Money Management
Money management is one of the most important life skills. Unfortunately, it's not a skill that we are born with, and not everyone is good at it.
The following programs are available in Central Kansas District:
- Who Gets Grandma's Yellow Pie Plate
- Does Your Money Have Wings
- Basic Money Management
- Get Organized
- Know Your Credit
- Get Financially Prepared Before a Disaster
- Prepare Kansas
- My Retirement Paycheck
- Reverse Mortgages
- Smart Choice: Health Insurance
- Health Insurance Smarts
- Long-Term Care
- Legally Secure Your Financial Future
- Intentional Harmony
Check Your Credit
One in five people have an error on at least one of their credit reports according to a study conducted by the Federal Trade Commission. When is the last time you checked your free credit report?
Credit reports affect many aspects of your life, including your ability to get a loan, rates for loans and insurance, and more. Sign up today for K-State Research and Extension’s Check Your Credit email program.
We’ll remind you to check your credit report three times during the year on February 2, June 6 and October 10. We will also send you periodic emails with information about how to understand your credit report, correct errors, and use your credit report to your advantage.
Empower yourself to make better financial decisions. There is no cost to participate and registration is easy.
Take a step towards financial well-being today by signing up for K-State Research and Extension’s Check Your Credit program at bit.ly/ksrecheckyourcredit .
Making the Most of Your Money
Making the most of your money starts with five building blocks for managing and growing your money. The resources provided here are designed to help people of all ages sharpen their money management skills.
Earn
Make the most of your paycheck, and understand your pay and benefits.
Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA)
The Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program offers free tax help to people who generally make $53,000 or less, persons with disabilities, the elderly and limited English speaking taxpayers who need assistance in preparing their own tax returns. IRS-certified volunteers provide free basic income tax return preparation with electronic filing to qualified individuals. The Salina Area United Way sponsors this service in Saline County.
Save and Invest
Your efforts to put a little cash aside will improve your ability to deal with money emergencies and help you develop solid goal-setting habits like saving for a home or retirement.
Kansas Saves — A national social marketing Campaign to 'Save and Reduce Debt' ; and encourage the average person that ' You Can Build Wealth if you Start Small and Think Big'.
General Savings
- Cutting Expenses: Slashing Expenses - Utah State Extension
Retirement Planning Resources
Protect
Prepare Kansas is an online financial challenge designed to help individuals and families be better prepared ahead of disasters which can make recovery easier. The challenge occurs each year during September, National Preparedness month. The blog is linked here, which is available to everyone, whether participating in the Prepare Kansas program or not.
- Recovery After Disaster: The Family Financial Toolkit -This resource was developed by University of Minnesota Extension. Kansas specific information for Unit 9 will be available in the near future.
- Personal Home Inventory - publication from the Kansas Insurance Commissioner. Hard copies of this publication are available in our offices.
Spend
Financial security is being able to meet future needs while keeping current with day-to-day obligations. The first step towards financial security is having a plan for managing your money. Here are some basic resources to help you get started.
Borrow
Credit Reports
A credit report includes information on where you live, how you pay your bills, and whether you've been sued, arrested, or filed for bankruptcy. Nationwide consumer reporting companies sell the information in your report to creditors, insurers, employers, and other businesses that use it to evaluate your applications for credit, insurance, employment, or renting a home.
Federal law gives consumers the right to request one report from each of the three nationwide consumer credit reporting companies — Equifax, Experian and TransUnion — every 12 months. In addiiton, the three bureaus have permanently extended a program that lets you check your credit report from each once a week for free at annualcreditreport.com
You may be asked for an account number or Social Security number for identity verification. Any disputed information should be corrected by following the instructions provided on the report. This is why it is important to review your credit report on an annual basis.
Your Rights: Credit Reporting This Federal Trade Commission (FTC) government site contains information to read before you request your Free Credit Report.
Included is:
Your Access to Free Credit Reports' brochure explaining your rights and how to order a free credit report.
Important guidelines for online security and warnings about how to avoid fraudulent imposter sites!
Accurate spelling of the web address is extremely important.
You can order your free annual credit report in 3 ways:
By Phone: Call (877) 322-8228
By Mail: Complete the Annual Credit Request Form and mailing it to:
Annual Credit Report Request Service
P.O. Box 105281
Atlanta, GA 30348-5281
Click here for the Annual Credit Report Request Form to print and mail.
Online: The FTC site offers a direct link to the official free credit report site for security and to avoid confusion with fraudulent copy-cat or imposter sites. Click here for a direct link to the official free AnnualCreditReport.com site to order secure online copies of credit reports. If in doubt always access the official site link through the FTC website above.
Note about Credit Scores: Annual Credit Reports are free; if you want a 'credit score' provided there will be a fee requested.
Other resources: