Financial Wellbeing
Navigating finances can sometimes be complicated and even intimidating. Whether you are having financial difficulties or want to anticipate future needs, the best plan is to have a plan. The resources below cover common financial and credit topics. If you need further assistance, please contact the Mass General Brigham Employee Assistance Program at 866-724-4327. The EAP can help you assess how to resolve financial problems and approach financial planning.
EAP News Article
Helpful Financial Information
- Federal Student Loan Pause is Extended through August 31, 2022
- Financial market concerns?
The recent financial market volatility may raise concerns and questions about saving for retirement. Our partners at Fidelity and TIAA offer many helpful resources, such as Fidelity’s 6 Tips to navigate volatile markets and TIAA’s market commentary. Existing clients of Fidelity or TIAA can schedule a consultation to review retirement objectives and plan for your future.
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Financial Resource Center
Employees, staff and immediate family household members have access to financial education and free 30-minute sessions with financial experts. If you have concerns or questions about topics such as budgeting, debt, college financing, retirement or estate planning, for access call the EAP at 866-724-4327 or the weblink via AskmyHR.
Mass General Brigham Sponsored Financial Webinars
For a variety of educational webinars about retirement, log in to AskmyHR
- National Foundation for Counseling Credit – Help Managing Finances
301-589-5600 - Money Management International
866-899-9347 - Debtors Anonymous
781-453-2743 - GreenPath – Financial Wellness Program
1-800-550-1961
- United Way’s Mass 2-1-1 Statewide Consumer Hotline
- Transitional Aid to Families with Dependent Children (TAFDC)
- Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children (EAEDC)
- New Hampshire 211
- Money Fit
- Boston.Gov – Food Resources
- BWH Faulkner – Boston Area Food Resources
- Fair Foods – $2 for a Bag of Groceries
- MA SNAP Food Stamp Program
- Project Bread Hotline – Access to Food for Those in Need
1-800-645-8333 - The Greater Boston Food Bank
617-427-5200 - Child Nutrition Outreach Program – Access to School Breakfast and Summer Meals
- Women, Infant & Children (WIC) Program – Nutrition, Health Education and Free Healthy Food for Qualifying MA Families
1-800-942-1007 - NH Food Bank – Food Pantry List
- Rockingham Country Food Pantries
- ABCD Fuel Assistance Program (Boston)
617-357-6012
TTY: 617-423-9215 - Citizens Energy Oil – Discounted Heating Oil for Low-Income Families & Elderly
- Mass.Gov – Heating System Replacements and Repair for Low-Income Households
617-573-1100 - MA Dept. of Housing & Community Dev. Energy Assistance Programs – Heat Line
1-800-632-8175 - MA Good Neighbor Energy Fund
- MA Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP)
- Residential Assistance for Families in Transition
- MA Utility Shutoff Protection
- MA Department of Public Utilities
- National Grid – Discount Rate Application for Massachusetts Customers
- Eversource – Discount Rate Application for MA, NH, CT
- LEO Fuel Assistance – MA. North Shore
Get a Free Copy of your Credit Report once a Year
Are you planning for retirement? Thinking about paying for college? Considering purchasing a home? A financial planner can play a central role in helping you meet your life goals and achieve financial well-being. Many have minimum income and asset requirements. Some specialize in certain areas such as retirement, divorce or asset management. It is recommended that you interview several financial planners to find the right one. Below are three organizations that can help you.
College can be funded in a variety of ways. Scholarships can be a good option to pay for college. Unlike loans, the advantage of scholarships or grants is that they do not have to be repaid. Many workplaces offer tuition reimbursement for college educations. Below are some resources to help you navigate the scholarship process.
All students must fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and turn it in as soon after the first of the year as possible. It is important to return this form quickly, because some aid is supplied on a first-come, first-served basis. The following resources can help guide you through the financial aid process.
These resources will provide guidance with grants and part-time work opportunities that can assist with financial assistance during education.
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Retirement presents a new chapter in life. Like other developmental milestones, retirement is a time of change, stress and personal growth. Gathering the information you need to make decisions, setting goals and preparing financially will help ease the stress of change and prepare you for what is to come. Below are some resources to help you navigate retirement planning and transition.
Retirement Benefit Resources
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- Allways Health for Mass General Brigham Employees & via Allways App
- Mass General Brigham – Health Insurance Benefits Information
- Mass Health Connector – Information on Massachusetts Health and Dental Insurance Plans
- Medicare – Federal Health Insurance for 65+ and Disabled Individuals
- SHINE – Free Health Insurance Information and Counseling for Massachusetts Residents with Medicare
Self-Help Tax Resources
- IRS.Gov – Tax Tips
- IRS.Gov – Information on Electronic Filing
- Mass.Gov – Tax Information for 2020 Filing
Help Finding Reputable Tax Assistance
Mass.Gov – Finding a tax professional to Help with your Taxes
Free Tax Assistance
Volunteer Tax Assistance Programs offer free tax help to people who generally make $57,000 or less, including persons with disabilities, the elderly and limited English speaking taxpayers who need assistance in preparing their own tax returns. They also help with getting tax credits and refunds.
Commonwealth of Massachusetts
Nationwide
Our lives today are full of transactions which are likely to reveal pieces of information about us. Whether it is a credit card number, a social security number, bank information, your name, address, or phone number, personal information may be used without your permission or knowledge. Below are some ways to protect your personal data.
- Limit the amount of personal information you provide on the internet. Do not respond to requests for personal or financial information through email, text, phone or social media.
- Enable any alerts your bank or financial vendor offers; check credit reports and consider signing up for a credit monitoring service.
- Do your best to be diligent about minimizing risk, monitoring balances in accounts and looking for any unexplained charges or withdrawals.
- Report any suspicious issues immediately.
IdentityTheft.gov – Step by Step Guidance
1. Notify affected creditors or bank
2. Change all relevant passwords
3. Check your credit reports
- Equifax
1-800-525-6285 - Experian (formerly TRW)
1-888-397-3742 - TransUnion
1-800-680 7289
4. Put a fraud alert on your credit report
5. Ask that Credit Unions remove fraudulent information from your credit report
6. Freeze your credit
7. Report to:
- Your Local Police
- The Federal Trade Commission
877-438-4338 - FBI Internet Crime Division
- IRS – Identity Theft Information for Taxpayers
- IRS – Reporting Suspected Tax Fraud Activity
- Federal Trade Commission – Tax Related Identity Theft Resources
- MA. Dept of Revenue – Protecting Yourself from Identity Scams
617-626-2280 - Commonwealth of MA Dept. of Revenue Tax Advocate
Email at – taxadvocate@dor.state.ma.us - Social Security – Identity Theft and SSA Fraud Line
1-800-269-0271
