Thousands have attended and been helped by DFCU’s Financial Education Seminar Series since the program was created in 1999. Budgeting/credit expert Charles Hoff, Member Financial Education Counselor, AFC, has a no-nonsense, easy-to-understand approach to this often confusing subject matter.
All seminars are free to members and potential members, and are scheduled from 6:30 – 8:00 p.m. unless otherwise stated. For a complete schedule and seminar descriptions, check out the sections below. Then just click the accompanying links or call 313.322.8476 to reserve your spot today!
After you register for a webinar, you will receive a confirmation email containing a link to join the presentation. If you don't receive the confirmation email in your inbox within a few minutes of registering, please check your 'junk email' folder as it may have been routed there.
Medicare planning can be stressful. There are a lot of plans to choose from in addition to a barrage of advice all around you.
This presentation will go a long way in helping you understand your options. We start by reviewing the basics and then walk you through the entire Medicare system and process. We cap off the presentation with a valuable Q&A session where you can have your questions answered by a Michigan-based insurance agency that works exclusively in the Medicare space.
Topics discussed:
- Do I have to enroll into Medicare?
- Medicare Parts A, B, C, D, and Medigap plans - what are they and what are they for?
- How much does it all cost?
- Common mistakes made while enrolling and penalties associated with them.
- Do pre-existing conditions come into play during the Medicare year?
- The various "Enrollment Periods" - what do you really need to do at age 65?
Register for Medicare 101
During our Medicare Missteps seminar, we'll build upon the information presented in our Medicare seminar. We encourage anyone interested in attending this presentation to first join us for one of our Medicare seminars.
Medicare is a complex topic with plenty of opportunities for the average consumer to take a wrong turn. In this presentation we'll cover some of the most common missteps people make with Medicare and how to avoid them including:
- Things to know about pre-existing conditions
- A deeper understanding of the true cost of Medicare
- A better understanding of the differences between workplace coverage and Medicare
- How to address dental costs
Register for Medicare Missteps
Retirement comes with a lot of questions, many of which are about how retirees should handle their Social Security benefits. During this seminar, we’ll answer the following questions:
- Should you take your benefits as early as possible, or is it better to wait?
- What’s the difference in income you’ll receive if you wait?
- Can you work and still receive Social Security?
- As half of a dual-income household, how can you maximize your Social Security benefits?
Register for Social Security
So you're retired (or getting ready to). What now? Is the lifestyle you've grown accustomed to a thing of the past? Attend our Wealth Retention webinar to learn how to plan for, and live, a sustainable lifestyle throughout retirement. We’ll discuss the following topics:
- Challenges – current and future – facing today’s retiree
- Common financial mistakes people make after retirement
- Closing financial gaps in retirement
- Financial tools at your disposal that can help preserve your pre-retirement lifestyle
- Things to consider when considering IRA conversions
- Annuities: What are they, what to be wary of and how they might be useful as part of the larger financial plan
- Three scenarios today's retirees face--advice and tools to make them sustainable
Register for Retirement Wealth Retention
Thanks to the miracles of modern medicine and technology, many seniors enjoy an invigorating lifestyle, full of travel and excitement. Unfortunately, as the years pass these questions begin to arise:
- If I’m unable to care for myself, how can I achieve the greatest quality of care without bankrupting myself, my spouse or my children?
- What can be done legally to protect my assets?
- What are the differences between alternative care options: home care, assisted living, adult day care, and senior apartments?
- What options are there to pay for traditional or alternative care?
Fortunately, care alternatives to the traditional nursing home have emerged. To pay for these services, however, many seniors quickly go through their entire life savings and assets—
unnecessarily. Whether you are concerned about preserving your own assets, or those of an aging or ill parent, our Elder Law seminar will help you understand how to mitigate or eliminate these costs.
Register for Elder Law
Estate planning is a task we often avoid for too long or until it’s too late, but the right time to start planning for your future is now. Whether you’re in your 20’s or nearing retirement, you’ll benefit from our Estate Planning Seminar as we explain the process and how you and your family can most effectively navigate it.
This doesn’t have to be a gloomy process and, in fact, it’s quite fulfilling to know you’ve taken the necessary steps to take care of loved ones. Not having an estate plan could leave personal decisions concerning your assets to be determined by the state in which you live, leaving your beneficiaries to face possible legal obstacles and unwelcome tax burdens.
- When to update an estate plan
- What to look for in an attorney
- Misconceptions about estate planning
- Dangers of not planning
- Probate Court avoidance
Register for Estate Planning
It’s been said a goal without a plan is nothing more than a wish, yet many people mistakenly believe the secure retirements that prior generations enjoyed will naturally translate into one of their own. In fact, there is a new retirement reality we all must face. If we’re to adapt to this new reality we have to take control of our own financial future as soon as possible. Put yourself on track to enjoy a sustainable retirement. During this presentation, we'll show you how.
- Identify long neglected financial goals pre-retirees should achieve before they retire
- Discuss the “forgotten approach” prior generations used to achieve a sustainable retirement
- Review financial tools at your disposal to reach financial goals
- Identify potential financial mistakes made during the pre-retirement years that can set you back financially when you reach retirement years
Register for Retirement Readiness
Building and maintaining a solid credit score is important and often difficult without a road map to guide you. This seminar will teach you:
- How to obtain your “true” FICO credit score
- Little-known facts about credit scores
- How your credit score impacts everyday life beyond loan approval
- Common consumer mistakes
- Strategies to raise your credit score
- How to dispute credit report errors
Register for Healthy Credit
The foundation of any successful financial plan is a sound, realistic budget. During this seminar, we’ll discuss how to create a budget as well as how to most effectively plan for unplanned expenses to dig--and keep--yourself out of debt. Other topics include:
- How to use a budget to reach financial goals
- How to position yourself to live on less income
- Methods to determine the amount of credit you can afford
- How to stop creating new debt
- How to incorporate a systematic approach to retirement saving
Register for Debt-Free Living
There’s a lot to take in when it comes to student loans. Whether you’re getting ready to start your college career, currently enrolled, or a graduate paying on your student loans now, our newest seminar will provide you with the information you need to make informed financial decisions. A college degree can dramatically influence your earning potential – but if you’ll be financing it with a student loan, don’t go in blind. Make sure you understand the impact it can have on your financial future. Topics explained:
- The difference between good and bad debt
- Learn about the different public and private programs
- The impact student loans can have on your financial future
- Loan repayment options and scenarios
- Practical steps to paying off student debt
Register for Student Loans & Financial Freedom