Our Financial Counseling Services  will help you:

- Obtain help to establish a monthly budget plan and set priorities.

- Develop a plan to pay off credit cards, medical bills, collection accounts, and other debts.

- Be educated to avoid high-risk loans, risky home mortgages, payday cash and income tax advance loans, and other scams.

- Review credit reports and improve your credit rating.

- Learn tips to avoid identity theft.  Sign up for Do Not Call and Opt-Out lists to avoid phone solicitations and unwanted mail.

- Enroll in Representative Payee services for Social Security recipients that need help managing their funds.

Our services begin with a free interview.  A program will be designed to best fit your needs and bring you step by step to true financial freedom. Please call 717-334-2911 ext. 235 to make an appointment.

The Financial Debt Management Program will help you if you manage your basic expenses but need help dealing with creditors. Clients start by making one monthly payment to the Financial Counseling Service. We then disburse the payment to the creditors to help the client get back on track. We will contact collection agencies to accept a monthly payment towards debt reduction. Debt management plans may be set up with credit card companies to help reduce late and overlimit fees, lower the interest rate, and reduce the monthly payment to a more manageable amount. As each card is paid off, the additional money is applied to reduce the remaining credit debt. A similar plan may also be used to pay off medical bills and other debts. Each step helps to improve the overall credit score of the client, giving them a better financial outlook. After a free consultation, the applicant may choose to enroll by paying a one-time initial fee. The program continues with a minimal monthly fee of $32.

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• Seventy-five percent of all Americans are three paychecks away from bankruptcy.

• The cost of medical, food, and household needs has risen over 11% over the past five years, while wages have remained flat since 2001.

• Illness and medical bills have caused half of the personal bankruptcies filed.

• Over 70% of all marriages that end in divorce are due to financial problems.

• One out of five borrowers with a credit score below 660 will default on their mortgage.

• Lenders are currently foreclosing on 19% of the mortgage loans issued in 2005 and 2006 to borrowers who did not qualify for lower market interest rates because of problems with their credit history.

• One fourth of the U.S. population has a credit score below 620; indicating a habit of poor money management.

• The average American has $9,000 of credit debt and 7 out of 10 households use credit cards as a safety net to cover basic living expenses.

• On average, when you buy something with a credit card, you pay 132% more than if you used cash.

• Even if you are only paying 9% interest on a credit card, the card company is making a 66% profit on that purchase.  Typically, minimum monthly payments for a credit card are divided into 90% interest and only 10% to principal reduction.

• Most people knowingly live beyond their means and make no attempt to rid themselves of debt.

Financial Case Management is for those who lack budgeting or money management skills.  In this program, the household turns over all their income to our service.  We work with employers to set up Direct Deposit or make other arrangements to deposit all income into an individualized account.   We then pay the consumer’s entire expenses as their income allows.  This may include rent,/mortgage, utilities, medical bills, child care, loans, credit cards, insurances and collection accounts. We give the client a weekly spending allowance for food, gas and cash expenses.  As the budget becomes more stable, a savings plan is included.  In this program we encourage clients to set goals and plan steps to reach them.  As spending habits are changed and clients learn to live within their means, financial success is achieved.  After a free consultation, the applicant may choose to enroll by paying a one-time initial fee.  The program continues with a minimal monthly fee of $32.

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Arrange to obtain up to four hours of free budget counseling.  The first appointment begins with a review of how all your money is spent during an average month and what income is available to meet those expenses.  Direction is given on how to balance your budget and pay bills on time.  Priorities are set to determine what are real needs and what is an unnecessary lifestyle want.   A credit report will be pulled to determine your credit rating.  Tips will be shared to improve your credit score.  Referrals will also be made to other community resources.  Call 717-334-2911 ext. 235 to schedule an appointment.

A predatory lender is one that uses high-pressure sales tactics to convince borrowers to take a loan they cannot afford or that is not in their best interest. A person who secures these types of loans is called a “sub-prime borrower”. The person normally does not qualify for a loan by most local banking institutions and looks for other loans by internet, billboards, mail and ads. Our services can help the client stop the problem before it starts. We help the client increase their chances of getting a good loan by improving their credit rating before shopping for the loan. We teach the consumer to avoid interest only loans and adjustable rate mortgages. These dangerous ARM mortgages may have a fixed rate for two years and then reset after that causing the payment to increase sharply. We train clients to avoid no documentation and stated income loans, pay day advance loans, and income tax advance loans. We can review loan documents with a borrower before they make a commitment, preventing a possible scam. We offer up to four free hours to individuals with consumer questions.

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Identity theft is on the rise. During a free scheduled appointment, we can determine if you are at risk for identity theft and what steps can be taken to limit the possible avenues that put you at risk. We can pull a credit report and determine if it accurately reflects your credit history. We can also review the most recent Pennsylvania laws to protect the consumer. We can help you place your name on Do Not Call lists to avoid phone solicitations, and Opt-Out lists to remove your name from unwanted mailing lists and pre-approved offers of credit.