Rent Smart is an off-the-shelf program that was developed by UW Extension in consultation with landlord and tenant advocacy groups in the state. The program is intended to help potential renters find housing, improve landlord-tenant relationships, and inform tenants of their rights. It was last updated in 2017. The program has been offered specifically for seniors who are homeless or transitioning from owning to renting in Fond du Lac county. FLEs in other counties offer the program to general audiences.

Time commitment:  Entire course is 6 sessions, typically 60 – 90 minutes each.

Money Smart Week is a national awareness campaign with events on personal finance topics, held annually in April. FLEs in two counties mentioned events specifically for seniors that they offer during this week. In Washington County, Carol does “Fraud Bingo” to teach seniors about scams at three different senior centers. In Fond Du Lac county, Shelley teaches sessions targeted at seniors, such as retirement, insurance, and estate planning.

Chelsea Wunnicke of Richland County recently did a presentation on college savings at the State HCE conference.

FLEs provide one-on-one financial coaching to seniors on request in Barron, St. Croix, and Washburn counties.

FLEs have done one-time financial education seminars at senior apartments and public housing in Ashland, Dodge, and Richland counties.

FLEs have done one-time seminars on financial planning, partnering with their ADRCs, in Brown and Fond du Lac counties.

FLEs have taught seminars on identity theft and scams in Taylor, Washington, Wood, Green Lake,  and Washburn counties. FLEs have partnered with HCE and law enforcement on these seminars. Materials?

• Savvy Saving Senior (from the National Council on Aging) a 90-minute program (65-min instruction/25-min Q & A) is designed to provide participants with basic money management concepts for a fixed budget, the benefits of banking, and an overview of public benefits and how to access and retain them.
• Money Smart for Older Adults (from the CFPB) is designed to provide information and tips to help prevent common frauds, scams and other types of elder financial exploitation.
• Managing Someone Else’s Money (from the CFPB) has guides tailored to the needs of people in four different fiduciary capacities:
  • Agents under a power of attorney
  • Court-appointed guardians
  • Trustees
  • Government fiduciaries (Social Security representative payees and VA fiduciaries)