Resources

Following are links to some of the many helpful information sources available to consumers online.

Freedman Financial Planning is not endorsing any of the views, organizations, companies, or products below.  Please read our full disclosure.  We just want to provide you with resources to help make your financial and life planning choices easier.

Credit  
Mortgages
Buying / Selling a Home
Insurance
Automobile
College
Retirement
Taxes

Credit
Annual Credit Report. Get your free credit report from the three major credit bureaus, preferably one every four months. You may also call 1-877-322-8228.

Bankrate.com Find a low-cost credit card.

Consumer Credit Counseling Services A consumer credit counseling service agency, as well as debt management tools and calculators.

Opt-out of credit card and other offers.  You may also call 1-888-567-8688 (1-888-5OPTOUT)

Direct Marketing Association Mail Preference Service.  Remove yourself from catalog and other marketers.  This costs $1.

National Do Not Call Registry.  Stop calls from most telemarketers.  You may also call 888-382-1222.  The registration lasts 5 years.



Mortgages
National Association of Mortgage Brokers. Find a mortgage broker that adheres to a code of ethics.

Upfront Mortgage Brokers Association. Find a mortgage broker that will tell you he is fees up front.

HSH Associates Financial Publishers. Find a mortgage lender.

Bankrate.com Search for a mortgage.

Buying / Selling a Home
Estimate your home's value. You can also search for homes too

Find homes for sale by owner. Buying a home for sale by owner can save on commissions.

National Association of Realtors. Search for a home, find a realtor, and so on.

Zip Realty. Find a realtor with reduced commissions.

Estimate moving costs and get quotes.

Free Advice-Real Estate Law Center. Free real estate legal advice.

American Society of Home Inspectors. or National Association of Home Inspectors, Inc.. Use an independent inspector to perform your home inspection.

Sperling's Best Places. Search for a place to live based on cost of living, crime, climate, and other criteria.

Smart Home Buy. Complete property reports covering comparable sales, property valuation, crime, schools, natural hazards, and environmental information, and more.

School Matters. Search for a public school.

Great Schools. Ratings of public and private schools.

Insurance
Estimate the replacement cost of your home. This will help you determine if you have the proper insurance coverage. Note: this service costs a fee.

Insurance Information Institute. General insurance information and answers to many common questions.

Automotive
Kelley Blue Book. Obtain new car pricing and estimate used car values.

Edmunds. Obtain car pricing, car reviews, ratings, and car buying advice.

Consumer Reports. Reviews and pricing. Note: pricing reports will cost a fee.

College
FinAid. A guide to financial aid, including scholarships, loans, and calculators.

Sallie Mae College Answer . A guide for planning for college.

Saving for College. A resource on Section 529 college savings plans and other ways to save and pay for college.

Retirement
Social Security Administration. Estimate your retirement benefits, apply for benefits, etc.

The official US government site for people with Medicare. - Medicare.gov

Taxes
Internal Revenue Service. Information and answers to questions regarding your federal taxes.

Franchise Tax Board. Information and answers to questions regarding your California State taxes.