This summer, SEFCU’s Institute for Financial Well-Being provided free financial education to teens and young adults in more than 15 summer youth programs and summer camps across 10 counties in New York State. The youth employment programs provide teens and young adults an opportunity to gain on-the-job training where they are paid to work approximately 20 hours each week.

It’s human to want each year to be better than the last, but if you’re going to achieve any major improvements – in your health, money, or family life, for instance – there’s no time like right now to lay out a plan for your New Year’s resolution goals. Here are three tips to get a head start.

SEFCU’s Institute for Financial Well-Being provided free financial education to teens and young adults participating in summer youth employment programs across New York State. The youth employment programs provide teens and young adults an opportunity to gain on-the-job training where they work approximately 20 hours per week and are paid for those hours. SEFCU worked with participants in these programs to give them a basic understanding of saving, budgeting, and spending now that they are earning what might be their first paycheck.

In the sports world, a mental error can cost your team the big game. When you are investing, a mental error can put your retirement portfolio at risk. Mistakes often result from letting misconceptions and emotions affect your decisions.

In 2018, more than 5,000 individuals attended a learning event across New York State. Attendees were surveyed and reported favorably on both the classes and their instructors. Are you ready to change your financial future and attend a free session?

View 2018 impact report

View current seminars

Perhaps your doctor, lawyer, and accountant are trusted advisors. Through years of working with them, they have come to know your family and your particular needs. How about your investment representative? Have you built the same kind of trusting relationship with him or her?

With rates of homelessness going up and temperatures going down, the individuals turning to many of the shelters throughout SEFCU’s geographic footprint may be a little cozier on cold nights, thanks to the outpouring of generous support from the credit union’s employees and members. 

According to Feeding America: Map the Meal Gap 2018, 10.4% of adults and 13.5% of children in the Capital Region are food insecure which means those individuals don’t know where their next meal is coming from. SEFCU is committed to not only meeting immediate food needs by making monetary donations (last year for our year end giving program $300,000 was donated to food pantries and rescue missions), but also investing in sustainable programs which will allow communities and organizations to provide food for those living right in their neighborhoods.

In 2018 more than 5,000 people attended one of SEFCU’s free financial education sessions covering topics like saving, budgeting, and reducing debt. If you’re struggling with one of these topics or others, we want to help you build confidence and learn practical methods for financial improvement. Individuals can click the button below to view upcoming sessions. If your organization would like to offer free sessions to your employees, complete the Financial Request Form at sefcu.com/financial-education.

Phishing scams can take many forms. Sometimes scammers use fraudulent emails or texts or mimic websites that you trust to get you to share confidential, personal information – like account numbers, Social Security Numbers, or usernames and passwords. Phishing scammers usually give their targets a false sense of security because they make the text message, email, or website look like one the victim is familiar with. Worst of all, they usually make the message seem extremely urgent or there will be negative consequences.

Protect yourself by following the tips below:

Are you thinking of replacing your phone? Maybe it’s time for an upgrade, or maybe you just like having the newest technology in the palm of your hands. No matter what, you’ll need to know what to do with your old device to safeguard your personal information. 
Since we use our phones so much, there is a lot of personal data on these devices – maybe even more than you realize – including:

SEFCU’s Institute for Financial Well-Being recently facilitated a four-part financial education series with clients at the Women’s Opportunity Center in Syracuse where they touched on a number of financial topics. 

The clients, who were 35-70 years old, were active participants in sessions focused on creating a personal spending plan, understanding credit reports and credit scores, finding the meaning of payroll deductions and payroll forms, and developing an effective pay down strategy.