Owning a home is a worthwhile but often challenging experience. Issues surrounding purchasing, financing and maintaining a home are complex. Area homeowners or prospective homeowners can get guidance from the Northwest Housing Partnership. On 
Saturday, January 26, 2019 at 9:30 am at the Mount Prospect Public Library the Partnership will offer a series of presentations on homeownership. Six professionals in the areas of law, finance, and real estate will share guidelines and pathways for buying and maintaining a home. Information about the various programs offered by the Partnership, such as the Handyman Program, will also be provided. Each professional will also be available to answer questions. Come and learn about resources for home buying and home maintenance guidance that are available nearby. You can register here for the program.
News from the Reference Desk Category: Consumer
The New Medicare ID Cards
In the last few months, new Medicare ID cards have been sent to recipients across the United States. As several policies change and the amount of scams targeting Medicare users increase significantly, staying informed is paramount to maintaining good health and safe accounts. Take a look at these AARP articles detailing information about the new IDs and potential scams centered around them:
MEDICARE ID CARDS: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Get Help from the Small Business Administration
If you’re a small business owner or entrepreneur with a great idea, you may be looking for resources to help answer some of the many questions you most likely have. Well, the Mount Prospect Public library is here to help–with a little assistance from the Small Business Administration (SBA)! The SBA is the government agency tasked with providing information and programs dedicated to assisting small businesses, and one of the best is their yearly Small Business Resource Guide. Inside you’ll find info on everything from how to start a business and writing a business plan to programs designed to help veterans and native Americans, as well as funding sources. Just click above or HERE to get started, or grab a paper copy from the Business Resource Center behind the Research desk. And if you need help navigating this or other business resources available at the library, MPPL Business Reference Joe Collier is available for one-on-one reference appointments–just email or call the library to set one up!
Protecting Seniors from Scams in Assisted Living
Financial fraud and exploitation of seniors seems even more rampant than ever. This population, more vulnerable than others due to an uneasy relationship to rapidly changing technology in the internet age, is often targeted by those unscrupulous folk looking for an easily duped victim. While most of us undoubtedly do our best to protect our loved ones close to us, what happens when they’re no longer as much under our wing? The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is here to help, with a handy manual designed to offer tips and strategies for caregivers and others responsible for the safety and well-being of those residing in assisted living facilities. Protecting residents from financial exploitation: A manual for assisted living and nursing facilities is published by the CFPB and provides practical advice on how to help protect seniors from falling victim to common scams or fraudulent schemes. Some of the most common include:
- -The resident receives news about a prize or other windfall that requires payment of fees or taxes up front.
-The resident is pressured to keep good news a secret until a transaction is complete or risk losing out on this one-time opportunity.
-A caller constantly seeks more information and pressures the resident to comply.
-A third party claims to be from a government agency, financial institution or other entity and asks for information that they should already have. A resident receives a lot of mail or email for sweepstakes, contests or other sources suggesting that he or she has already been scammed.
Review and download your copy today, and join the fight to protect our seniors!
Avoiding Bitcoin and Virtual Currency Fraud
Virtual currencies like Bitcoin are the newest buzzword for more and more investors–even if you can’t exactly explain what a Bitcoin “is,” you may still recognize the potential for return. However, as with all new technologies and financial endeavors, the fraudsters are keeping pace in their unrelenting mission to separate you from your money! One place to start before taking the Bitcoin plunge is at the Commodity Futures Trading Commission. As Bitcoin and other virtual currencies are classified as commodities, the CFTC is the government agency tasked with regulating them. Subsequently, they provide a wealth of information on their website HERE for consumers to help avoid being defrauded and make safe investments in legitimate companies. If you’re considering getting into this financial area, cruise over and check it out!