Articles Posted in financial wellness

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Buying a home is exciting and when an employee finally is making enough money that person can take the great step forward. The first-time home buyer may be a little anxious. After all, this is the most expensive purchase most people will make in their lifetime. No one wants to make a mistake which jeopardizes financial wellness.

The World of Real Estate

The real estate industry is an open market. You can buy the house you can afford or take a risk on one that is more expensive. You have the choice. The downside is purchasing real estate can be complicated.

There are terms used only in the property arena and conditions that only arise in real estate. Financing a house purchase can be confusing. Not everyone knows about points, FHA requirements, or payment schedules. Some prior education is helpful. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services has a financial wellness benefit that offers sound house buying advice. Continue reading

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Medical bills can unnerve even the most patient person. The cost of surgery or even simple procedures can be in the thousands of dollars. The size of a medical bill can cause people to make decisions that will impact financial wellness. The choices a frantic person makes can be devastating.

Decisions Made in Haste

Some people think that they can ignore the medical bill and pay it sometime in the future. It is an open invitation to have collection agencies make their obnoxious phone calls, and credit ratings can drop significantly for anyone who neglects to pay the medical bill. The second worst decision is to use a credit card. Doing that can add thousands of dollars to be paid off with double digit interest rates and using a credit card may not be necessary. Anyone who is looking at a sizable medical bill needs some good advice and guidance. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services can offer the kind of assistance a person can use. Continue reading

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Financial wellness is an honest concern in many households. Our overuse of credit cards will increase personal debt and double-digit interest rates add to the bill. Sudden medical emergencies and the monthly payment of college loans will eat up a paycheck. Being nervous about financial wellness appears to be the modern way of life. It doesn’t need to be that way at all. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services is here to give needed help.

It Starts with a Budget

Recent college graduates and Millennials are very tech smart; there is no question about that. But being digitally bright does not mean having any understanding of finances

Young employees spent college years worrying about grades. A personal budget was something to worry about after graduation. These new employees are now in the real world and having trouble juggling finances. Continue reading

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The cost of education is steep. The room and board, tuition, and books are so expensive that even public universities are barely affordable. Student loan debt can be a substantial threat to any young employee’s financial wellness. These hard-working people need help.

Major Decisions Are Affected

Reality hits a person’s budget within six months of graduation. A freshly minted graduate confronts a bill that sharply cuts into his or her income. The monthly payments are in addition to existing rent, utilities, and credit card obligations. New graduates may not be familiar with budgeting and make poor decisions on cash allocations. Plans for buying a house, getting married, or starting a family may be delayed because of paying college loans.

Employers need to be concerned. The new graduates have the technical and social media expertise an organization needs. However, these young people might start looking for other jobs if their financial wellness is threatened. No organization can have a revolving door employment problem and still stay competitive. It is good business sense for an employer to offer some help. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services can provide required assistance. Continue reading

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Young employees want to buy a house. Being able to have a home in which to raise a family is something they all want, and it is a dream they wish to see come true. Many are concerned, however, that they may not be able ever to own a house. An organization that helps its employees in purchasing a house will gain the respect and loyalty of those hard workers.

Finding the Resources

The purchase of a house is the largest financial investment most people are going to make in their careers. It is understandable that an employee might worry about financial wellness, knowing that a mortgage can be hundreds of thousands of dollars and the commitment is for decades. The anxiety can make anyone hesitate. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services has been helping organizations provide superior benefits to employees for over 30 years. We have a benefit plan that can help anyone realize the dream.

We provide financial wellness services through a nationwide network of certified counselors. These are professionals who understand how a person should get ready for buying a house. Finding the resources to afford a mortgage is not as difficult as it appears. A Countrywide counselor will do a budget analysis to determine how a plan member can pay for the mortgage. This may include readjusting existing payments so that enough cash is made available. The counselor can also do an asset inventory. The inventory uncovers what holdings can be easily sold to allow a reasonable down payment. Continue reading

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Tales of credit cards are the horror stories of personal finance. Consumers get anxious about their plastic and worry about staggering debt amounts which threaten financial wellness. Credit card anxiety may lead to some drastic decisions that are not the best.

Ignorance Is Not Financial Bliss

Folks might want to swear off credit cards but that is a mistake. You need those cards to establish a personal credit rating. A person might try to pay large monthly amounts to reduce the credit card balance. That can be at the expense of other essential needs and the proposed cure might be worse than the disease. Most cardholders could use a sensible plan of action to handle the debt. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services can help design one.

Our Counselors Will Protect Financial Wellness

Countrywide provides service with a nationwide network of certified counselors. They are professionals who assist with personal finances and know how to deal with credit card debt. Many consumers have no idea about budgeting. Our counselors can advise on creating a workable budget. Continue reading

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The Explanation of Benefits statement (EOB) is a shocker. It details the cost of a medical procedure and the figures can be substantial. Relax. That is Not the final bill and health insurance can cover a large portion of the cost. The deductible and the copayments, however, can produce a large expense. That may threaten a person’s financial wellness.

Panic over the Cost

The EOB is the first jolt to the system. The bills that follow can drain a person emotionally. Picking out a way to pay the costs may lead to poor decisions. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services knows how panic will create more problems than solutions. We have a financial wellness plan to assist people with ordinary financial dilemmas. Helping a plan member deal with medical bills is one of our benefits.

With All Deliberate Speed

The Countrywide network of certified counselors will work with plan members to resolve financial problems. Many people do not have a grasp of their finances; there is no working budget. A Countrywide counselor will do a budget analysis to uncover the cash flow of the household. This professional can point out where changes can be made so that medical bills can be affordable. Continue reading

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The American economy is fortunate to have so many tech-savvy young employees. They grew up with social media and Internet business apps and hit the ground running once they are hired. They can be very productive if there are no restraints. However, recent college graduates come with a heavy burden and management must lighten the load.

Debt Harms Financial Wellness

The average college student graduates with loan obligations of thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars. The grace period for most college loans is ordinaraily over in six months and young graduates must start paying the debt. Monthly loan bills can be as much as a mortgage payment.

The college debt impacts financial wellness. Personal decisions such as getting married or buying a house will be affected. Recent college graduates may not understand budgeting or have credit card issues. Their financial stability is in trouble and these tech smart young people need help. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services can be a real lifesaver with its Financial Wellness Plan. Continue reading

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Management wants good benefits for employees. Decision-makers know these services improve morale, boost productivity, and improve retention rates. Executives are concerned that employee benefits have a good return on investment. A comprehensive financial wellness plan can provide excellent benefits for the entire workforce. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services offers a plan.

Something for Everyone

Workforce demographics are important, and the Countrywide plan has options that can be particularly useful for various groups. New college graduates must find ways to manage their college loan debts. We have a benefits option that addresses the college loan problem. Older employees confront medical bills that easily get out of control. We will help them manage the debt with suggestions on how to negotiate with healthcare providers. Millennials may want to buy a house and don’t know how to purchase one. The Countrywide Financial Wellness Program has a self-study course to educate a first-time home buyer.

Everyone Benefits

Countrywide has a nationwide network of certified counselors who provide the service. Standard Countrywide benefits will include a budget analysis. It will help plan members understand where the money is coming from and where it is going. The counselor will also give suggestions on how to save for major expenses. Sensible financial planning includes knowing a person’s full value. We will do an asset inventory for the financial wellness plan member, allowing that person to fully appreciate his or her holdings. Continue reading

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An employee starts thinking about retirement when that person turns 50. Financial planners will emphasize putting more money into retirement plans and learning how to live on a lower income. Middle-aged employees confront the dual challenge of saving for retirement and making ends meet in the present.

Financial Wellness Becomes Critical

Paying off a mortgage releases considerable cash but credit card payments can swallow the money. Parents are still helping children pay for college and lack an understanding of college debt. Older employees will use the group health insurance more and incur a sizable debt by doing this.

Older employees understand budgets. They lived with them for years. The challenge comes from new, and often heavy, expenses. Middle-aged employees are looking forward to the day when they can retire. Unfortunately, the debts that they have incurred over the years can block the dream. Many of them are wondering if they can effectively retire any time soon. Dealing with debt can be a nightmare which will require informed guidance. Countrywide Pre-Paid Legal Services can give a plan member the right information. Continue reading