DEBT – a four-letter word facing most Americans. Financial Helpline's experienced, accredited financial counselors can help you discover ways to manage that debt.
With Financial Wellness, you gain a helping hand to guide you through the major financial changes and challenges you’ll face throughout life, from paying for college to buying a home to managing a budget. Call a financial counselor for a more hands-on approach, or tackle your financial situation independently with learning tracks through the Online Financial Wellness Center.
Financial Wellness powered by askAFS
You shouldn’t have to waste hours of your life worrying about money. With Financial Wellness, you gain a helping hand to guide you through the major financial changes and challenges you’ll face throughout life, from paying for college to buying a home to managing a budget. Call a financial counselor for a more hands-on approach, or tackle your financial situation independently with learning tracks through the Online Financial Wellness Center.
- Accredited or Certified Financial Counselors are accessible by phone to assess issues, discuss options, and help you determine the best course of action for your situation
- Online Financial Wellness Center does the heavy lifting for research, providing a variety of vetted articles, videos, worksheets, checklists, and more to guide your financial wellness journey
- Established learning tracks include resources for major life events, like getting married or having a child, and general financial goals, like developing a budget and eliminating student debt
Statistics
“The average U.S. household with debt caries $15,355 in credit card debt.” Nerdwallet.com, 2019
“Employees stressed about money are eight times more likely to have sleepless nights.” Salary Finance, 2019
“Employers lose half a billion dollars a year to factors directly related to financial stress.” Salary Finance, 2019
“Financially stressed employees lose nearly one month (23–31 days) of productive work days per year and are 2.2 times more likely to seek a new job opportunity.” Salary Finance, 2019
“Personal finance is the number one source of stress across all employee demographics.” MetLife, 2019
“One in three employees admit to being less productive at work due to financial stress.” MetLife, 2019
“Debt is the number one financial struggle faced by employees.” International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, 2018
“The average American now has about $38,000 in personal debt.” Northwestern Mutual, 2018
“78 percent of U.S. workers live paycheck to paycheck to make ends meet.” CareerBuilder, 2017
Financial Wellness powered by askAFS FAQ
Q. How may the Financial Wellness help members?
A. Periodically people need financial guidance and feel they have nowhere to turn; Financial Wellness is here to provide that guidance at no charge whenever the need arises. Financial Wellness helps members:
- Save money - getting specific guidance makes a smarter financial consumer which saves members hundreds, even thousands of dollars.
- Save time - a two minute call often saves hours of time.
- Save effort - access to infinite information leaves most people overwhelmed; using our counselors is the easiest way to find that golden nugget.
Q. What questions may members ask?
A. Members may ask questions covering almost any financial planning topic, everything from household debt and budgeting to retirement planning and saving for children's college education. Here are some questions that members frequently ask:
- "Should I consider an education IRA or a Section 529 plan for college savings?"
- "I'm overwhelmed with debt. What can I do?"
- "We just started a family. How do I figure out how much insurance I need now?"
- "Is it time to refinance my mortgage?"
- "My mother just turned 65. What federal income tax benefits are available to her?"
- "I want to buy a new car. Can you help me understand the financing details?"
- "How does a reverse mortgage work?"
- "We're buying our first house. What type of mortgage should I look for?"
- "Does it make sense to borrow from my 401(k) account to pay off my debts?"
We also have a variety of planning tools members can use for quick calculations, such as a retirement planner, a Roth IRA planner, a college savings calculator, a 401(k) loan analyzer and many others. All are easy to use and easy to understand.
Q. Is there a limit on the number of questions asked?
A. No, members may ask as many questions, as often as they want.