Consumer Resources
See below for a number of free financial planning resources for those ready to take a proactive step in improving their personal finance lives. Those seeking to hire a paid financial planner can learn more here about the financial planning process and how CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ professionals can help.
- Financial Planning Association (FPA): Many FPA members are currently offering pro bono financial planning guidance to underserved* individuals across the United States. Access the full list here.
*Underserved is defined as low-income individuals and families, military personnel/veterans, domestic violence survivors; people affected by natural disasters, serious medical crises, bankruptcy, etc. - GreenPath, Inc.: GreenPath, Inc. is a non-profit, financial wellness organization that has been empowering people to lead financially healthy lives since 1961. It offers free credit counseling and debt management solutions that are personal and tailored to each situation. Call 1-800-550-1961 to speak with a team member.
- National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC): NFCC promotes the national agenda for financially responsible behavior. Call 1-800-388-2227 to speak to a counselor near you. Para ayuda en Español llama al 1-800-682-9832.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: The CFPB looks out for consumers first and foremost. Browse by money topic to find answers to commonly-asked financial questions. Learn the basics, understand key terms, and find ways to take action when you have an issue.
- Get Your Free Credit Report: Federal law requires each of the three nationwide consumer credit reporting companies – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion – to give you a free credit report every 12 months if you ask for it. Learn how to review your credit report and check errors that might lower your score here.
- GreenPath has launched a Learning Lab portal which offers “Choose your own Adventure” style coursework to help individuals improve their financial wellness. Greenpath also provides various resources and tools to help Americans better manage and improve their finances, including a financial health assessment, financial guides & worksheets, debt calculators, and more.
- Money Smart: This comprehensive financial education curriculum, from the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) is designed to help you enhance your financial skills. The course is available in multiple languages.
- Practical Money Skills: Money guides, downloads, and information on topics such as buying a car, renting an apartment, and heading to college. Learn how to improve your credit score, and why you should care about credit in the first place.
- FindHelp.org: A comprehensive, location-based network of free and reduced-cost resources for food, housing, goods, transit, health, money, care, education, work, legal assistance and more. It includes listings for both social services provided by nonprofits and government benefits. Visit findhelp.org, and enter a zipcode to find resources.
- Benefits.gov: The official benefits website of the U.S. government, where consumers can find public benefits they may be eligible to receive and information about how to apply. Examples of public benefits include Medicaid, Temporary Aid for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), LIHEAP (utility assistance), Section 8 (rental housing vouchers), and much more!
WORKBOOKS
- Secure your Financial Future: Building Wealth is a personal finance education resource that presents an overview of wealth-building strategies for consumers, community leaders, teachers and students.
- CFPB’s Your Money, Your Goals toolkit, and related videos, helps practitioners have money conversations with their clients. A companion to this toolkit, the Your Money, Your Goals Military Guide, provides resources to help military families overcome the unique financial challenges they face and improve their financial well-being.
- Navigating Your Financial Roadmap Workbook PDF (all populations)
WORKSHEETS
Here you’ll find resources focused on a specific population, like military/veterans, people affected by serious illness, or domestic violence survivors.