Derby Public Library offers access to independent financial ratings

DERBY - The Derby Public Library presents its newest online database offering - Weiss Financial Ratings. 

You can access it from anywhere free with your Derby Public Library card.

Weiss Financial Ratings offers independent, unbiased financial strength ratings of banks, credit unions, and insurance companies and conservative buy-hold-sell investment ratings of thousands of stocks, mutual funds and exchange-traded funds. 

You can even set up a personal account to create a watchlist and get upgrade/downgrade notifications. 

For those of you on Medicare, there is also a great tool to help you evaluate the available Medicare Supplement Insurance plans and make sure you are getting the best price.

Simply go to our Facebook page or Twitter site on or after today, Sept. 20 to see Paige Grillo from Weiss Financial Ratings provide a deep dive into the functionality of the Database and teach us how to create an account, set up a watchlist for your bank, insurance company, stocks and mutual funds, how to create research tools (screeners) and run a Medigap report.

CONTACT: Reference Desk 203-736-1482 dplreference@biblio.org

This is shared from the Derby Public Library Facebook page.

Derby Public Library offers access to financial ratings database

Protect Your Piggy Bank with Weiss Financial Ratings - Viewable as of 9 a.m. Sept 20

Paige Grillo provides a deep dive into the functionality of the database and how to create an account, set up a watchlist for your bank, insurance company, stocks and mutual funds, how to create research tools (screeners) and run a Medigap report.

Weiss Financial Ratings is the Library's newest online database.

It and other databases accessible on our website at www dot derbypubliclibrary dot org from anywhere free with your Derby Public Library card.

This is shared from the Derby Public Library Facebook page.

Learn about Social Security via Zoom in Derby Public Library program

DERBY - Derby Public Library will host an online workshop on Social Security from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Feb. 17.

 
Almost 74 percent of Americans voluntarily received reduced retirement income benefits because they don’t know all the facts (Source: SSA Annual Statistical Supplement, 2011). 

This workshop will cover when to apply for benefits, how to avoid reductions and increase benefits, and how to coordinate benefits with
your spouse. 

You will learn special rules for divorced spouses and survivor benefits.

This program is presented by Rebecca Miller and the Financial Awareness Foundation – a non-profit dedicated to the advancement of financial literacy.

You must register to attend this program via Zoom. 

Download Zoom in your app store or visit Zoom.us to create a free account.

YOU MUST PROVIDE YOUR LIBRARY BARCODE NUMBER TO BE APPROVED. 

If you do not have a library card, email dplreference@biblio.org. 

 Registration ends at 4:30 p.m. Feb. 17.

This is shared from an online community calendar sponsored by the Community Foundation for Greater New Haven and the New Haven Independent. 

Derby Public Library to sponsor college planning program via Zoom

DERBY - Derby Public Library will sponsor a college planning program via Zoom from 6-7:30 p.m. Dec. 16.

You will learn how the Expected Family Contribution is calculated, which assets are counted and which are ignored, and how to increase your chances for Financial Aid. 

Divorced parents and grandparents will learn the best way to structure savings for potential graduates.

This program is presented by Rebecca Miller and the Financial Awareness Foundation – a non-profit dedicated to the advancement of financial literacy.

Register here https://bit.ly/2IURxP0 or by 4:30 p.m. on the day of the program to receive the Zoom link and password.

YOU MUST PROVIDE YOUR LIBRARY BARCODE NUMBER TO BE APPROVED. 

If you do not have a library card, email dplreference@biblio.org. 

Derby Public Library to host online session on taxation basics

DERBY - Derby Public Library will host "Learn Taxation Basics with Rebecca Miller" at 6 p.m. July 15. 
This session will introduce you to tax reporting, choosing the right filing status, and how to calculate the taxes you owe. Register here https://bit.ly/2BPozMK 
Registration ends at 4:30 p.m. day of the program. 
The session is presented by Rebecca Miller and the Financial Awareness Foundation - a nonprofit dedicated to the advancement of financial literacy.
The session will introduce you to tax reporting, choosing the right filing status and how to calculate the taxes you owe.
You will learn how different investments are taxed and you will get a high-level overview on different methods to reduce taxation.

You must register to attend this program via Zoom.
Download Zoom in your app store or visit Zoom.us to create a free account.

YOU MUST PROVIDE YOUR LIBRARY BARCODE NUMBER TO BE APPROVED. If you do not have a library card, email dplreference@biblio.org.

Registration ends at 4:30 p.m.

*This is shared from a Facebook event page.

TEAM to offer free help with income taxes to income eligible residents

Free income tax preparation is available to eligible residents of the Valley.

Who?     TEAM’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program prepared more than 1,000 income tax returns last year.

TEAM is a private, non-profit human services agency serving Milford and the Greater Valley region whose mission is to strengthen our communities by educating, supporting, and empowering individuals and families.

What?     TEAM is pleased to announce it will offer free tax preparation and filing services to eligible Valley households needing to file their 2018 returns. 

VITA is a financial literacy initiative providing free tax preparation services for individual or family incomes less than $55,000/year. 

TEAM’s IRS-trained volunteers not only prepare/file basic tax returns - they also educate participants on the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC), child tax credits, and many other tax-related issues and opportunities.

When?     Available by appointment on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays beginning Jan. 27 and continuing through April 15, 2019. 

Scheduling: www.211ct.org/taxhelp or call TEAM 203-736-5420 ext.1206 for more assistance and information.

Where?    TEAM, 30 Elizabeth St., Derby (Monday - Wednesday - Saturday)      Derby Neck Library, 307 Hawthorne Ave., Derby (Sunday)

Milford Senior Center, 9 Jepson Drive, Milford (Sunday - Monday)

Why?       VITA plays a key role to help keep and put money in the pockets of hard-working people who really need it. In the last year alone, TEAM’s VITA program filed 1,130 returns in the Greater Valley region at no cost - results of these returns included $1.5 million in refunds, more than $480,000 in Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC), and more than $110,000 in Child Tax Credits and Education Tax Credits.

This is a press release from TEAM.

JA teams with Ansonia Charger Club to teach financial literacy

Megan Kozlowski and her mom, Michelle Kozlowski. participate in Ansonia Charger Club's Financial Literacy Night with Junior Achievement of Western Connecticut. 

Photo credit: Junior Achievement of Western CT.

April is Financial Literacy Month and last month Junior Achievement of Western Connecticut teamed up with local organizations to help students learn about careers, budgeting, taxes, smart credit use and insurance. 

Teachers, administrators, college students and business professionals volunteered their time to teach important financial literacy concepts to students that will help them make informed decisions as future members of the workforce

On April 5, JAWCT brought Financial Literacy Night to Ansonia Middle School students and families thanks to the Ansonia Boys and Girls Charger Club and the Avangrid Foundation, the charitable arm of AVANGRID, Inc., parent company of United Illuminating, Southern Connecticut Gas and Connecticut Natural Gas. 

Webster Bank employees facilitated lessons on budgeting, career and college readiness, and personal branding. Volunteers from many local companies, including Bank of NY Mellon, Better Packages, Bigelow Tea, JP Morgan Chase, Odyssey Logistics & Technology, People's United Bank, Webster Bank, and Wells Fargo discussed career and education decisions with students and how those decisions will impact their future. 

Students walked away with a better understanding of personal finance and the ability to share this information with their families.

Junior Achievement of Western Connecticut was founded in 1947, and reaches over 22,500 on an annual basis throughout the Greater Danbury, Bridgeport, and Valley areas. 

Visit www.jawct.org for more information.

This is a press release from Junior Achievement of Western Connecticut.

Credit union branch opens at Ansonia High School

Congratulations go out to teachers and administrators at Ansonia High School for launching a partnership with Sikorsky Credit Union and opening a credit union branch inside the school. A grand opening celebration was held Wednesday.

Stay tuned for a story in the Valley Independent Sentinel. 

Note: Please excuse photo quality, I was having camera problems.