All of CEI’s financial wellness offerings are provided free of charge. CEI is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and a HUD-certified housing counseling agency.
Credit Report reviews and Credit Building
Staying on top of your credit report is an integral part of financial wellness. Knowing your credit score and what to watch for can help protect from fraud, make you aware of any errors, and teach you how to make strides to increase your credit score. Your credit score is used in more and more places than ever before – in seeking financing, in the search for a new home or job, and even factoring in to how much you pay for services like health, home, and vehicle insurance! CEI’s financial wellness coaches can assist you in reviewing your credit report, make recommendations on how you might work on improving your score, and how to stay up to date on changes to your report.
Budget and Debt Reduction Counseling
Many of us find ourselves living paycheck to paycheck or staring at large amounts of credit card debt without an idea of where to begin. CEI’s financial wellness coaches can assist you in reviewing your current budget , understand your situation, and help you develop a plan to achieve your short and long-term goals. These may be as simple as working towards saving money and eliminating debt or bigger goals such as homeownership or starting your own business! Getting a clearer picture of where your money is going can put you back in control of your spending!
Student Loan Counseling
CEI’s financial wellness coaches are also certified by the Financial Counseling Association of America (FCAA) to help clients understand and navigate the complex and ever-increasing world of student loan debt. While there are many Federal programs to potentially assist borrowers in reducing their monthly student-loan payments, these programs can be difficult to navigate and implement with a borrower’s student debt servicer. CEI can assist borrowers in determining if there are better, more-affordable options available to them and how to access them.
Additional Resources
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Consumer Credit Protection – State of Maine
Property Tax Exemptions – State of Maine
Please contact us with any question about these programs at (207) 504-5900 or e-mail us at financialwellness@ceimaine.org.