Find more resources at Vermont 2-1-1
- Search for services at vermont211.org
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A program of United Ways of Vermont, 2-1-1 is a free confidential statewide information and referral service operating 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with language translation available. 2-1-1 offers a comprehensive searchable database of services and trained information and referral specialists offer personalized assistance by telephone any time, and respond to texts and emails Monday – Friday, 8:00 am to 10:00 pm.
Got questions about your legal rights? The Vermont Commission on Women's handbook, The Legal Rights of Women in Vermont might provide answers. Chapters include: Adoption, Guardianship and Emancipated Minors; Consumer Protection and Fair Credit; Domestic Relations; Education; Employment Rights; Housing and Property Rights; Immigration; Insurance; Name Changes; Public Accommodations; Public Assistance and Government Benefits; Reproductive Rights; Violence Against Women and Children; and Wills, Probate Court, and Advanced Directives.
Read Vermont Commission on Women's publications on this and other topics.
IN THIS CHAPTER:
General Money Management
Retirement Planning/Social Security
Tax Help
Housing
Financial Education/Youth Programs
Financial Planning for College
Elders
General Money Management
Vermont State Treasurer
109 State Street, 4th Floor
Montpelier, VT 05609
(802)-828-3706
vermonttreasurer.gov/content/financial-literacy
The State Treasurer’s Office offers financial literacy tools and links for Vermonters at any age or stage.
Champlain College's Center for Financial Literacy
champlain.edu/centers-of-excellence/center-for-financial-literacy
Champlain College's nationally acclaimed, one-of-a-kind financial literacy program hopes to increase knowledge of money matters in classrooms across Vermont, ensure college students graduate with the skills to make sound decisions about spending, credit and investments, and help adults navigate difficult financial situations like buying a home and saving for retirement. The Center for Financial Literacy is a partnership among several financial institutions, non-profit entities and governmental agencies. The Center is designed to promote and develop financial literacy skills in K-12 students, college students, teachers (K-12 and college) and adults.
American Savings Education Council
https://www.asec.org/by-lifestyle
The American Savings Education Council is a national coalition of public- and private-sector institutions committed to making saving and retirement planning a priority for all Americans. This site includes information on preparing for retirement, how to manage debts, effective budgeting, how to talk to your kids about money, and more.
Federal Reserve Education
The Federal Reserve System is the central bank of the United States, founded by Congress in 1913 to provide the nation with a safer, more flexible, and more stable monetary and financial system. This website includes information on finding your Federal Reserve District for programs, museums, and tours. It also provides a Student Workbook for students called My Money, an educational workbook for students in elementary school. The topics it covers include money, coin equivalents, jobs, goods, services and barter.
My Money
U.S. government's website dedicated to teaching all Americans the basics about financial education. The website is a product of the congressionally chartered Federal Financial Literacy and Education Commission, which is made up of more than 20 Federal entities that are coordinating and collaborating to strengthen financial capability and increase access to financial services for all Americans.
Community Action Agencies
Community Action Agencies help people to help themselves in achieving self-sufficiency. Programs and services focus on financial stability, children and family, community building, health and well being, housing assistance, and emergency assistance. Many agencies offer financial literacy programs – contact the location nearest you for more information.
Bennington-Rutland Opportunity Council (BROC)
45 Union Street
Rutland, VT 05701
(802) 775-0878 / (800) 717-2762
broc.org/
Capstone Community Action (Central Vermont)
Washington County (Central Office)
20 Gable Place
Barre, VT 05641
(800) 639-1053 / (802) 479-1053
Lamoille County/Morrisville
197 Harrel Street
Morrisville, VT 05661
(800) 639-8710 / (802) 888-7993
Orange County East - Bradford
22 Whistle Stop Way
P.O. Box 500
Bradford, VT 05033
(802) 222-5419
Orange County West - Randolph
12 Prince Street
PO Box 284
Randolph, VT 05060
(800) 846-9506 / (802) 728-9506
Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (CVOEO)
255 South Champlain St.
P.O. Box 1603
Burlington, VT 05402
(802) 862-2771
cvoeo.org/
Northeast Kingdom Community Action (NEKCA)
70 Main Street
P.O. Box 346
Newport, VT 05855
(802) 334-7316 / 800-639-4065
St. Johnsbury: (802) 748-8997
Island Pond: (802) 723-6245
Canaan: (802) 266-7134
nekcavt.org
Southeastern Vermont Community Action (SEVCA)
91 Buck Drive
Westminster, VT 05158-9618
(802) 722-4575 / (800) 464-9951
sevca.org/
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
877-ASKFDIC (877-275-3342)
fdic.gov/resources/consumers/
The FDIC has compiled a list of Financial Literacy resources and online educational programs on proper consumer behavior and smart banking.
Retirement Planning/Social Security
Social Security Administration
33 School Street
Montpelier, VT 05602
877-505-4542
ssa.gov/women
Learn all about social security benefits for any age or stage.
Wiser Women
1140 19th Street, N.W. Suite 550
Washington, DC 20036
202-393-5452
wiserwomen.org/
A national education and resource center on women and retirement planning operated by WISER, the Women's Institute for a Secure Retirement.
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
Central Office
1735 K Street
Washington, DC 20006
Boston Office
99 High Street Suite 900
Boston, MA 02110
(301) 590-6500
finra.org/investors/learn-to-invest
FINRA provides a user-friendly guide to smart 401(k) investing for retirement, as well as a guide to understanding 401(k) retirement plans.
U.S. Department of Labor Retirement Guide
dol.gov/ebsa/pdf/top10ways.pdf
The U.S. DOL's information on retirement plans, benefits, and savings.
Tax Help
Vermont Department of Taxes
133 State Street
Montpelier, VT 05633
(802) 828-2505
tax.vermont.gov/
Information on Vermont tax rates, how to correctly file taxes in Vermont, and a free tax assistance program for low income and elderly people.
Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
The IRS has put together a “Help & Resources” page on its website that covers a variety of topics such as ways to handle Identity Theft, how to fix a mistake on your Tax Return form, and how to notify the IRS of an address change.
Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS)
1-877-777-4778
taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/
The Taxpayer Advocate Service is an independent organization within the IRS. Its purpose is to help taxpayers communicate with the IRS, solve any tax-related problems they may have, and recommend ways to help prevent those problems in the future.
Vermont Law Help
1-800-889-2047
vtlawhelp.org/taxes
Legal aid for tax issues with the IRS (free for qualifying Vermonters), information on what action to take if one owes taxes back to the IRS.
Housing
Vermont Housing & Conservation Board
58 East State Street
Montpelier, VT 05602
802-828-3250
vhcb.org/index.html
The Board pioneering a comprehensive approach to affordable housing and community development linked with land conservation and historic preservation. Programs include home ownership for low-income families in Vermont. There is information on how to apply as well as a handbook which has an in-depth explanation of the program.
Housing programs in Vermont, Vermont Housing & Conservation Board
VTLawHelp Homeless Shelters, Emergency Housing, Transitional Housing
vtlawhelp.org/homeless-shelters-and-help-homeless-people
Neighborworks Alliance
vthomeownership.org/
Disaster Assistance Hotline: 888-698-8466
The Neighborworks Alliance is a group of five local organizations who offer full affordable housing services. It helps with home credit and finance, home rehab services, and home loans and grants.
RuralEdge
48 Elm Street
Lyndonville, VT 05851
(888) 698-8466
ruraledge.org/
Champlain Housing Trust
88 King Street
Burlington, VT 05401
(802) 862-6244
getahome.org/
Downstreet Housing & Community Development
107 North Main Street
Barre, VT 05641
(802) 476-4493
downstreet.org/
NeighborWorks® of Western Vermont
110 Marble Street
West Rutland, VT 05777
(802) 438-2303
nwwvt.org/
Windham & Windsor Housing Trust
68 Birge Street
Brattleboro, VT 05301
(802) 254-4604
homemattershere.org/
Financial Education/Youth Programs
Champlain College's Center for Financial Literacy
champlain.edu/centers-of-excellence/center-for-financial-literacy
Champlain College's nationally acclaimed, one-of-a-kind financial literacy program hopes to increase knowledge of money matters in classrooms across Vermont, ensure college students graduate with the skills to make sound decisions about spending, credit and investments, and help adults navigate difficult financial situations like buying a home and saving for retirement. The Center for Financial Literacy is a partnership among several financial institutions, non-profit entities and governmental agencies. The Center is designed to promote and develop financial literacy skills in K-12 students, college students, teachers (K-12 and college) and adults.
TeachFinLit.org
Created by high school teachers to help other teachers source financial literacy resources for the classroom, a great site for everyone to learn about finances created by Champlain College's Center for Financial Literacy.
Vermont Jump$tart Coalition
Jumpstart Coalition VT
VT number: 877-242-8550
vermontjumpstart.wordpress.com/resources/
Vermont Jump$tart Coalition is a volunteer nonprofit organization dedicated to improving the financial literacy of Vermont youth by providing advocacy, information, and educational resources. Vermont Jump$tart strives to prepare young people for life-long successful financial decision making.
Financial Planning for College
The Pell Institute for the Study of Opportunity in Higher Education
1025 Vermont Avenue, N.W.
Suite 1020
Washington, D.C. 20005-3516
(202) 638-2887
pellinstitute.org/
The Pell Institute conducts and distributes research and policy analysis to encourage policymakers, educators, and the public to better educational opportunities and results for low-income, first-generation, and disabled college students.
Vermont Student Assistance Corp. (VSAC)
VSAC’s goal is to help Vermonters go to college or complete other training programs after high school. Its website includes many helpful resources for completing financial aid forms, scholarship applications, and other general information on paying for college.The Vermont Student Assistance Corporation is unique in its scope and role. Created by the Vermont Legislature in 1965 as a public nonprofit agency, VSAC advocates for students and their families to ensure that they have the information, the counseling and the financial aid to achieve their education goals. They begin by helping families save for education. VSAC’s goal is to help Vermonters go to college or complete other training programs after high school. Their website includes many helpful resources for completing financial aid forms, scholarship applications, and other general information on paying for college including loan programs and loan forgiveness programs.VSAC counselors work with students in nearly every Vermont middle school and high school, and again as adults.
Elders
National Council on Aging
BenefitsCheckUp is free service of the National Council on Aging (NCOA), a nonprofit service and advocacy organization. Many adults over 55 need help paying for prescription drugs, health care, utilities, and other basic needs. There are over 2,000 federal, state and private benefits programs available to help. But many people don’t know these programs exist or how they can apply. BenefitsCheckUp asks a series of questions to help identify benefits that could save you money and cover the costs of everyday expenses.
AARP
199 Main Street, Suite 225
Burlington, VT 05401
866-227-7451
aarp.org/money/money_tools/
AARP, Inc., formerly the American Association of Retired Persons website features information about personal finance regarding both work and retirement, find more information about Scams & Fraud, Living on a Budget, Managing Debt, Saving & Investing, Taxes, and Insurance.
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed by authors and members of the organizations listed are not necessarily those of VCW. The presence of any individual or organization on this list should not be considered an endorsement by VCW.