- Rentals
- Can you break your lease?
- What happens if my roommate doesn't pay his/her part of the rent?
- Can my landlord charge me for repairs?
- Student loans / Financial Aid
- How do I qualify for student loans?
- What is the difference between a grant and a loan?
- How do I find scholarships?
- How do I complete the FAFSA?
- Retirement
- How do you open and IRA?
- Whats the difference between an IRA and 401k?
- How much do you put in your retirment account each month?
- Credit
- What is a FICO score?
- How do I improve my credit score?
- How do I remove something from my credit report?
- How long will negative information stay on my report?
- Shopping
- How can I reduce my grocery bill?
- How do I plan for purchases?
- How can I get the most for my money?
Parents
Parents can expect that their student will be treated with respect. We provide a non-judgemental setting for students to ask questions and get counseling, if necessary. We can help them set up a budget, work through a financial crisis, and help them make a financial plan for their future. If you have questions about what we do, feel free to call or email one of our knowledgeable counselors.
Staff
How can we help?
Thanks to a generous contribution from the University Federal Credit Union, we are pleased to announce that we now offer one-on-one counseling for University Faculty and Staff as well as students. Counseling at the Personal Money Management Center is completely confidential. When you speak to one of our counselors, you don't have to worry about the information being shared with your coworkers or your supervisors. Our friendly staff will treat you with respect and discretion. We can schedule appointments during breaks and lunch hours. Questions can be handled by phone, email, or you can drop by our offices.