Are you looking for housing that meets your individual or family needs at a rent that you can afford? Search online for affordable rental properties throughout the state of New York, listed alphabetically by county and city/town.
Are you looking for housing that meets your individual or family needs at a rent that you can afford? Search online for affordable rental properties throughout the state of New York, listed alphabetically by county and city/town.
myBenefits is the fast and easy way to find out about many health and human services programs and how to apply for them, anytime and anywhere. The site is aimed at helping low income working families and individuals make ends meet. Programs include: food stamps, home energy assistance, earned income tax credits, child and dependent care credits, Medicaid, Family Health Plus, Child Health Plus and school lunch programs, among others.
An excellent resource for social service workers, you can request additional copies of New York State Office of Temporary Disability Assistance (OTDA) publications free of charge. Publications span a wide variety of topics, including WorkPays New York (Work Supports), child support, food stamps, tax credits, electronic benefits transfers, home energy and heating assistance and refugee and immigrant assistance.
Use these worksheets to calculate your weekly, monthly and annual expenses and costs so that you can begin planning your financial future with an accurate account of where you are now; this will allow you to determine your ability to save for a rainy day, unexpected expenses and retirement.
Do you need to get child support from a non-custodial parent? Are you paying child support but unsure what to do now that you have lost your job? New York Child Support provides assistance in obtaining financial support and medical insurance coverage. You can also call the New York Child Support Helpline at 1-888-208-4485; TTY 1-866-875-9975.
Use these worksheets to figure out what the best cell phone plan is for your needs and lifestyle.
Use this worksheet to determine how to select the best credit card deal.
Learn more about banks, credit unions, checking accounts, debit cards, ATM safety and how to comparison shop for a financial institution.
File a complaint with the New York State Office of the Attorney General here. The Attorney General’s office handles complaints on a wide variety of issues, from Lemon Law violations with automobiles to discrimination to more general consumer complaints. Explore this page to best determine how to move forward with your complaint.
Are you at or near the limits on your lines of credit? Do you usually only pay the minimum on your credit cards? Are you thinking of borrowing money to pay your debts? Are creditors calling you regarding late payments? Does your financial situation weigh on your mind? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, credit counseling may be for you. Since 1972, Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Central New York (which also offers branches in other parts of the state, including an Albany branch and others) has been helping people just like you. Take control of your money and get on the right track to financial stability.
Understand how to choose and use credit cards without falling into debt, as well as what to do if you find yourself overwhelmed by debt.
Is the jargon involved with credit cards throwing you off? Understand the often-confusing terms used by credit card issuers.
Are you overwhelmed with debt? A credit counseling agency might be a good choice for you. Find out how to choose a credit counseling agency, and the questions you should ask before signing up.
Having a good credit report means it will be easier for you to get loans and lower interest rates, which usually translate into smaller monthly payments. Learn how you can improve your credit score.
Consider the pros and cons before deciding whether to use a credit card or a debit card.
While Wall Street is celebrating a comeback, people struggling to find a job find that, so far, the ‘recovery’ does not apply to them. We explore which sectors are experiencing growth and those that haven’t improved. Also, we’ll introduce you to a family that offers an example of how to make a tight budget work, and we examine how to track one’s expenses and identify personal budget cuts.
After getting divorced, Jennifer was left with a daughter to raise and a mountain of debt. We’ll explore how Jennifer straightened out her finances and repaired her credit score with the help of financial advisers. Also, we catch up with some professionals who are learning new skills in order to land a new job, and we’ll expose an Internet scam targeting those seeking unemployment insurance. Plus, we present some helpful tips for filling out an online job application.
BizKids is a television series from Rochester PBS station WXXI that teaches kids about money and business. You can find your local broadcast times via the Biz Kids website. WXXI also offers a virtual financial literacy workshop for the parents of young children.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) includes a ‘train-the-trainer’ program, available in English and Spanish, designed for those interested in teaching financial education to others. The Jump$tart Coalition can help educators with curriculum enrichment to ensure that basic personal financial management skills are attained during the K-12 educational experience. The National Endowment for Financial Education also offers practical resources and materials created with educators and facilitators in mind, and the Council for Economic Education offers lesson plans, online teacher training and more resources that can assist in K-12 financial education.
A financial planner applies a very broad base of knowledge and understanding about tax planning, investments, and estate law to provide guidance to a client. Learn the questions you should ask a financial planner before working with him or her.
Credit Abuse Resistance Education (CARE) makes bankruptcy professionals available to everyone, from students and parents to educators and media. CARE is also leading the Greater Rochester Area Financial Literacy Initiative, which offers valuable information on budgeting, saving, the true cost of credit and other critical personal finance issues.
The Home Energy Assistance Program (HEAP) may help you pay for electricity, propane, natural gas, wood, oil, kerosene, coal or any other heating fuel so that you can reduce your energy expenses and keep your heat on when needed during winter months.
New York State agencies and departments have many resources available to help working families make ends meet. This portal offers a gateway into information on: work support programs that you may be eligible for, food stamps, nutrition programs, home energy assistance, weatherization assistance, child support, tax credits, job placement, social security, unemployment assistance, housing, student loans, education assistance and much, much more.
Every hour, someone in the state of New York needs essential services, but people often don’t know where to turn. The United Way encourages people to pick up the phone and dial 2-1-1 (or 3-1-1 in the New York City area) to get answers and assistance. Dial now, or click here to locate the 2-1-1 service in your area.
This brief video from the New York State Department of Labor walks you through exactly what you need to do in order to apply for unemployment insurance. You can find additional information about how to file an unemployment insurance claim in New York State in this brochure or on this website.
After getting divorced, Jennifer was left with a daughter to raise and a mountain of debt. Creditors came knocking on Jennifer’s door after she began missing payments. When she began the process of buying a new home, she realized that she needed to straighten out her finances. Jennifer sought out some help from financial advisors to repair her credit and eventually her credit score went up.
Jennifer says: ‘That little [credit score] number makes a big difference in everything that you do, whether you want to buy a car or a house or anything.’ | • Watch Video
Learn more about your rights in the areas of public benefits, supplemental nutrition assistance/food stamps, health benefits and child support. Search for help in public benefits, family law, divorce, child custody and domestic violence. To find legal assistance available in your area, visit LawHelp.org/NY and click on ‘Family and Juvenile,’ ‘Health’ or ‘Public Benefits.’ En Espanol: ayudalegalny.org y clik ‘Familia y Menores,’ ‘Salud,’ ‘Beneficios Publicos.’
Use this worksheet from the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (which has branches in Albany, Syracuse, Binghamton, Utica and Watertown) to determine your monthly balance or deficit. Then, use this worksheet in order to plan for short- and long-term goals.
If you are worried about a merchant taking back an item that has been sold to you, know your rights and learn how to move from ‘default’ to ‘redemption.’
If you are having trouble feeding your children, you are not alone and help is available. Use this resource to explore your options, which include school breakfast and lunch programs, the Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program, the Hunger Prevention and Nutrition Assistance Program (HPNAP), the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP), Eat Smart New York (ESNY), food banks and food stamps.
