2012 Financial Education and Programs

Coast Guard members and their families continue to face various economic challenges in 2012, including a high unemployment rate and increased costs of living and fuel. CGMA recognizes these hardships by expanding existing programs and introducing new trainings to both educate and assist our members.

NFCC Financial Counseling

The purpose of financial and housing counseling and debt management assistance is to help our clients become good manag ers of their personal finances and meet their financial obligations. To assist in accomplishing these goals, CGMA pays for our clients to receive financial and hou sing counseling services and, when needed, debt management assistance . Our partnership with the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) and its member agencies allows us to help Coast Guard members all around the country. This counseling is available at any time to the entire Coast Guard family and is completely confidential. Members are not required to be in debt or seek assistance in order to take advantage of these individual counseling sessions. Whether unemployment has affected a family, a PCS move has changed an active duty member’s financial situation, unexpected circumstances have altered the monthly budget, or the purchase of a home is under consideration, a financial counselor can help by developing a financial plan that will work.

NFCC Financial Training

CGMA has also partnered with the NFCC and its member agencies to offer free financial training classes to any interested Coast Guard units, spouses groups, etc. These classes go over basic budgeting, savings, and managing debt. Sev eral units took advantage of this training in 2012.