AARP Benefits QuickLINK: See if you qualify for public assistance and if you can save money on health care, medication, food, utilities, and more.

Community Action Agencies: These groups help people to help themselves in achieving self-sufficiency.

• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau: A wealth of information to help consumers with credit, debt, and asset protection.
• Federal Trade Commission: Government agency charged with consumer protection. See the Consumer Protection tab.
• Help with Telemarketers: Visit donotcall.gov and add yourself to the national “Do Not Call’ registry.
• Help with Junk Mail: Visit dmachoice.org and ask to be removed from direct mailings.

• National Foundation for Credit Counseling: The nation's largest financial counseling organization, the NFCC has a network of more than 700 community-based offices located in all 50 states and Puerto Rico.
  • Find a NFCC member agency for counseling. 
    
• How much is your debt costing you? Find out with this calculator at SchwabMoneywise.com.
• How will changing your payment amount or terms affect your debt? Try this calculator from SchwabMoneywise.com.
  
• Federal Reserve: Read a basic guide to navigating the credit card process.
• Federal Trade Commission: Get information on credit reports and scoring.
• Fair Debt Collection Practices: Get answers to frequently asked questions on your rights under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.
• Credit score information: Visit myfico.com to learn more about FICO scores.
• Credit Reports: Visit annualcreditreport.com. This is the only federally authorized site to get free credit reports from each of the three major reporting agencies.
• OptOutPreScreen.com: Opt in or out of offers for credit or insurance.

• AARP Foundation Women’s Scholarship Program: This program helps low income 50-plus women through educational opportunities.
• AARP Foundation WorkSearch: Get job search help, assessment tools, and additional resources for older workers and job seekers.
• America’s Service Locator: Find workforce services in your neighborhood or across the country.
• Senior Community Service Employment Program: Connect with a community service and work-based training program for people 55+.

• Bank On USA: Find free or low-cost starter or “second chance” bank accounts and access to financial education.
• Credit Unions: Find a credit union you can join.
• Reloadable Prepaid Debit Cards: Learn how to choose and use a prepaid debit card wisely.

• USA.gov: The U.S. government’s official web portal with information about how to get the medical care you and your family need, even if you don’t have insurance.
• Medicare: Visit mymedicare.gov, the official Medicare site with information about the parts of Medicare, what’s new, and how to find Medicare plans, facilities or providers.
• AARP’s Health Law Guide: This guide will help you find resources tailored to your needs, including Medicare, health insurance coverage for you or your family, or public programs that may work for you.
• Taking care of you and your family when your income drops (PDF)
  

Deter. Detect. Defend: This Federal Trade Commission site helps consumers fight back against identity theft.

• Area Agency on Aging: Find a local agency that offers advocacy and resources to keep people independent.
• National Council on Aging: Information about improving the health and economic security of older adults.
• Elder Financial Protection Network: Information about protecting yourself and your money.
• Office of Financial Protection of Older Americans: Information and tools from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to help older Americans safely navigate through financial challenges.
• U.S. Administration on Aging - National Center on Elder Abuse: Includes links to find state resources.

• National Endowment for Financial Education: Guidance on how to manage retirement income.
• Retirement Calculators: These tools can help you plan your  financial future so you can retire when – and how – you want.
  
  • SchwabMoneywise.com Retirement Calculator
    

• Social Security Administration: Visit ssa.gov, the official federal government site, which includes information and online applications.
• Social Security Calculator: This tool can help estimate your Social Security benefits and show you when is the best time to claim Social Security.
  • SSA.gov's Social Security Benefit Calculators