Accel Financial Counseling

When you’re a member of Vantage Credit Union, you’re our partner in finance. We take that partnership seriously, which is why we’ve teamed up with Accel, a financial education and counseling program assisting individuals for over 45 years, to provide members with a FREE financial education and counseling service. You’ll receive assistance with:

• Personal and family budgeting
• Understanding your personal credit report and how to improve your score
• Money management
• Debt repayment
• Avoiding bankruptcy, foreclosure and repossession

Accel services
Call Accel at 877.33ACCEL (877.332.2235) for immediate help with your financial questions. Financial counselors are available:
Monday - Thursday: 7:00 a.m. - 11:00 p.m. CST
Friday: 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. CST
Saturday: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. CST

Appointments can be scheduled if you have questions or concerns that require additional time.

Accel website: www.accelservices.org

Financial Counseling Sessions
Counseling appointments are focused on your needs. You aren't limited in the number of sessions you may have, and your counselor will help you develop a customized budget and detailed worksheet and action plan based on your financial goals.

Credit Report Counseling
You’ll receive counseling on how to understand your credit report and credit score. Accel counselors will help you resolve inaccurate information, understand how credit bureaus report information, and learn how to improve your credit. You can also get a copy of your credit report from Accel for a nominal fee (state restrictions may apply).

Debt Management Plan (DMP)
An Accel financial counselor will work with you to contact your creditors and negotiate concessions and/or work out loan payment agreements. Credit card companies will typically agree to lower interest, eliminate fees and cease collection activity.

Housing Counseling
As a HUD-approved housing counseling organization, Accel financial counselors can help you with pre-purchase education, reverse-mortgage counseling or foreclosure-prevention issues. Whether you have questions about the home-buying process or how to manage a budget once you get into your home, an Accel counselor can assist you.

BudgetSmart Software
BudgetSmart is an exciting software program available to our members. This easy-to-use software tool uses simple graphics, "pop-up" boxes and bar charts to help you manage your money more effectively. You can use the program to:

• Establish a budget
• Track spending
• View tips for improving areas of overspending or inadequate saving
• Experiment with "what if" scenarios to determine how a major purchase or change in income would impact your budget

Click on the BudgetSmart logo below to download the program to your computer FREE of charge, and you're on your way to creating your own personalized budget!

CheckRight
CheckRight is a web-based checking account self-study program designed to teach you how to manage a checking account. Once you've read through the chapters, you'll be directed to a quiz that will test your knowledge on checking accounts. You'll be able to view the results, and you have the option to send the results to the credit union via e-mail.

Use CheckRight if:

• You're looking to open a checking account for the first time, or
• You've had difficulty handling an account in the past

Among other things, CheckRight will help you learn how to:

• Open an account
• Write checks
• Make deposits
• Maintain a check register
• Reconcile an account
• Create a spending plan

Get started by clicking on the CheckRight logo below.