Helpful Links

This page contains links to useful sites covering various aspects of financial literacy and consumer protection.

Special Programs

USDA Rural Development Program
http://www.rd.usda.gov/
http://www.rd.usda.gov/programs-services

American Dream Downpayment Assistance
https://hudgov.prod.parature.com/link/portal/57345/57355/Article/7414/What-is-the-American-Dream-Down-Payment-Initiative

HUD HOME program
https://www.hud.gov/guidancehudprograms/home-program

HUD Mortgage Insurance programs
https://www.hud.gov/guidanceprogram_offices/housing/sfh/ins/203b--df

HUD Good Neighbor Next Door program
https://www.hud.gov/guidanceprogram_offices/housing/sfh/reo/goodn/gnndabot

HUD Public Housing Homeownership Programs
https://www.hud.gov/guidanceprogram_offices/public_indian_housing/centers/sac/homeownership

HUD Homeownership Voucher program
https://www.hud.gov/guidanceprogram_offices/public_indian_housing/centers/sac/homeownership

U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs home loan program
http://www.benefits.va.gov/homeloans/

Reverse mortgages (Home Equity Conversion Mortgages)
www.reversemortgage.org/
http://www.aarp.org/money/credit-loans-debt/reverse_mortgages/

Habitat for Humanity
www.habitat.org

Government Regulatory Agencies
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/

Federal Trade Commission (FTC) - responsible for enforcing the Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
www.ftc.gov/
www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/credit/cre26.shtm

Real Estate Settlement and Procedures Act (RESPA)
https://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/hudprograms/respa

Truth in Lending Act (TILA)
http://www.occ.gov/topics/consumer-protection/truth-in-lending/index-truth-in-lending.html
Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)
Office of Thrift Supervision (OTS)
Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC)
National Credit Union Administration (NCUA)

Freddie Mac Spanish Translation of Mortgage Documents
www.freddiemac.com/uniform/spanish.htm/

Fannie Mae list of selling and servicing guide forms -- many in Spanish
www.efanniemae.com/sf/formsdocs/forms/index.jsp

Fannie Mae Appraisal Information
https://www.efanniemae.com/sf/formsdocs/forms/1004.jsp

Spanish/English Bilingual Loan Application
https://www.efanniemae.com/sf/formsdocs/forms/1003s.jsp

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) resource site on foreclosure tax relief
https://www.irs.gov/site-index-search?search=foreclosure&field_pup_historical_1=1&field_pup_historical=1

Credit Agency Information

Free annual credit report
www.annualcreditreport.com

Credit counseling
www.debt.org
www.nfcc.org/
www.makinghomeaffordable.gov/

The three private national credit reporting agencies
www.equifax.com
www.transunion.com
www.experian.com

Financial Literacy

Credit card information
www.choosetosave.org/
http://mymoney.gov/
www.debtadvice.org
www.bankrate.com

How to calculate interest
http://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/042315/what-difference-between-compounding-interest-and-simple-interest.asp

Establishing a budget
www.forefieldkt.com/kt/trns.aspx?xd=BP-CORE-02&il=a2&xsl=content

Information on community property state rules
www.irs.gov/publications/p555/ar01.html

Mortgage Servicing: Making Sure Your Payments Count
www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/homes/rea10.shtm

Private Mortgage Insurance
http://www.consumerfinance.gov/askcfpb/202/when-can-i-remove-private-mortgage-pmi-insurance-from-my-loan.html

Fraud Protection
www.fraud.org

Prepayment penalties or premiums
www.freddiemac.com/singlefamily/pdf/ppm.pdf

Understanding simple vs. compound interest
http://www.investopedia.com/ask/answers/042315/what-difference-between-compounding-interest-and-simple-interest.asp

General financial information
www.thesimpledollar.com/

Education/Financial Aid Information

Financial Aid
www.onlineschools.org/financial-aid/

Foreclosure Scam Avoidance

Neighborworks
www.loanscamalert.org/

Tax Information

First-Time Homeowners
www.irs.gov/publications/p530/index.html

What You Can and Cannot Deduct
www.irs.gov/publications/p530/ar02.html

Credits and Exemptions
http://www.irs.gov/Credits-&-Deductions

Homeowners Insurance
www.homeownersinsurance.org/

State Governments

State and local government site
www.statelocalgov.net/index.cfm

School systems
http://wdcrobcolp01.ed.gov/Programs/EROD/

State home buying programs
https://www.hud.gov/guidancebuying/localbuying

Community Resources

State and local government Web sites for gathering information on tax rates, schools, history, arts, cultures, education, travel, recreation, voting, healthcare, jobs and more.
www.usa.gov

Newspapers in your area
www.newspapers.com

Helpful Telephone Numbers

HUD Approved Housing
(800) 569-4287

*sourced from the Mortgage Bankers Association (MBA) site
The Arkell Barnes Mortgage Team does not endorse or recommend any entitiy on this page. The source links are for informational purposes only.