On the Road to Healthier Finances

AFSA introduces FELA, Financial Education & Literacy Advisers (FELA) offers a complimentary, online financial education program known as Life Cents for VALOR for AFSA members and their families. Through this program, AFSA members and their families get a complimentary personalized financial health assessment, special offers on financial services, and learn to better manage their money.

AFSA Members can benefit from this program in numerous ways. In addition to unlocking rewards by completing goals and earning badges in Life Cents, each participant then gains access to additional boot camp modules on various topics including budgeting, saving, credit scores, planning, retirement, and many more.
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Getting where you want to go financially takes work,  and AFSA's new member benefit can help
​by providing an assessment and tools to learn better money management. 

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HOW TO SIGN UP

• Visit the Life Cents website here.

• Agree to the Life Cents terms and conditions disclosure.
• Create a user login.
• Select your age bracket, gender, then marital status. ​
• Select your education level, and if you are currently employed.
• Select your total household income bracket.
• Input your address for purpose of delivering rewards.

You will then be directed to your dashboard where you can begin your financial assessments. From the dashboard you can also update your profile and discover resources. This registration process takes less than five minutes. You are only one click away from a better, more secure financial life!

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Home Mortgage Refinancing for Veterans

During a somewhat uncertain time, we are all looking to make careful choices to protect our families and our health. Many of us are also carefully reviewing our budgets to cut excess expenses to keep our financial health in shape. If you are a veteran considering whether to refinance your home mortgage, take a look at the resources below to help guide this choice.
 
7 Steps to Refinancing Your Home Mortgage
How do you best manage a successful mortgage refinancing campaign? Make these key steps the cornerstones of your refinancing plan.
 
Find the Best Mortgage Lenders and Refinancing Companies
Do your research to learn more about different types of loans, eligibility requirements and what you should look for when searching for the right mortgage lender for your needs.
 
Home Appraisals: Home Appraiser, Property Value & Tips
You should know a little about the process and how it works, both to decide if a home appraisal is in your best interest and to take any possible steps to influence the final appraisal number.
 
How to Improve Your Credit Score
Key takeaways include: Pay your bills on time, pay down your credit card balances to keep your credit utilization ratio low, and don't close old credit card accounts or apply for too many new ones.
 
Mortgage Assistance Programs for Veterans
There are several government-backed options that make the home-buying process more accessible to active and former military service members. 
 
What is a VA Loan?
Available to eligible veterans with key advantages such as: No down payment or mortgage insurance required and no pre-payment penalty for paying off a loan early.
 
VA Home Loans: A Guide For America’s Veterans
The ins and outs of VA loans explained.
 
Interest Rate Reduction Refinance Loan
Refinancing lets you replace your current loan with a new one under different terms. Find out if you’re eligible—and how to apply.