The Facts about Debit Cards and Tips for Avoiding Fraud
By Charlestien Harris The days of using cash, checks or coins to pay for purchases are disappearing rapidly. Most consumers have converted to using a debit card as a preferred method of payment. Two of the most common reasons for this transition are time and...
The Facts about the Emergency Rental Assistance Program
By Charlestien Harris The pandemic has caused major issues to happen especially with people’s financial well-being. Housing is a significant part of most family budgets. Right now, many people are struggling to keep food on the table and a roof over their...
Simple Financial Tips for College Students
By Charlestien Harris In all my years of tackling the topic of financial literacy, I’ve found that understanding basic financial skills and concepts is critical for a successful financial future. Almost everything we do as adults like earning money, budgeting,...
7 Financially Fit Tips for Back to School Shopping
By Charlestien Harris Although all of my children are grown and gone, I do have grandchildren and they all have back-to-school supply lists that need to be filled. Preparing to send your kids back to school can be stressful if your finances are already tight...
Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program Explained
By Charlestien Harris Throughout the pandemic, many clients have asked about the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program and how their student loans will be affected. The Public Service Loan Forgiveness program was created under the College Cost Reduction and...
Understanding the Refundable Child Tax Credit
By Charlestien Harris The child tax credit is a very popular topic these days so I thought I would provide some details to help explain the tax credit to the general public. What is the child tax credit is the first question. According to the IRS’...
Why Telephone Scams Often Target Seniors
By Charlestien Harris I am entering my sixties, so I am looking at financial issues that affect my age group more and more. One of the most common issues is telephone scams. Telemarketing fraud is a multi-billion dollar business in the United States. Every...
Paying Down Debt and Raising Your Credit Score
By Charlestien Harris As an accredited financial counselor, I’m often asked questions like “How long will it take for my credit score to increase when I make a payment on my accounts?” or “When will I see an increase in my score?”. The answer I most often reply...