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TOLL-FREE
INFORMATION LINE
Immediate access to financial counselors is available by phone Monday
through Thursday from 5:00 A.M. to 8:00 P.M., 5:00 A.M. to 5:00
P.M. on Fridays and 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. on Saturdays (PST). Our
multilingual InfoLine counselors are qualified to answer a wide
variety of money management and credit questions.
FINANCIAL
COUNSELING
Counseling appointments are offered weekdays, weekends, and evenings,
in a variety of languages. Our expert counselors assist with such
issues as money management, credit and credit reports, goal setting,
spending and saving plans, debt management, home purchase, mortgage
delinquency and foreclosure prevention.
DEBT
MANAGEMENT PLAN
Our Debt Management Plan is a popular solution for clients who are
having trouble making ends meet, are receiving collection calls
or letters, or are not able to make progress in paying down debt.
Through
this plan, we consolidate bill payments and negotiate with creditors
to lower payments and, in some cases, reduce or eliminate interest
and fees. The plan enables consumers to repay their unsecured debt
in three to five years.
BANKRUPTCY
PREVENTION UNIT
This
unit is designed to work with creditors to set up temporarily reduced
payment plans for clients with short-term hardship situations. The
reduced payment plan delivers the relief needed until the client
is able to begin a Debt Management Plan.
Clients
may also be referred to the BPU if they are considering bankruptcy
or have questions about it. Counselors do not give legal advice,
but discuss the consequences of bankruptcy and search for any other
available option.
Click
the appropriate box to read more about how BALANCE works
for your specific type of organization.
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CREDIT
REPORT REVIEW
At a Credit Report Review session, a specialist will review, examine
and clarify the information in a client’s credit report, which
we provide. During this meeting, the client will also be given information
about existing credit reporting regulations, instructions for correcting
inaccuracies and tools for preventing or recovering from identity
theft.
HOUSING
EDUCATION
We provide
comprehensive pre-purchase housing education ranging from credit
scoring education to necessary savings. We also provide early delinquency
intervention counseling to assist homeowners in avoiding foreclosure.
NATIONWIDE
REFERRAL DATABASE
As it is not unusual for our clients to need services outside the
scope of what we provide, we have developed an extensive national
database of referral sources. We never refer to any specific for-profit
organization. The referral database is strictly social service,
consumer assistance and legal assistance organizations.
ON-SITE
WORKSHOPS
BALANCE offers workshops tailored to meet the specific needs of
members. From basics such as developing a realistic spending plan
and understanding credit reports, to more advanced topics such as
preparing for retirement and buying a first home, participants learn
how to make the wise financial choices necessary to achieve their
goals.
Depending
on the topic, the workshop you choose will be conducted by a money
management/credit counselor, certified financial planner, tax specialist,
certified credit report reviewer, or one of our housing specialists.
Neither
BALANCE nor our presenters sell or endorse any financial product,
ensuring any information or advice is offered objectively, with
only the financial well-being of the attendees in mind
FINANCIAL
FITNESS TRAINING
Our Financial Fitness program will turn your trainers, marketers
and business development staff into money management experts. This
program will give you the freedom to instruct and inspire the people
you serve when and how you want.
IN
BALANCE CHECKING ACCOUNT MANAGEMENT EDUCATION PROGRAM
InBalance is a turnkey education program available to credit unions
nationwide to use as a stepping-stone for potential members to rejoin
the financial mainstream. The course is engaging, interactive and
contains all of the facts and tools your trainers need to know and
convey to your future members about checking account management.
After participants complete the course and any other action steps
identified, they are then prepared to establish membership with
the credit union.
EDUCATIONAL
MATERIALS
BALANCE publishes a complete library of education materials on a
vast array of topics. They are used in conjunction with our InfoLine
service and counseling sessions, to assist in the lifelong learning
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