Washington LawHelp

The Basics (6)+

• 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

• 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

  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 Toolkit

  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

Bank Accounts (3)+

• Bank Accounts and Services

  Our account guides have the information you need to shop for and manage a checking account to keep your money safe. Read More

  By:

  Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

• 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

  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

  Read this in:

  Spanish / Español

Mortgages & Utilities (2)+

• Coronavirus (COVID-19): Extra Help paying Your Heating Bill

  If you already get help from the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) to pay your heating bill, you can now get an additional $500 to help you through this pandemic. Read More

  By:

  Washington State Department of Commerce

• 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

Scams (1)+

• 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