Jewish Family Services Offers Free Financial Counseling to All in Tough Economy

2020 was a hard year financially for many in the Greater Hartford region when the coronavirus pandemic gripped the world, and sadly 2021 seems to be more of the same.  The continuing economic impact of the pandemic has left many in our community questioning their financial futures.  With multiple rounds of stimulus checks, inconsistent disbursement of unemployment benefits, and a fluctuating stock market, wading through one’s own individual finances can seem daunting.  Jim Goldman, Money Coach at Jewish Family Services of Greater Hartford (JFS), is here to help.

Goldman is a Certified Financial Planner (CFP®) with over 32 years of experience in the industry.  Since 2008, Goldman has volunteered his time to offer one-hour financial counseling sessions at no cost to anyone in Greater Hartford, inclusive of income level, age, race, religion, ethnicity, ability, gender identity, and sexual orientation.

“The way our economy is structured, there’s really no avenue for middle income and lower-income folks to receive the type of financial advice I provide, regardless of whether it’s free or not,” Goldman explained.  “We just kind of expect everyone to look up their questions on the internet, and there are two problems with that. First, it’s not personalized in any way, and the fact is, each person’s financial situation is unique and could truly benefit from a customized approach. Second, a lot of the information out there on the internet is confusing, misleading, or just plain wrong. In other words, there’s clearly a need,” said Goldman.  “I really hate to see people wasting their hard-earned money paying interest on credit cards.”

Goldman’s hope for the future is that everyone in our region gains an understanding of their current financial situation, and how to improve it.  “It’s completely idyllic, but I have this vision that Greater Hartford will someday be known as an area where the consumers are just a little bit smarter and savvier with their money. Little by little, I hope we can become a place where we don’t carry credit card debt from month-to-month, where we save more than average, and where we know better than to be victimized by financial scams,” Goldman said.

Goldman hopes to inspire people in Greater Hartford to take ownership of their finances and find real solutions to overcome the adversity brought on by a troubled economy. “After talking with me, I hope clients feel empowered to tackle and conquer the financial challenges they face. I try to give them a simple, logical way of looking at things that will not only help them solve their current problem but will hopefully be memorable enough that they can use that same technique over and over again.”

Goldman takes great care to learn about his clients’ financial history, current situation and helps guide them by offering real-world practical financial advice.  If you’ve ever wondered if you are putting away enough for retirement, or if your credit card debt is too much, Goldman has the answers.

Appointments are available on Wednesdays.  For more information or to schedule an appointment, call 860-236-1927.