Careers and Unemployment
Credit Reports and Disputes
Emergency Services / Relief Organizations
Federal, State and Local Agencies
Food
Housing and Utilities
Insurance
Legal Assistance
Military and Veterans
Money Management & Tips
Retirement
Seniors
Student Loans
Careers and Unemployment
- PA Careerlink – a user-friendly, premiere job-matching system has been created to help bridge the gap that currently exists between job-seekers and employers.
- National Unemployment Help – earn how to apply for unemployment benefits, workers’ compensation, welfare or temporary assistance, and other programs and services that can help if you lose your job.
Credit Reports and Disputes
- myFICO – Credit Score Information
- Three credit bureaus:
- Equifax – 1-800-685-1111
- Experian – 1-888-397-3742
- Transunion – 1-800-888-4213
- Order Free Annual Credit Report – (does not include your score for free)
- Dispute Credit Report Sample Letter
- Banks may provide you with your credit score for free. Check with your bank or credit union.
Emergency Services / Relief Organizations
- Bucks County Resource Directory
- American Red Cross
- United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania
- A Woman’s Place – AWP provides a full range of programs and services to individuals experiencing domestic violence, their children and the community
- Bucks County Habitat for Humanity – Habitat works toward our vision by building strength, stability and self-reliance in partnership with families in need of decent and affordable housing.
- Family Service Association – Programs that help the homeless, increase opportunities for adults, reduce substance abuse, protect seniors, improve the lives of those with HIV/AIDS and much more
- Doylestown Fish – Provides emergency assistance to people in need when no other timely assistance is available.
- Pennridge FISH – Provide food, clothing and one-time emergency financial assistance for necessary utility bills and security deposits to low-income households within the Pennridge School District.
- Big Brothers – Big Sisters – enroll children ages 6-15 and matching them with a trained, thoroughly screened adult volunteer mentor
- Child Abuse Pennsylvania CHILDLINE – Phone: 1-800-932-0313
- Child Care Information Helpline – Information on locating and paying for childcare and working with providers Phone: 1-877-4PA-KIDS (1-877-472-5437)
Federal, State and Local Agencies
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC) – Protects consumers from unfair and deceptive practices in the marketplace
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau – makes sure banks, lenders, and other financial companies treat you fairly.
- Social Security Administration – understand your benefits, calculators to plan
- Pennsylvania Department of Banking and Securities
- Bucks County Consumer Protection
- PA Treasury – Administers several programs that provide an opportunity for financial empowerment for families, municipal governments, and non-profit groups across the state.
Food
- Bucks County Opportunity Council Food Program –Provide leads for food assistance, food pantries, community meals, senior food box program and fresh connect
- National Food Assistance – Find out how to get food in case of an emergency, apply for food stamps and what free or low-cost food programs are available for infants, children and seniors.
- Hunger Hotline – 1-866-3-HUNGRY (1-866-348-6479)
Housing and Utilities
- PHFA -The Pennsylvania Housing Finance Agency works to provide affordable homeownership and rental apartment options for senior adults, low- and moderate-income families, and people with special housing needs.
- HUD – Housing and Urban Development
- Bucks Housing Authority – The Bucks County Housing Authority (BCHA) provides affordable public housing for eligible senior citizens, families, and disabled people.
- Housing help for Veterans – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers home loans and grants. These programs help service members, veterans, and surviving spouses buy, refinance, or modify their home.
- Bucks County Opportunity Council – offer Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program
- Home Improvement – PHFA – Loan Programs to help with Home repair
- EveryoneOn – resource to find low-cost internet and affordable computers
- National Help with Bills – Learn about government programs to help pay for phone bills, medical bills, and other expenses. You can also learn how to apply for temporary assistance.
- Bankrate – research interest rate, calculate mortgage payments.
Insurance
- Consumer Reports – Insurance Buying Guide
Legal Assistance
- Legal Aid of Southeastern PA – Providing quality legal representation to low-income and vulnerable people in Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery Counties.
- Bucks County Bar Association – Lawyer Referral & Information Service assists persons willing and able to pay usual and customary attorney fees to participants in the BCBA LRIS program
Military and Veterans
- Military Programs and Benefits – Get info about military benefits like health care, housing, and education. Discover programs that help with military life, like job search help for spouses and dealing with deployments. Access free family counseling. Get tax filing help geared for the military.
- Housing help for Veterans – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) offers home loans and grants. These programs help service members, veterans, and surviving spouses buy, refinance, or modify their home.
Money Management & Tips
- Bucks County Saves – America Saves is a campaign coordinated by the nonprofit Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and is dedicated to helping individuals save money, reduce debt, and build wealth.
- The Bucks County Redevelopment Authority – Program to help low to moderate income families make home improvements, weatherization projects etc.
- Bankrate – Use their financial calculators for mortgages, car loans, student loans, credit card payoff
- Bucks County Opportunity Council – community-based Volunteer Income Tax Assistance
- Bucks County Habitat for Humanity – Habitat works toward our vision by building strength, stability and self-reliance in partnership with families in need of decent and affordable housing.
- Oil Heat Program – provide either free or low priced deliveries of home heating oil to those who need, ranging from low income families to senior citizens and others. Call 1-877-JOE-4-OIL (1-877-563-4645)
Retirement
- Social Security Administration– understand your benefits, calculators to plan
- Bankrate – Retirement Calculators
Seniors
- Bucks County Area Agency on Aging
- Bucks County Resource Directory for Older Adults
- Family Service Association – Providing FREE face-to-face assistance applying for public benefits Call 215-757-6916 ext. 239
- Social Security Administration – understand your benefits, calculators to plan
- AARP – addresses the consumer problems and issues that especially impact the financial security of people 50 years and older.
- Estate Planning
Student Loans
- US Department of Education
- Get a FSA ID – Must get ID to start Financial Aid Process
- FAFSA – Use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form to apply for financial aid for college or grad school.
- FAFSA Deadlines
- 5 Steps to Financial Aid
- PA Forward Student Loan Program (PHEAA) – A PA State Grant Program
- PA Student Aid Guide
- Compare Colleges – Develop a plan to go to college by determining the quality of a school, viewing cost data and graduation rates.
- Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) – offers tools and calculators
- US Department of Education – how to repay your loans
- National Association of Student Financial Administrator
- EducationPlanner.org – EducationPlanner is your one-stop career and college planning website. EducationPlanner provides practical and easy-to-understand advice to help prepare students for the important decisions they will face in the future.
- Bankrate College – College calculators
