People often ask me for useful independent resources. Here are some organizations – government, business, and non-profit – that can help with everything from managing debt to saving for college or retirement. They’re organized by topic and type of organization, and links are provided for all sites. Scroll down and have a look – you never know when one of these will come in handy!
Associations
The National Foundation for Credit Counseling
www.nfcc.org
301-589-5600
Search for a member agency, access free debt advice and more
Websites
Annualcreditreport.com
www.annualcreditreport.com
Request a free copy of your credit report once a year from each of the nationwide consumer credit reporting companies.
National Consumer Law Center
www.consumerlaw.org
202-452-6252
Our nation’s consumer law expert, NCLC works to combat unfair business practices by collection agencies
Debtors Anonymous
www.debtorsanonymous.org
1-800-421-2383
Information, resources and help for compulsive debtors
Money Management International
www.moneymanagement.org
A non-profit credit counseling agency
Government Agencies
The Federal Trade Commission
www.ftc.gov
1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357)
The Federal Trade Commission website provides information and resources to help protect consumers
MyMoney.gov
www.mymoney.gov
The US government’s website dedicated to educating Americans on financial basics
Associations
The Financial Planning Association
www.fpanet.org
1-800-322-4237
Tips, tools, articles and about financial planning, search for a Certified Financial Planner
The National Association of Personal Finance Advisors (NAPFA)
www.napfa.org
847-483-5400
Search for a Fee-Only comprehensive financial planning professional
The Garrett Planning Network
www.garrettplanningnetwork.com
1-866-260-8400
An international network of independent financial advisors and planners offering hourly, as-needed financial planning and advice
Association for Financial Counseling and Planning Education
http://www.afcpe.org/
(703) 684-4484
A nonprofit organization dedicated to educating, training and certifying financial counselors and educators
Websites
The Better Business Bureau
www.bbb.org
703-276-0100
Search for BBB accredited businesses
Edmunds.com
www.edmunds.com
Advice on all aspects of leasing or buying a vehicle
Government Resources
National Do Not Call Registry
www.donotcall.gov
1-888-382-1222
Register your phone number to decrease the amount of telemarketing calls you receive
Social Security Online
www.ssa.gov
1-800-772-1213
The official website of the United States Social Security Administration
Websites
Credit Bureau Opt Out Service
www.optoutprescreen.com
1-888-567-8688
Opt out of receiving offers for credit or insurance
Direct Marketing Association Mail Preference Service
www.dmachoice.org
212-768-7277, ext. 1500
For $1 you can opt out of unsolicited mail from companies that use the DMA’s mail preference service; register for eMPS which allows you to remove your email address from national lists
MyFico.com
www.myfico.com
1-800-319-4433
Tips on how to protect yourself from identity theft, how to protect your child from identity theft and more
Government Resources
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
www.cms.hhs.gov
1-800-633-4227
Detailed information on Medicare and Medicaid, including information on initiatives, coverage and how to protect yourself from fraud
Websites
Aging With Dignity
www.agingwithdignity.org
1-888- 594-7437
Educational resources and access to the “Five Wishes” legal document that helps you to express how you would like to be treated if you are ill and unable to communicate your wants and needs
Websites
CouponMom.com
www.couponmom.com
Free access to printable coupons, find grocery deals by state, sign up for alerts and more
Retail Me Not
www.retailmenot.com
A collection of coupon codes from thousands of online merchants
Mint
www.mint.com
Free budgeting software and spending trackers
Gasbuddy.com
www.gasbuddy.com
Finds the cheapest gas prices in your area
Credit Bureaus
Experian
www.experian.com
1-888-397-3742
901 West Bond
Lincoln, NE 68521
TransUnion
www.transunion.com
1-800-888-4213
2 Baldwin Place
P.O. Box 2000
Chester, PA 19022
Equifax
www.equifax.com
1-800-685-1111
P.O. Box 740256
Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
Websites
CreditCards.com
www.creditcards.com
A credit card comparison website
LowCards.com
www.lowcards.com
A credit card comparison website
CardRatings.com
www.cardratings.com
A credit card comparison website
Websites
HSH Associates Financial Publishers
www.hsh.com
1-800-873-2837
The nation’s largest publisher of mortgage and consumer loan information
Government Organizations
FAFSA4caster
www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov
1-800-433-3243
Estimate your eligibility for federal aid
Websites
College Savings Plan Network
www.collegesavings.org
Information on 529 plans, compare plans from around the country and estimate costs with their college cost calculator
FinAid
www.finaid.org
Tips, tools and information on funding a college education
Saving For College
www.savingforcollege.com
Information, tools and more to help you plan ahead for college costs
Websites
Consumer Federation of America
www.consumerfed.org
202-387-6121
Information on variable universal life insurance
eHealthInsurance
www.ehealthinsurance.com
1-800-977-8860
Get quotes on individual, family and small business health insurance plans, compare plans and apply for coverage online
The Insurance Information Institute
www.iii.org
212-346-5500
Search for an insurance company in your state, information on insurance and financial planning
Insure.com
www.insure.com
Search for quotes and information
Websites
Choose to Save Ballpark E$timate
http://www.choosetosave.org/ballpark
Identify approximately how much you will need to retire
T. Rowe Price Retirement Income Calculator
https://www3.troweprice.com/ric/ricweb/public/ric.do?van=ric
Calculate how long your savings will last
Websites
BankRate.com
www.bankrate.com
561-630-2400
Free rate information on over 300 financial products
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority
www.finra.org
301-590-6500
Investor news, tips on investing and market data
Morningstar
www.morningstar.com
Stock quotes and investment information
BrightScope
www.brightscope.com
Look at your 401(k) plan’s fees and compare costs to similar plans
Deposit Accounts
DepositAccounts.com
A bank account comparison site
Government Organizations
Internal Revenue Service
www.irs.gov
1-800-829-1040
The United States’ Internal Revenue Service website
Websites
Charity Navigator
www.charitynavigator.org
201-818-1288
Evaluations of over 5,300 of America’s largest charities, tips and resources on giving to charity,
Guidestar
www.guidestar.org
757-229-4631
Determine a nonprofit’s legitimacy, learn if your donation will be deductible, view a nonprofit’s recent Forms 990, and more
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