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- FIT AcademyPower of Pay Check Planning Instructor: Michelle Mealey Learn time-tested strategies to budget, manage and prioritize your paycheck. Take the Course Identity Theft Prevention Instructor: Lori Lamb Tips to protect you from identity thieves and restore your name if you’re a victim. Take the Course Understanding Your Credit Report Instructor: Sheri Stuart A comprehensive breakdown of the credit report and score system. Take the Course Tips for Borrowing Money Produced by: Common Craft This video teaches you the risks and benefits of borrowing money from banks. View the Video Tips for Saving Money Produced by: Common Craftt This video teaches you how to earn and save money from compound interest. View the Video Tips for Investing Money Produced by: Common Craft This video breakdowns the process of investing money and it’s risk factors. View the Video
- DownloadsFree Guides and Materials: Road Map to Financial Freedom This workshop helps you take the first steps on your journey to financial freedom with Springboard through the use of a Debt Management Plan to consolidate and pay back unsecured debt. Download the Road Map to Financial Freedom guide or view it online. The Wise Use of Credit You have credit or need to establish credit —now what? Managing your credit responsibly helps build a solid foundation for your financial future. Download the Wise Use of Credit guide or view it online. Preserving Homeownership and Foreclosure Prevention Information and resources so you will know what action steps to take and what options are available if your mortgage becomes delinquent, you are facing foreclosure, or you are facing a mortgage interest reset which you can no longer afford once adjusted. Download the Preserving Homeownership and Foreclosure Prevention guide or view it online. Couples and Money This seminar helps couples communicate about money matters, offers money and budget saving tips, and helps couples develop a spending plan for their future goals. Download the Couples and Money guide or view it online. Raising a Money Smart Child A parent’s guide to providing children with…
- CalculatorsCalculators for all your personal finance needs Explore your own financial information in greater detail by using these powerful tools for forecasting and assessing your financial choices. During the process, you might discover expenses you can eliminate or more effective ways to manage your money.Allowance Comparison Auto Loan Payment Back-to-School Budgeting Budgeting for a Baby Building an Education Fund Cost of Credit Emergency Fund Entertainment Planner How Much Car Can You Afford? How Much House Can You Afford?How Much Will College Cost? How Much Will My Bonus Net After Taxes? How Much Will My Loan Cost? How Will My Savings Grow? Inflation Impact on Retirement Mortgage Payment Mortgage Refinancing My Bonus After Taxes Needs-Based Allowance Pay Down Debt or Invest?Repaying Student Loans Retirement Fund Rework Your Budget Salary Conversion Save a Million Saving for a Goal Travel Budgeting Your Holiday BudgetCalculators by CategoryAuto Determine how much you’re willing and able to spend on a car and how much your payments will be before heading to the dealership. Auto Loan Payment How Much Car Can You Afford?Budgets and Goals Knowing where your money…
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Guide to Homeownership
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Guide to Homeownership: 10- Beware of Predatory Lenders
If you are considering homeownership, you should be aware of various scams that predatory lenders use to prey on people who are either attempting to get their first home loan, or who are trying to save their homes from foreclosure. Here are some posts to …
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Guide to Homeownership: 9- Maintaining Your Home
Making your mortgage payments on time every month isn’t the only obligation you have as a homeowner. In addition to taxes, insurance, utilities and other financial obligations, your home’s upkeep is also your responsibility. Former renters who are new to homeownership may be overwhelmed by …
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Guide to Homeownership: 8- Getting Organized
Utilities Your first step as a homeowner is to have all of the utilities transferred to your name. Some services can be transferred without having to be shut off. If your closing went as it should, the seller will have paid off all utilities as …
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Guide to Homeownership: 7- The Loan Closing
The loan closing, or settlement, is the final step in the home purchase process. The seller may not have to attend, but the buyer, a closing agent, and real estate agent will meet to finalize the process. The closing agent may be someone who works …
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Guide to Homeownership: 6- Insurance for Your Home
Title Insurance One of the fees you’ll pay at the closing of your home loan is for title insurance. This insurance primarily protects the lender in case there are problems with liens or title disputes that affect the transfer of ownership. Usually the lender arranges …
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Guide to Homeownership: 5- The Mortgage Loan Process
After you’ve agreed with the seller on a price, you should go back to your lender to secure your funding. If you followed our steps, you already got pre-qualified or pre-approved, so this isn’t the first time you’ve met with your lender. Your loan might …
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Guide to Homeownership: 4- Shopping For a Home
Many people start the home-buying process with this step. As we’ve shown you in this series, there are several things you need to do first. If you haven’t gotten your finances in order and created a budget that enables you to afford the costs of …
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Guide to Homeownership: 3- Getting Pre-Qualified for a Mortgage
Before shopping for a home, talk to a lender and get pre-qualified for a mortgage loan. A pre-qualification is a quick process; the lender will take your rough financial information and give you an estimate of what kind of loan you may get. The lender …
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Guide to Homeownership: 2- Your Credit History
The most thorough credit check most people will undergo is the one that precedes a home purchase. Your mortgage lender will check all three of your major credit reports, all of your FICO™ scores, and look at 2 years worth of tax returns as well …
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Guide to Homeownership: 1- Preparing for Homeownership
Getting ready for homeownership means getting your finances in order. If you don’t currently have a budget you stick to every month, you must create one now. Come up with a spending plan you can live with that leaves you enough money for the various …





