CCCS of Buffalo - Dare to be Debt Free

The NYS Homeowner Assistance Fund (HAF) is a federally funded program to help support homeowners who experienced financial hardship (loss of income or increased living expenses) as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.  HAF assistance is customized to the applicant's individual situation and may involve free housing counseling, legal services, negotiations with a mortgage servicer, and possibly even financial assistance to cover past and future housing related payments, including water and sewage charges. Applications are now being accepted for this $539 million fund for eligible homeowners at risk of default, foreclosure, or displacement. Are you a homeowner who is: Behind or in forbearance on your mortgage? In default on a reverse mortgage? Behind on your property taxes, water, or sewage bills? Behind on monthly maintenance charges for your co-op or condo? Behind on chattel loans, retail installment contracts, lot rent, and/or other types of home purchase loans? You may be eligible ...

Last week, the U.S. Department of Education announced* a further extension of the COVID-19 emergency relief for student loan repayment, interest, and collections.  The pause was previously extended until January 31, 2022, but an additional 90 day extension was approved through May 1, 2022 . So what does this mean for you?  Eligible** loans have been granted the following relief measures:      - Suspension of loan payments          This suspension will help 41 million borrowers save $5 billion in student loan payments per month.  There is no fee for this, and your loan servicer will automatically implement the suspension.  There is nothing you need to do on your end!      - Temporary 0% interest rate          Your loans will not accrue (accumulate) any additional interest until May 2022.  Optional payments made during this time can allow you to pay off your loans faster, and lower the...

Have you received a call or letter demanding you pay an old debt that either you forgot about, paid off, or is simply not yours? AHH! You may be a victim of “zombie debt collection”. Zombie debts typically show up for various reasons: 1.        Sometimes they are debts that are either very old and/or no longer owed - past the statute of limitations (SOL) for legal action in your state, which is usually between three and six years.   2.       You may have forgotten about the debt or had previously settled on the debt with either the original creditor or another collection agency. 3.       The debt is a result of identity theft. 4.       You filed the debt with a bankruptcy filing and it was discharged. The biggest issue with these zombie debts is that individuals are pressured into paying the debt, which they may not even need to pay! The first step is not to acknowledge the d...

On October 6, 2021, the Department of Education announced an overhaul that is coming for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) program for federally backed student loans!  For a limited time (now through October 31, 2022), borrowers may receive credit for past payments made on their student loans that would not have otherwise qualified for PSLF.   Key parts to this announcement include: Implementing a limited PSLF waiver to count prior payments Simplifying what it means for a payment to qualify for PSLF Eliminating barriers for military service members to receive PSLF Automatically helping service members and other federal employees access PSLF Reviewing of denied PSLF applications and identifying/correcting errors in PSLF processing Improving outreach and communication with PSLF eligible borrowers Simplifying the PSLF application process Making long term improvements to PSLF through rulemaking Helpful links: Press release, fact sheet on PSLF program overhaul What ...

  Do you know anyone who is a cash worker or undocumented worker that lost income during the COVID-19 pandemic? The New York State Excluded Worker’s Fund helps these workers obtain the federal relief funds that they were left out of. Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Buffalo is one of only three Western New York organizations selected by New York State to help individuals access financial help through the all new Excluded Workers Fund — the first of its kind in the nation. The EWF officially began as of August 1 st  after its approval in the New York State budget this spring. It is a fund of approximately $2.1 billion and can provide benefits of as much as $15,600 per worker. Applications for the EWF are available in 13 different languages and applicants are strongly encouraged to apply online. Applications will not be accepted by mail.  CCCS encourages all those who believe they may be eligible to visit  https://dol.ny.gov/EWFApply  and to contact CCC...

  As the summer comes to yet another close, swiftly approaching is the holiday season. Have you started planning yet? Well… if not, you likely aren’t alone.   In less than 3 months a busy schedule lies ahead; Family gatherings and visiting relatives, attending parties and potlucks, entertaining the kids while they are eagerly home from school, and of course… shopping.   This should be the time of year to enjoy, and with the right planning, of both your time and your finances, you can have a great holiday season! Like most successful endeavors, this will start with a detailed plan. Ideally this should happen earlier in the year; whether you are putting money aside in a savings club, or purchasing gifts intermittently throughout the year.   Perhaps that wasn’t the case this year but don't worry! You can still have a great holiday season if you focus your attention on these 5 specific recommendations and tips to maximize your dollars: Make a list, and check it twic...

  Call 716-712-2060 or visit www.consumercreditbuffalo.org   Consumer Credit Counseling Service (CCCS) announced today that it is working to secure workers’ benefits for those who have been excluded from the federal stimulus efforts. CCCS is one of only three Western New York organizations selected by New York State to help individuals access financial help through the all new Excluded Workers Fund — the first of its kind in the nation. The Excluded Workers Fund (EWF) provides financial assistance to New Yorkers who lost income during the COVID-19 pandemic and were left out of various federal relief programs, including unemployment and pandemic benefits, according to the New York Department of Labor https://dol.ny.gov/EWF Those who were unable to access unemployment and/or any other pandemic benefits include undocumented adults and those with nontraditional jobs. The EWF officially began as of August 1 st after its approval in the New York State budget this spri...