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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Low and moderate income Wisconsin residents can take advantage of a variety of tax credits. These credits can bring thousands of extra dollars to individuals and families, but an estimated 20% of people who are eligible for these tax credits do not claim them every year. Here’s a breakdown by state. These credits include the […]
In 2022, there were over 20,000 reports to the Federal Trade Commission from Wisconsin residents. The top complaints involved fraud, most often related to imposter scams, identity theft, credit bureaus and financial services, and online shopping. Reports of fraud have increased over recent years as scammers used the pandemic to come up with new ways […]
COVID-19 has impacted our lives in many ways. View and download the Tools to Cope with the Financial Impact of COVID-19 guide. Find more answers to Frequently Asked Questions about financial resources on our webpage.
Tax time is upon us. View this chart about tax credits to learn about tax credits available to Wisconsin families.
By law, everybody can obtain free credit reports each week at annualcreditreport.com. The information in your credit report affects your life in important ways—your ability to get a loan, how much you pay for credit and insurance, securing a job, renting a house or apartment, and preventing identity theft. It is important to check your […]
Many people use the terms “credit report” and “credit score” interchangeably, but they are not the same. Your credit report is a detailed account of your credit history, while your credit score is a three-digit number signifying your credit-worthiness. You are entitled to three free credit reports per year, but you generally have to pay to view your score.
