Fort McCoy
Army Community Service 
School House
"Information and Opportunities"

Financial Management

The Financial Readiness Program supports Commanders in maintaining unit financial readiness to sustain deployments by educating and counseling with service members and families on financial self-sufficiency.  Program services are available to active duty, retired, and reserve service members from all branches of the armed forces, their eligible family members, and Department of Defense civilian employees.

Financial Readiness Information
AER Assistance
Identity Theft

Principles Of Personal Finance
No one is born with the ability to manage money effectively.  Managing money is a skill.  This workshop will show students why you should take charge of your finances and give you examples of what happens to someone who does plan their financial future, and someone who doesn’t.  For more information, contact the Financial Readiness Program Manager Army Community Service at 608-388-3505.

Where: Army Community Service, Bldg. 2111
When: TBA
Pre-registration is required, class size is limited.  Childcare will be provided to dependents of Active Duty and Reserve Service Members

Planning and Budgeting
Military personnel deal with specific money issues.  This workshop will show students some simple tools for evaluating your present financial situation and help you set up a budget for planning for the future.  For more information, contact the Financial Readiness Program Manager Army Community Service at 608-388-3505.

Where: Army Community Service, Bldg. 2111
When: TBA
Pre-registration is required, class size is limited.  Childcare will be provided to dependents of Active Duty and Reserve Service Members

Checking Accounts, Banking
Within the United States, Americans write about $25 billion checks per year!!!  The goal is to help you get a great start in dealing with financial institutions.  This workshop will show students how to choose financial services and financial institutions that best meet their needs. It will also show you how to select, start, and maintain personal checking and savings accounts.  For more information, contact the Financial Readiness Program Manager Army Community Service at 608-388-3505.

Where: Army Community Service, Bldg. 2111
When: TBA
Pre-registration is required, class size is limited.  Childcare will be provided to dependents of Active Duty and Reserve Service Members

Using Credit Wisely
What do you do when you are drowning in debt?  How do you start over and where do you get help?  This workshop will show students the advantages and disadvantages of using credit.  For more information, contact the Financial Readiness Program Manager Army Community Service at 608-388-3505.

Where: Army Community Service, Bldg. 2111
When: TBA
Pre-registration is required, class size is limited.  Childcare will be provided to dependents of Active Duty and Reserve Service Members

Getting Insurance
Everyone needs insurance.  Most of us don’t want to have to spend lots of time dealing with it.  This workshop will show students the basics of insurance: what is really needed, what you may already have, and a few other important topics.  For more information, contact the Financial Readiness Program Manager Army Community Service at 608-388-3505.

Where: Army Community Service, Bldg. 2111
When: TBA
Pre-registration is required, class size is limited.  Childcare will be provided to dependents of Active Duty and Reserve Service Members

Saving and Investing
People often make the mistake of waiting too long to start saving.  They think they can’t save until they earn more money.  This workshop will show students the importance of building savings and why saving early is beneficial.   For more information, contact the Financial Readiness Program Manager Army Community Service at 608-388-3505.

Where: Army Community Service, Bldg. 2111
When: TBA
Pre-registration is required, class size is limited.  Childcare will be provided to dependents of Active Duty and Reserve Service Members

Large Purchases
Learning to buy wisely will help you in making purchases.  The more expensive the purchase, the more you have to lose.  This workshop will show students how to prepare for such spending decisions and discuss purchasing a vehicle and other large items.   For more information, contact the Financial Readiness Program Manager Army Community Service at 608-388-3505.

Where: Army Community Service, Bldg. 2111
When: TBA
Pre-registration is required, class size is limited.  Childcare will be provided to dependents of Active Duty and Reserve Service Members

Consumer Scares and Getting Help
In the U.S. consumers lose over $40 billion every year to scams.  This workshop will help students to recognize the signs of fraud and rip-offs, and what you can do when you encounter them.  For more information, contact the Financial Readiness Program Manager Army Community Service at 608-388-3505.

Where: Army Community Service, Bldg. 2111
When: TBA
Pre-registration is required, class size is limited.  Childcare will be provided to dependents of Active Duty and Reserve Service Member

Consumer Alert
Wondering about all those homemade signs littering street corners:
"Work at Home - $1,200-$5,800 per month"
"Own a computer? Put it to work - $25 - $75/hr."

Be careful. You could lose money by calling the telephone numbers and getting involved in a multilevel marketing plan.  "They really don't have a job for you as implied in the ads," says Fran Tryon, director of the Bureau of Consumer Protection. "They aren't going to pay you $25 to $75 an hour or $5,800 per month. You will be asked to pay them money - at least $195 and up to $4,500 to get started as a distributor."

For a free fact sheet on multilevel marketing schemes and work-at-home offers, call the toll free hotline of the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection at 1-800-422-7128. Or via e-mail at datcphotline@datcp.state.wi.us.  This consumer alert has been brought to you by the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture.

Auto Insurance Shopping
When shopping for car insurance there is something to consider. It isn’t a single product but a group of coverage's. You can pick and choose different options and fine-tune the coverage to fit your family. Liability coverage pays for injuries you cause to others and their property. Uninsured/underinsured motorist insurance pays for the medical treatment, lost wages, and pain and suffering if you are injured in an accident caused by an uninsured driver. Medical-payment insurance or personal injury protection covers the medical expenses and the lost wages of people who are injured in your car. Collision coverage picks up the cost of repairs to your car if it’s damaged in an accident. Comprehensive coverage will pay if the car is stolen, or damaged by fire or natural causes. You can lower your premium cost by increasing the amount you will pay out of pocket, the deductible, when repairs are needed. So talk over your options with your auto insurance representative in order to get the best coverage for the best price.