WEB RESOURCES

CREDIT | CREDIT REPORTS | YOUR RIGHTS-CONSUMER ISSUES |LEGAL ASSISTANCE
PERSONAL FINANCE |HOUSING |TAXES |INVESTING |
FINANCING A COLLEGE EDUCATION

RECOMMENDED READING

BUDGETING | PERSONAL FINANCE | INVESTMENTS | RETIREMENT | INSURANCE
TAXES | BUYING A HOME | CHILDREN & MONEY

 

RECOMMENDED WEB SITES

CREDIT

ftc.gov/credit

Knee Deep in Debt; Fiscal Fitness-Choosing a Credit Counselor;

Before You File for Personal Bankruptcy

ftc.gov/moneymatters

www.bankrate.com Bank Rate Monitor lists the best deals on credit cards nationwide.

www.cardtrak.com Another site that offers consumers shopping for credit information about rates and perks.

FREE CREDIT REPORTS

www.annualcreditreport.com  Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act you can now order your free credit reports from the three major credit reporting agencies once per year.  This is the one central website sanctioned by the Federal Trade Commission to order these reports, or you can call 1-877-322-8228.

YOUR RIGHTS-CONSUMER ISSUES

To be removed from mailing lists that solicit credit card offers and other products and services write to: 
Direct Marketing Association, Mail Preference Solicitation, PO Box 9008, Farmingdale, NY.

www.ftc.gov  Consumer protection is the mission of the Federal Trade Commission. They also regulate the credit reporting industry as well as investigate complaints about mail order companies.

dfcs.oregon.gov  Find out your rights under the new debt management law (includes debt settlement) and check to see whether a company is legally registered.   You can also call (866)814-9710.

www.doj.state.or.us Oregon Department of Justice is where you want to report consumer financial fraud complaints about businesses, if you live in the State of Oregon.  You can also call the Consumer Hotline at (877) 877-9392; or, you have the option to write to:  Financial Fraud/Consumer Protection, 1162 Court Street NE, Salem, OR 97310.

www.consumer-action.org If you're looking for pricing surveys, press releases, consumer alerts, legislative and regulatory news, or just need a place to complain.

Consumer Information Center in Pueblo, CO offers information on hundreds of topics ranging from planning your estate to avoiding insurance scams.

www.consumerworld.com A public service site offering consumer resources, from product reviews to scam alerts and procedures for filing complaints.

LEGAL ASSISTANCE

www.osbar.org/public Oregon Lawyer Referral Service

www.oregonlawcenter.org Information about civil legal problems, laws that affects low income people, forms or other legal resources.  Oregon Law Center provides free civil legal services to low income individuals.

PERSONAL FINANCE

Financial Education   NFCC (National Foundation for Credit Counseling) Topics: Money Management & Savings - Housing - Credit - Retirement - Insurance - Bankruptcy

 

HOUSING

www.HousingHelpNow.org Homeowner Crisis Resource Center

hotline: 866-557-2227 Losing the American Dream?  Take the first step to find help now. This site is a public service from the National Foundation for Credit Counseling.

US Department of Housing and Urban Development This site includes comprehensive information for renters, prospective homebuyers and the homeless.

ftc.gov/yourhome
Mortgage Payments Sending You Reeling? Here’s What to Do
Foreclosure Rescue Scams: Another Potential Stress for Homeowners in Distress FTC Facts For Consumers

 

TAXES

Internal Revenue Service (IRS). For help, call 800-829-1040; for forms, call 800-TAX-FORM. 
www.irs.treas.gov


www.1040.com

www.smbiz.com Small businesses can find tax information here.

INVESTING

www.investorguide.com A mega site covering "zillions" of personal finance and consumer topics.

www.wsj.com The Wall Street Journal

Three other popular personal finance magazines:


www.smartmoney.com


www.money.com


www.kiplinger.com

 

FINANCING A COLLEGE EDUCATION

www.osac.state.or.us- The Oregon Student Assistance Commission (OSAC) is the state student financial aid agency for Oregon. Formerly named Oregon State Scholarship Commission (OSSC), OSAC administers a variety of State of Oregon, Federal, and privately-funded student financial aid programs for the benefit of Oregonians attending institutions of postsecondary education. 

The mission of the Oregon Student Assistance Commission is: To assist Oregon students and their families in attaining a post-secondary education and to enhance the value, integrity, and diversity of Oregon's college programs.

www.mappingyourfuture.org Information on planning a career, selecting a school and paying for college.

 

RECOMMENDED READING

 BUDGETING

Making the Most of Your Money - by Jane Bryant Quinn.

How to Get Out of Debt, Stay Out of Debt, and Live Prosperously - by Jerrold Mundis Quinn.

Life or Debt - by Stacy Johnson

The Money Diet - by Ginger Applegarth

Your Money or Your Life - by Vicki Robin and Joe Dominguez

The Tightwad Gazette - by Amy Dacyczyn

1001 Ways to Cut Your Expenses - by Jonathan D. Pond 
 

PERSONAL FINANCE

The Total Money Makeover - David Ramsey

Make Money Not Excuses - Jean Crazky

7 Money Mantras for a Richer Life - Michelle Singletary

The 9 Steps to Financial Freedom - by Suze Orman

Straight Talk on Money - by Ken & Daria Dolan

Personal Finance for Dummies - by Eric Tyson

 

INVESTMENTS

The Only Investment Guide You'll Ever Need - by Andrew Tobias

Investing for Dummies - by Eric Tyson

Bogle on Mutual Funds - by John C. Bogle

 

RETIREMENT

Kiplinger's 12 Steps to a Worry Free Retirement - by Daniel Kehrer

Social Security, Medicare and Pensions: The Sourcebook for Older Americans - by Joseph Matthews

How to Plan for a Secure Retirement - by Barry Dickman & Trudy Lieberman

 

INSURANCE

Life Insurance: A Consumer's Handbook - by Joseph M. Belth

Winning the Insurance Game: The Complete Consumer's Guide to Saving Money - by Ralph Nader & Wesley J. Smith

 

TAXES

Taxes for Dummies - by Eric Tyson & David Silverman

It's Not What You Make-It's What You Keep - by Julian Block

J.K. Lassier's Year-Round Tax Strategies - by David DeJong & Ann Gray Jakabcin

Stand Up to the IRS - by Frederick W. Daily

 

BUYING A HOME

The Homebuyer's Survival Guide - by Kenneth W. Edwards

Home Buying for Dummies - by Eric Tyson and Ray Brown

The 106 Common Mistakes Homebuyers Make (And How To Avoid Them) - by Gary W. Eldred

 

CHILDREN & MONEY

Kiplinger's Money Smart Kids (and Parents, Too) - by Janet Bodner

A Penny Saved - by Neale S. Godfrey & Carolina Edwards

Money Doesn't Grow on Trees - by Neale S. Godfrey & Carolina Edwards 

 

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