Financial Planning

The economic well-being of St. Lucie County residents is an important issue and the St. Lucie County Extension Office is now providing programs and services to county residents to assist them in improving their financial situations.

Programs are offered in:

• Personal Finance
• Consumer Topics
• Programs for Youth

Call Carol Alberts for more details or to schedule a presentation at: 462-1660.

Money Tips

Gap Insurance:  GAP (Guaranteed Auto Protection) Insurance -- is a term commonly used to represent the coverage 'gap' between the amount you owe for your car and what your car is actually worth. More...

Cash for Clunkers:  Many have heard about the latest government initiative to encourage owners of gas-guzzling autos to purchase a new, more fuel efficient replacemen.  More...

New Protections for Tenants in Foreclosed Properties:  President Obama signed S. 896, P.L. 111-22, on May 20, 2009. This bill includes a nationwide 90 day pre-eviction notice requirement for tenants in foreclosed properties.  More...

Financial Strategies for Todays Economy:  A collection of ideas from leaders in family financial education.  More...

Credit, Congress, and You:  This week, the US Senate passed (by a vote of 90 to 5) sweeping credit reform legislation that will alter consumer credit markets. More...

Should I Refinance?  - With interest rates near historically low levels, the recurring question homeowners are asking - 'Should I refinance my mortgage?  More...

'Specialty' Credit Reports:  Did you know that FACTA enables you to obtain free "specialty reports." These are reports that relate to such issues as medical records or payments, check writing history, residential or tenant history, and insurance claims (to name a few). More...

Your Credit -- What Are Your Rights?  On a nearly daily basis, agencies (such as current and potential lenders, insurance companies, landlords, and employers) are viewing your credit report(s) when making decisions about you. More...

The FDIC Issues Tips to Help Consumers Manage Their Money in Good Times and Bad Timely Strategies in a Difficult Economy : The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation today issued tips to help consumers spend less, save more, protect against fraud and borrow wisely at any time, but especially during a difficult economy. More...

Foreclosure Fraud Abounds:  "Foreclosure fraud was identified as the top issue we needed to tackle for National Consumer Protection Week last week.  More...

Ten Things You May Not Know About the Earned Income Tax Credit:  The Earned Income Tax Credit is for people who work, but have lower incomes. More...

Eight Reasons to Try to E-file:  If you’ve never filed your tax return electronically, you should definitely consider trying it in 2009. More...

Direct Deposit Puts Your Money in Your Pocket....Faster:  Don’t wait around for a paper check. Have your federal tax refund deposited directly into your bank account. More...

Disputing Credit Reporting Errors:  Errors on a credit report are about as common as spots on a dalmatian. More...

The Benefits of Saving Money: One of the best ways to take charge of your finances in today’s uncertain economy is to accumulate a healthy savings account.  More...

Credit Card Update:  Many consumers have found an unexpected/unwanted surprise when opening their credit card statements this holiday season. More

Take Control of Your Finances in Difficult Times:  In addition to real or paper losses on investments, many people have experienced another negative side effect of the current economic downturn and stock market volatility. More

Gift Cards:  As the holidays approach, the topic of gift cards seems to always come up ... More

It's About the Money, Not the Death: During these days, it is hard to focus on things other than what is  going on in the larger economy.  More...

Little Things Add Up:   People have different priorities, and no one can make decisions for you and your family better than you. More...

What If Your Bank Is Seizeed? Your accounts in any given bank are likely covered for up to $100,000, so you needn't worry about losing everything. More...

Is Your Money Safe?:  The turmoil surrounding the financial markets in the past weeks has been unsettling to say the least. More...

TV Converter Coupon Program:  If you receive free TV using an antenna and your TV is not digital, you need to take action sometime before February 17, 2009 so you can continue to receive programs after that date. More...

Banking News:  It seems like we are hearing weekly of bank closures across the nation.  Some financial institutions are struggling and most of us want to know: is my bank ok?  Is my money safe? More...

Ten Perspectives That Will Sink Your Financial Ship:  Our perception determines our practice, our belief results in our behavior, and our attitudes result in our actions. More...

Parents Can Get Credit for Sending Kids to Day Camp:  Here’s a tax break for the busy summer.  More...

Landlord/Tenant Laws in Florida - Know Your Rights!: 
It may be baseball season, but the words “You’re Out!” aren’t just heard at a baseball game.  Landlords may find they have to say it to a tenant. More...

Tips for Driving Down the Cost of Driving:  Have you promised yourself in the past that you'll drive less? Turns out we're burning 1.4% more gas than at this time last year, even though gas costs more.  More...

Education Expensive?  Try Ignorance!!:   Why is education so important? Like it or not, on the average, your Financial Success depends on achieving a quality education.

2008 Financial Literacy Survey:  The 2008 Financial Literacy Survey, conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates on behalf of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling and MSN Money was released on April 29.  More...

How to raise financially savvy kids:  Parents have a lot to worry about in these difficult economic times. It costs more for everything from food to gas to clothes. It's hard for them to be a good example for their kids when it comes to being prudent with money. More...

The Importance of an Emergency Fund:  We’ve all seen that bumper sticker, right? S*%T HAPPENS. It might be a crude way to put it, but it’s absolutely true. More...

Consumer Alert:   The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has received numerous notifications from consumers of an e-mail that gives the appearance of being sent from the FDIC.  More...

10 tips to save money on your landscaping:  Landscape your yard to save some green.  At this time of year, you may be thinking about sprucing up your yard with some new plants and shrubs. More...

A step in the right direction!  Lawmakers are making efforts to curb what many feel are unfair practices in the credit card industry, and this is good news for credit card users nationwide.  For more details....

Debt Settlement:  Debt has in many ways become “The American Way” … it has become so commonplace that meeting someone debt-free is often more surprising than meeting someone with substantial debts.  More info...

Credit Card Selection:  The debate on the good, bad, and ugly about credit cards is one not likely to end anytime soon. More info...

Fee Harvesting:  An interesting story recently aired on National Public Radio about a credt card offer practice called Fee Harvesting  More info...

Credit Inquiries:  Properly managing credit is a common concern for many people.  More info...

High Yield Savings Accounts:  As people become more technologically savvy, more and more financial products are being offered online. More...

Now, Everyone Can Freeze Their Credit Files: San Diego, CA. No, it was not the result of an act of Congress; rather it was quite simply common sense, a rarity these days at most levels of government and private enterprise alike.  More info...

Improving Your Credit: It is no secret that having good credit can pay large dividends. More info...

Payday Lending:  Payday lending is the practice of using a post-dated check or electronic account information as collateral for a short-term loan. More info...

CC Balance Transfers: Transferring debt using low-rate balance transfer offers provided by credit card companies is commonplace. More info...

Sites Offering 'Free' Credit Reports: Worth Consumer Consideration?  Review of 24 Sites Shows Potential for Confusion and Unnecessary Expenses (Consumer WebWatch Study - July 2007) More info...

Equity Stripping Scams: Many Americans borrowed too much money to buy a home when interest rates were low and alluring. More info...

Eliminating Credit Card Debt:  I’ve received a lot of questions recently related to credit card debt … What is the best strategy to repay it – loan consolidation? Balance transfer? Other? More info...

Delinquent Mortgage Borrowers -- WASHINGTON - Comptroller of the Currency John C. Dugan unveiled two new Public Service Announcements (PSAs) aimed at encouraging delinquent mortgage borrowers to get help by contacting their lenders or a trusted housing counselor in order to avoid foreclosure. More info...

Your Credit -- Your Rights: Numerous agencies (lenders, insurers, employers, landlords, etc.) view your credit when making decisions about you – how familiar are you with your credit and your rights? More info...

Universal Default:  Hey Credit Card Users, ever hear of universal default?  Hopefully you have and have not fallen victim to it!  More info...

Jury Duty Scam: Most of us take the summons for jury duty seriously, but enough people skip out on their civic duty, that a new and menacing scam has surfaced. More info...

Be a Smarter Investor:  Greed and fear – commonly characterized as the most prevalent factors that drive investment activities …More info...

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