We have all heard the commercials or even seen them in the Internet. Some company offering a loan to help you meet your needs regardless of your credit qualifications. Unfortunately, these offers are often scams or loans that leave consumers worse off financially than they were when they started.

April is Financial Literacy month so this newsletter is dedicated to helping you assess your current money management habits. Good money management skills are very important in life. They can help you prepare for emergency situations, plan for retirement, and avoid paying too much for everyday needs such as auto insurance, home loans, and even [...]

A new scam is swindling consumers: counterfeit checks that seem legitimate to both bank employees and consumers, but that leave unsuspecting consumers footing the bill.

For Immediate Release September 9, 2008
Bremerton, WA ‐ Financial literacy issues bring Senator Derek Kilmer to local Credit Counseling Agency.

With shared concerns regarding the deepening credit crisis accompanied by a weak labor market, high inflation and falling house prices, Senator Kilmer met with Ron Lafayette, President of the North Seattle Community College and Hank Keaton, [...]

August 28, 2008 Press Release
Bremerton, WA ‐ State Representative Larry Seaquist (D‐26th District) visits local Credit Counseling Agency on impact of housing and credit crunch.
Rep. Seaquist, concerned with the economy and the impact on both low and middle income families, met with Hank Keaton, President of American Financial Solutions (AFS) and AFS staff to learn, [...]

Are you one of the many Americans feeling overwhelmed by growing credit card balances, diminishing savings, and the increasing cost of everyday necessities? The first step toward a financially stable tomorrow is facing your situation today.
I suggest that you take the following quiz. The results will reveal whether or not you need to seek professional [...]

Before April 2008 comes to a close, I want to share a tidbit of history behind Financial Literacy Month. Financial Institutions and Non Profit Organizations near and far have been working together promote financial change in today’s record high levels of debt.
National Financial Literacy Month is recognized in the United States in April in [...]

Will they ever learn? Or maybe better to ask, will we ever teach them?
On April 9, 2008 Jump$tart, the National Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, announced that financial literacy among High School Seniors is still on the decline.
In Jump$tart Coalition’s biennial survey given to 6,856 high school 12th graders in 40 states, students correctly [...]

What do you consider “debt free?” Does being debt free include having no house payment, no car payment, no student loan, and no credit cards? Or are we just talking about the miscellaneous debts like credit cards, medical bills, personal loans, and collections? It’s all debt, but some debts cost us much more than others.
Many [...]