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Courtesy of the Department of Neighborhood and Community
Services:
Youth and Family Services Division of the City of Rockville.
http://youthfamilyservices.bravehost.com/index.html
Disclaimer:
The following information and external links are for informational purposes only. The Youth and Family Services Division, the City of Rockville, and the author of this page are not liable for any misrepresentations. Before making any medical, insurance, housing, or investment decisions, please consult with a trusted professional.
Counseling & Career Center for Women
Health Insurance/Savings Plans/Medical Clinics
Home Buying Seminars. Mortgage & Student Loan Information, and Credit Scores
Internet Safety for Children and Adults
Investment and Retirement Planning
Montgomery County Prescription Drug Card
Counseling & Career Center: Montgomery County Commission for Women.
401 N. Washington Street
Suite 100
Rockville, MD 20850
Voice: 240.777.8300
This center provides a wide range of programs and services for the women of Montgomery County.
Helping Dads, Improving Families: A collaborative effort by the Montgomery County Health and Human Services, Head Start, Office of Economic Development, Office of Minority Medical Services, Department of Neighborhood and Community Services, and the Office of Child Support and Enforcement.
Purpose:
Health Insurance/Savings Plans/Medical Clinics:
Assurant
Health Short-Term Medical: 1.888.688.4661.
An alternative solution of low-cost comprehensive coverage
for Maryland residents. You may purchase by the month, and most plans run for
six months. If you don't have a claim, you may be able to renew the insurance
for additional time. Another benefit is that this coverage does not require a
medical examination, and you can choose your own health care provider. Coverage
is available for individuals and families. It is an 80/20 plan. You pay the
amount of the deductible, and then Assurant pays 80% of the balance of your
expenses. A higher deductible produces a lower monthly premium.
GE Wellness Plan: 1.888.632.5353.
This is primarily a dental savings plan, but is not insurance. There are several providers in the Rockville area, along with Montgomery County. It works in the same manner as an HMO. You choose the provider, and selected services are offered at reduced rates. The Plan also offers vision, prescription drug, and chiropractic services. It is an excellent alternative, especially if you don't have any insurance at all, or to provide a supplement to your existing coverage. Individual rates (2005) are $140 a year, and for families, the fee is $190. The dental rates for common procedures are very competitive. Click on the link and take a look. It is pre-set for the zip code of 20850; however, you may select any of your choice in Montgomery County.
MobileMed: (MOBY) 301.493.2400.
Is a free mobile medical clinic that requires no appointments, and operates on a first come, first served basis. MobileMed is available in Rockville every Friday at the following locations:
| Twinbrook Community Center | Lincoln Park Community Center |
| 12920 Twinbrook Parkway | 357 Frederick Avenue |
| Availability: First and Third Fridays. | Availability: Second and Fourth Fridays. |
| Clinic opens at 8:30 a.m. | Clinic opens at 8:30 a.m. |
Available Services:
Home Buying Seminars. Mortgage & Student Loan Information, and Credit Scores:
Youth and Family services provides informative home buying seminars a few times each year. Please contact their office for further information. These sessions focus on the special programs that are available for first-time home buyers in Montgomery County.
If you are self-employed, disabled, and/or would have difficulty to document your income, you may still qualify for a home loan under a Stated Income feature that is available at E-Loan.com. The minimum loan is $100,000, and they have programs with no down payments if you meet certain criteria.
Housing Affordability Calculator:
Enter your gross income, projected interest rate, along with your monthly expenses, and you will have a good idea how much of a property that you can afford. Courtesy of bankrate.com.
Credit Report and Score by Experian:
It is important to know your credit rating before applying for a housing loan or rental property. You may obtain your credit report and score (a numerical figure used by lenders) online. Experian is one of the leading credit bureaus. Due to increased occurrences of identity theft, it is prudent to review your report each year.
Foreclosures: Trying to Hold Onto Home:
A realistic story that appeared in the Washington Post about a local family.
You may request your credit reports from the three major bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) once a year. This procedure is a way to monitor your credit information, and combat against identity theft. You must pay a fee for your credit score.
How Much House Can You Afford?
An interesting article by Bankrate.com with sample scenarios for various levels of income.
MD Home Ownership For Individuals With Disabilities Program:
An interesting program administered by the Maryland Department of Housing and Community Development.
Tax Information for First-Time Homeowners (IRS Publication 530.)
Student Loans:
An interesting story by Anya Kamenetz of Yahoo! Finance, July 2008.
Tax Assistance for Low Income Families: Montgomery County Child Care Resource and Referral Center.
If your income is below $35,000, and you have dependent children, you may qualify for the Earned Income Tax Credit. Along with free tax preparation. Please call 301.279.1035 for further information and an appointment.
ID Theft: What It Is All About
Here is a very good article from USA Today:
Guard Your Financial Information Doggedly
From ABC News:
How To Protect Your Identity While Job Hunting Online
Internet Safety for Children and Adults:
GetNetWise: Online Safety Guide: Children
"The AMBER Plan is a voluntary partnership between law-enforcement agencies and broadcasters to activate an urgent bulletin in the most serious child-abduction cases. Broadcasters use the Emergency Alert System (EAS), formerly called the Emergency Broadcast System, to air a description of the missing child and suspected abductor. This is the same concept used during severe weather emergencies. The goal of the AMBER Alert is to instantly galvanize the entire community to assist in the search for and safe return of the child."
A Traditional Network of Child Safety
The Kid-Safe Network: "...Is a proactive, non-profit organization dedicated to the prevention of child abuse, molestation and abduction" of our children. It is a national educational system that teaches and informs children and parents about 'Danger Awareness'. The Kid-Safe Network's national system expeditiously disseminates information about abducted or lost children."
Investment and Retirement Planning:
A Contrarian on Retirement Says Wait by Damon Darin of the New York Times.
"But you might be a lot better off waiting a bit longer, until age 66 or even 70 before tapping into the government retirement fund."
How To Teach Small Children To Save And Invest:
An excellent concise article by noted financial planner Ric Edelman, along with useful links.
Legg Mason offers a very affordable program to accumulate wealth. It is called the Future First plan. For a minimum investment of $50 per month, you may open a Roth IRA and take advantage of tax-deferred savings. This plan can be implemented automatically from your checking or savings account.
J.D. Power and Associates ranked Legg Mason Wood Walker, Incorporated "Highest In Investor Satisfaction with Full Service Brokerage Firms."
An excellent way to expose yourself and your family to the stock market. They offer a completely online brokerage with very low fees ($4 per purchase). Brokerage and custodial accounts have no annual fees, and IRA accounts charge only $25 per year. This is a great way to build wealth over time without full-service brokerage fees. It is also an educational tool to teach children and young adults about saving for the future.
The Winning Strategy for Social Security:
A very informative article by Dan Caplinger of the Motley Fool. He discusses the benefits and disadvantages regarding the age when you file for retirement benefits.
Montgomery County Prescription Drug Card:
This is a new program that is free to all Montgomery County residents. It provides additional savings regardless if you have existing prescription drug coverage. The program is available at many pharmacies. Please click the link above to learn more about the program, and to find a participating pharmacy. There are no claim forms, and any member of your family may use this discount savings card. You may obtain a card at Montgomery County libraries and service centers.
Montgomery County Department of Health and
Human Services
Rental Assistance Programs
1301 Piccard Drive
Rockville, MD 20850
Voice: 240.777.4400
TTY: 240.777.4410
This special program provides rental assistance to legal residents of the United States who reside in Montgomery County and meet eligibility requirements. This program provides between $50 and $200 per month toward your rental expenses. A check will be sent to you, and you will endorse it over to your landlord. You may not use these funds for purposes other than rent. The review process is fairly long, and there is a waiting list. Contact Youth and Family Services or the RAP office for an application.
Copyright © 2005-2007 by the City of Rockville, Maryland. All rights reserved.
This page was written and researched by Steve Amoia.
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