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Financial Tips for Survivors

The Importance of Credit

Six tips for domestic violence victims and survivors who are seeking to secure their financial future:

  • Plan for your safety by contacting your local domestic violence program to discuss your options and learn about the community resources you can access for support (i.e., emergency assistance funds, shelter, utility and/or rent assistance, public benefits, and affordable housing). To locate a program in your community, contact the U.S. National Domestic Violence Hotline by phone (1-800-799-SAFE), TTY (1-800-787-3224), chat (TheHotline.org), or text (START to 88788). Language translation is available.
  • Obtain a copy of your credit report and monitor your credit regularly. Most financial institutions provide credit monitoring services such as Privacy Guard at a low cost. You can get a copy of your credit report by contacting one of the three credit bureaus: Equifax (866-349-5191), Experian (1-888-397-3742), or TransUnion (800-888-4213), or from FREE Annual Credit Report (1-877-322-8228).
  • Call your utility companies, wireless telephone service, the IRS, and financial institutions such as credit bureaus to secure your private financial information with special PIN codes and passwords. Be sure to do the same on all new credit, wireless, and/or utility accounts. Ask these companies to use identifiers other than your Social Security Number, date of birth, or mother’s maiden name to authenticate your identity.
  • Change all ATM and debit card PIN codes, online banking passwords, and online investing passwords. Also, be sure to change the password on your email account(s). Add multi-factor authentication to all online and app-based financial services.
  • Be sure to make necessary changes to your insurance plans, will, or trust beneficiaries to appoint a new person if your partner is your current designee.