Washington LawHelp

General Info (7)+

• Credit and Debit Card Scams

  General information about credit and debit card scams: how to avoid them and what to do if you think you are a victim. #0810EN Read More

  By:

  Northwest Justice Project - CLEAR Intake Line

• Credit Reports

  Information about others who can obtain your credit report, reviewing your credit file, and correcting an error in your credit file. Read More

  By:

  Washington State Attorney General

• Free credit freezes are here

  Security freezes, also known as credit freezes, restrict access to your credit file, making it harder for identity thieves to open new accounts in your name. Starting September 21, 2018, you can freeze and unfreeze your credit file for free. Read More

  By:

  Federal Trade Commission

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

• Prioritizing Debt: Which Bills do I Pay First?

  General information about which bills you should pay first when you are having trouble paying all of your debts. #0110EN Read More

  By:

  Northwest Justice Project - CLEAR Intake Line

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

  Laotian / ພາສາລາວ

  Russian / Pусский

  Vietnamese / Tiếng Việt

  Chinese / 中文

• Ways to pay your bills

  Are you trying to decide whether to pay your rent by check or credit card? Take a look at this guide to compare the benefits and risks of paying regular and one-time bills by check or money order, by direct debit, online, or in cash. Read More

  By:

  Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

• Your Money, Your Goals: Focus on Reentry

  The Focus on Reentry toolkit provides frontline staff and volunteers with information and tools to help justice-involved individuals deal with financial challenges. Read More

  By:

  Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

• Youth: Taking Care of Your Credit

  4905EN - A clean credit history is the first step toward a lifetime of financial health. Credit reports and the credit scores you get from them are the main information sources that will determine the credit you can get (example: what size student loan you can take out and its interest rate), eligibility for housing, and some work opportunities. Read More

  By:

  Northwest Justice Project - CLEAR Intake Line

Bank Accounts (4)+

• If Your Check Bounces

  Explains options on what you can do if you receive an insufficient funds notice from your bank. Publication #0900EN. Read More

  By:

  Northwest Justice Project - CLEAR Intake Line

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

• Know Your Rights: Banking

  Information about why you would want to open a bank account, what identification is needed and what happens if you leave the country. #0112EN Read More

  By:

  Northwest Justice Project - CLEAR Intake Line

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

• Selecting financial products and services

  If you’re trying to decide which financial services are right for you, this guide provides information about common transactions, including ATM cash withdrawals and debit card purchases. Read More

  By:

  Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

• Ways to receive your money

  Have you received a paycheck but aren’t sure whether to cash it or put it into a bank account? This guide provides information about receiving wages or payments. You can use this guide to compare the benefits and risks of getting paid in cash, with a check, by direct deposit, or on a card. Read More

  By:

  Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

Home Loans (1)+

• Home Loans: Using Your Home as Collateral

  If you need money to pay bills or make home improvements, and think the answer is in refinancing, a second mortgage, or a home equity loan, consider your options carefully. If you can't make the payments, you could lose your home as well as the equity you've built up. Read More

  By:

  Federal Trade Commission

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español