ANN ARBOR, MI (April 3, 2023) -- Since June of 2021, United Way of Washtenaw County (UWWC) has been partnering with TrustPlus to provide free, confidential personal finance coaching on debt, credit, and savings to individuals in Washtenaw County.
Participants can chat with a financial coach via phone, video chat, or text to help create individualized financial plans to meet their unique needs. TrustPlus financial coaches provide one-on-one support with no cost to participants. Anyone who lives or works in Washtenaw County is eligible for TrustPlus.
To date, TrustPlus has achieved positive results for Washtenaw County people. Over a third (34%) of participants reduced their total debt, with a median debt reduction of $5,371. Fifty eight percent (58%) reduced collections debt by a median of $445. Nearly half of participants (49%) reduced their consumer debt, with a median reduction of $1,061. In total, $207,373 in aggregate debt was eliminated by participants working with TrustPlus.
“We know that Washtenaw County continues to be one of the most expensive places to build a life in Michigan,” says Pam Smith, UWWC President and CEO. She goes on to note that“31% of families in our County struggle to make ends meet. It’s for this reason that we brought TrustPlus to our community. Their coaches are expert guides who support people on the path to financial empowerment, navigating with them obstacles to debt reduction, strengthening credit, and saving for a rainy day.”
To learn more about TrustPlus and schedule your coaching appointment, visit our Financial Coaching page.
ABOUT TRUSTPLUS
TrustPlus is a financial wellness benefit that helps individuals make the most of every hard-earned paycheck. A service of Neighborhood Trust, our coaches demystify personal finance with empathy, providing on-demand, one-on-one support and expert guidance. Our unique approach blends human connection with action-oriented tools to ease the burden of everyday money worries.
ABOUT UNITED WAY OF WASHTENAW COUNTY
As part of our 100-plus year history, United Way of Washtenaw County brings people, organizations and resources together to create a thriving community for everyone. Our focus areas of Health, Education and Financial Stability are the building blocks for a strong community and create opportunities for individuals and families. Our Volunteer Center provides an easy, online way for people to connect with nonprofits in the community and our 2-1-1 helpline refers more than 8,000 people annually to critically needed services. To learn more, donate, or volunteer, visit uwgive.org.
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