Articles
Reverse Mortgage Considerations
As you continue to pay your mortgage you will obtain more equity in your home or own it outright. Depending on your situation, over time your retirement accounts may decrease as your expenses increase. If this happens, you may consider selling your home to get income. While this can be a good option, you also […]
Feeling invisible?
Ever feel like you’re invisible? 11% of adult Americans actually are.. credit invisible that is! Credit invisible is a term used for people who have no credit history at any of the three national credit bureaus. Isn’t it good to not have any credit card debt? Yes. It’s wonderful to not have any credit card […]
How to Prepare for the Holidays Without Feeling Like Scrooge
Inflation and the costs of items seem to be on everyone’s minds lately. Stress levels are high due to the impact that inflation has on groceries, fuel, heating costs and credit card interest rates. This depressing news is making people feel that they have little control of their finances. As we enter the holiday shopping […]
Teaching Children About Money
Financial education mandates have increased across the U.S. As of June 2022, 13 states require all students to take at least one semester of personal finance. In other states, personal finance is an elective or embedded within another course such as math, economics, or entrepreneurship. Financial education courses notwithstanding, children’s strongest financial influence is most […]
Youth Forward Wisconsin: Multi-institute Extension Team Brings Research on Universal Child Savings Accounts to Communities
Youth Forward Wisconsin is a movement supported by UW-Madison Division of Extension and local Extension educators from 17 Wisconsin communities. This team is providing the tools to understand and implement universal child savings account programs to help Wisconsin youth reach their full potential. The Youth Forward Wisconsin team received an Extension Innovation Grant to support the work […]
Outsmarting Scammers
Have you ever fallen for a scam? If so, you are not alone. The Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection’s website states that “consumers lose more than $40 billion a year to telemarketing fraud”. And it’s just getting worse. According to a 2021 Scam and Robocall Report, phone scam attempts increased by over 116% in […]
Extension’s Impact: Boosting Financial Skills for Social Workers
One in three Wisconsinites is struggling to afford necessities such as housing, food, clothing and transportation. Across our state close to 600,000 people live below the federal poverty level, and an additional 1.3 million Wisconsinites live in a household that struggles to cover basic household expenses. Many individuals and families turn to social service agencies […]
Coping with Rising Prices
With gas prices passing $4.00/gallon in Wisconsin many of us are feeling the pinch at the pump. While many families are still recovering from losing income during the pandemic, the current spikes in prices for gas and food can feel particularly hard to manage right now. Consider trying some of the strategies listed below to […]
Sharing Expert Testimony at the Wisconsin State Capital
On March 1, Chelsea Wunnicke, Human Development and Relationships Educator Richland County, and Jenny Abel, Financial Security Outreach Program Manager, presented expert testimony on universal savings accounts for all children. Wunnicke and Abel shared research-based context at the public hearing for the 2021 Senate Bill 947. The public hearing was with the Assembly Committee on Ways […]
Credit Check Toolkit
Extension has great tools to help keep you on track to managing your credit reports. The Fair Credit Reporting Act provides individuals with the opportunity to receive a Free Credit Report every 12 months at the individuals request. There are three nationwide companies who participate in this program: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion. Typically, individuals can obtain their most […]
