Credit counseling service helps employees control spending

 

Cornell has made it easier for the staff and faculty to take control of their finances. The university has arranged with the Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Central New York (CCCS) to provide confidential financial counseling services to Cornell employees at no cost.

CCCS is a nonprofit financial-counseling organization based in Syracuse with an office in Binghamton. It is certified with a number of state and national credit counseling and consumer education groups. See its Web site for more information.

Cornell staff and faculty can discuss their financial concerns with CCCS representatives over the phone or in person. These sessions can help consumers use their financial resources more efficiently to meet their personal goals and can include developing a customized budget. CCCS professionals also will come to Benefit Services monthly for in-person meetings, but the majority of counseling occurs over the phone with good results. They can be reached at 800-479-6026.

CCCS also provides at a modest fee:

  • a credit report review to help consumers understand their credit report, how to correct errors on the report and what steps are needed to improve it;
  • housing counseling on becoming a renter or homeowner, avoiding eviction or foreclosure and using home equity to make retirement years more secure; and
  • debt management to help financially stressed consumers repay their creditors over time without additional loans or personal bankruptcy.

The CCCS Web site also offers an online library and publications to help consumers manage their money.

Mary Zielinski is assistant director of Benefit Services in the Division of Human Resources.

 

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Joe Schwartz