Financial Wellness

Take These Steps With Your Student Loans

Take These Steps With Your Student Loans

Now it’s time to take steps after the relief programs end. Borrowers should be ready to make student loan payments, even as policymakers discuss further extensions in the face of an increased number of borrowers becoming delinquent or defaulting on their loans. Listed here are steps to move forward as protections end:

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Women & Credit: Here’s How to Get on Solid Ground

Women & Credit: Here’s How to Get on Solid Ground

For many years, research has shown that women in the U.S. are approved for less than men when they apply for credit products and are more likely to be denied outright. Perhaps because of this, women also put off applying for credit when compared to men, even when they need it to get on solid financial ground.

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5 Beginner Money Questions Answered

5 Beginner Money Questions Answered

When you’re just starting out, there’s a lot to learn about your finances and it can definitely feel overwhelming — but we’re here to help. We recently sat with some local college students to talk money, and here are the answers to their questions:

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GreenPath Debt Management Plans Reduced Member Debt by 34% in 2021

GreenPath Debt Management Plans Reduced Member Debt by 34% in 2021

We partner with GreenPath Financial Wellness to offer unbiased, empathetic, one-on-one financial advisement to our members. GreenPath’s certified credit counselors offer free assistance with budgeting, general financial wellness, debt counseling, foreclosure prevention and support, and student loan payment. GreenPath also offers a Debt Management Program where they negotiate with creditors on behalf of members enrolled in the program to reduce interest rates and help them repay debts faster. In 2021, GreenPath’s certified counselors assisted 8 SESLOC members with a combined $161,488 in debt pay off $55,656 through the program — that’s a reduction of outstanding debt by 34% in under a year!

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5 Tips to Jump-Start Your Savings Plan

5 Tips to Jump-Start Your Savings Plan

Unplanned expenses or emergencies are other common life events. A car or house repair, or even a weather-related emergency, can make a dent in our budget. Whether it’s the struggle of delaying immediate rewards for greater benefit in the future or an unexpected expense, people looking to build a successful savings habit often run up against these very human challenges. To help manage these realities, here are five tips we suggest to jump-start your savings.

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What is a Credit Freeze?

What is a Credit Freeze?

Also known as a security freeze, this tool lets you restrict access to your credit report, which in turn makes it more difficult for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name. That’s because most creditors need to see your credit report before they approve a new account.

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This Holiday Season, Could Less Be More?

This Holiday Season, Could Less Be More?

Another holiday season is upon us, and for the second year in a row, the impacts of COVID will likely color the celebrations. While the season is an opportunity to focus on the things that matter most in life, exchanging gifts is a long-standing tradition and a way to share joy with loved ones. Gift-giving is likely to be even more amped up this year, which might bring upon financial strain.

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