Financial Assistance

Referrals for local community resources -- Service members are often reluctant to ask for assistance, and yet there are state and federal programs in place to assist soldiers and family members. By using these programs, families can save a few hard-earned dollars for use in other areas of household management. Financial Readiness provides information, eligibility guidelines, referral and/or registration for the following assistance programs:

Christmas Holiday Food Assistance Program -- Ensures all families have a holiday meal and provides Christmas gifts and toys to children of eligible families.

Resource Referral Program -- For Families who are not eligible for our programs, we provide resources in the local communities to assist with specific needs.

Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance (FSSA) -- FSSA is a military pay entitlement designed to assist service members (including active duty Coast Guard and Reserve Component members) with supporting their family's nutritional needs. FSSA  can be up to $500.00 per month and is non-taxable.. Service members who want to find out if they are eligible should visit the above web site, which requires entering personal information. After the various (personal) information has been entered, the (web based) program will perform calculations and determine eligibility. Service members who are rated "eligible" should contact the Financial Readiness Program at the above telephone number to schedule an appointment to begin the application and pay adjustment process

Financial literacy is an integral part of mission readiness and quality of life. The goal of this campaign is to maintain a comprehensive and state-of-the-art education and training program throughout the services. Designed by the DoD, the purpose of the FLP is to increase personal readiness by reducing the stressors related to financial well-being. This program will assist soldiers and family members in awareness, savings & debt reduction and protection against predatory practices.

The Army Community Service Financial Readiness Program is staffed by professionally trained financial counselors who provide free financial services to all military, Department of Defense and nonappropriated fund civilian employees, retirees and their families. Services include budget counseling, pre-retirement planning, consumer affairs, emergency financial assistance, financial counseling for relocation and other money-wise services. Financial counselors are available to assist with budget development, credit and debt management and a variety of financial planning areas such as insurance, retirement, taxes, relocation, savings and investing and financial goalsetting. 

Appointments are preferred. Financial classes and workshops are also available to military units and community organizations. Financial Readiness also provides pre-screening application services for the Family Subsistence Supplemental Allowance for service members and their families. See FSSA in this section. Please call 586-282-0480 to schedule an appointment.

Budget counseling allows a client to meet with a financial counselor to discuss the management of personal finances. The counselor develops a financial analysis to determine the client’s monthly living expenses and helps the client establish a budget that emphasizes managing personal finances and tracking spending habits. Budget counseling also helps with bankruptcy counseling, purchasing an automobile and repaying creditors. Soldiers and their families can call 586-282-0480 to schedule an appointment.

The Military and Family Support Center provides emergency financial assistance for active-duty and retired Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps personnel, widows/widowers and their family members. Reservists on active-duty orders greater than 30 days may be eligible for financial assistance through their specific branch of service aid society. Coast Guard personnel receive assistance through their individual unit or commander. Aid society family member scholarship information is also available. Assistance is provided through Army Emergency Relief, Air Force Aid Society, Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society and the Coast Guard Mutual Assistance Fund.

Eligibility

Single or married active-duty service members and their dependents, reserve and guard members on continuous active duty for more than 30 days and their dependents, and surviving spouses or orphans of soldiers who died while on active duty or retired from the military are all eligible for financial assistance.

Types of Assistance 

Emergency financial assistance is available for:

• Food, rent or utilities
• Emergency transportation and vehicle repair
• Funeral expenses
• Medical and dental expenses
• Personal needs when pay is delayed or stolen

AER also provides undergraduate-level education scholarships based primarily on financial need to children and soldiers. Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps personnel and their families can obtain scholarship information for their specific relief societies. Please call 586-282-0480 or stop by the Army Community Service Financial Readiness Program in Building 232 to schedule an appointment. If an ACS financial counselor is unavailable, soldiers and their families in need of AER assistance can also contact the American Red Cross at 877-272-7337.

Informational brochures, pamphlets, literature and websites are available to cover a wide variety of consumer issues, such as consumer rights and laws, new purchases, investing and savings. Referral sources and assistance with completing and filing consumer complaints and resolution are also available. A wide variety of personal finance and consumer education classes are available for presentation to unit and Family Readiness Groups.

Debt Management Assistance

If you find yourself in the position of considering loan consolidation, you may be headed for financial difficulty. The following are danger signs: 

• More than 20% of your take-home pay is used for credit payments (excluding home mortgage)
• You have one or more loans from lending companies at 20% or more interest
• You screen your phone calls because bill collectors are calling frequently
• You routinely use your overdraft protection
• You use credit cards impulsively
• You do not pay your bills on time
• You pay only the minimum amount down on your charge accounts each month
• The use of advance check cashing and pay day loans is part of your regular budget plan
• Your car loan is financed at 12% interest or more

If one or more of the above describes you or your spouse, don't wait! Call 586-282-0480 or stop by the Army Community Service Financial Readiness Program in Building 232 and schedule an appointment with a financial counselor.