Press Releases and Media Advisories

Program Aims to Help Low-Wage Working Families Build Assets - 9/3/2008

September 3, 2008, Salt Lake City, UT -- If someone supporting a family of four on about $35,000 a year can manage to save a big chunk of income, what's stopping the rest of us from saving more?   Read More...

Statewide Program Receives Federal Grant to Bring Economic Prosperity to More Utahns - 7/10/2008

Salt Lake City, Utah – July 10, 2008– Facing ballooning health care costs, rising education costs and climbing gas prices, more and more individuals and families are vulnerable to facing serious financial hardship. On top of rising costs and diminished savings, a job loss or health emergency can spell financial ruin for a family already scrambling to keep up. Financial fragility is becoming commonplace: one-third of families in this country have a zero net worth, or are in debt. Twenty five percent are asset poor, meaning they lack the resources to live at the federal poverty level for more than three months after losing their income. These are unnerving statistics.   Read More...

Non-profit Launches Financial Education Web Portal Platform - 9/19/2007

Salt Lake City, Utah – September 19, 2007 – Web portal technology is a relatively new part of the internet revolution. Web Portals differ from traditional web sites in that they allow a user to have their own personalized web presence which looks and acts like their own website, but with a couple of critical differences such as allowing the user to customize and control the information they see when visiting that website.   Read More...

Freddie Mac Provides Seed Funding to Launch Utah’s Don’t Borrow Trouble Campaign - 7/26/2007

Don't Borrow Trouble® Utah is a public education initiative aimed at stopping predatory lending practices in the state. The Campaign seeks to educate families and individuals about how to avoid predatory lending scams and about available community resources. The Don't Borrow Trouble® Utah help line has been established at 866-217-1718 to offer families a safe place to call before they sign anything that puts their home at risk.   Read More...

Today’s Family show to feature AAA Fair Credit Foundation - 7/9/2007

Platinum Productions TV is pleased to announce that AAA Fair Credit Foundation, an award-winning financial counseling organization based in Salt Lake City, UT, will be featured on its innovative, educational television series, Today's Family. The organization will be featured in a segment on "Tools for Success" as part of the "Financial Planning" series.   Read More...

Utah Individual Development Account Network Introduces Real Estate Council - 6/11/2007

Salt Lake City, UT – June 11, 2007 – AAA Fair Credit Foundation, a non-profit organization, and home of the Utah Individual Development Account Network (UIDAN), is pleased to invite real estate professionals to participate in an exciting new opportunity to become a member of the UIDAN Real Estate Council. Real estate professionals from all areas are invited to join the efforts to help low-wage families break the cycle of poverty to create a cycle of prosperity across generations.   Read More...

Local Agency Receives Grant to Bring Economic Prosperity to More Utahns - 2/23/2007

Salt Lake City, UT – February 23, 2007 – AAA Fair Credit Foundation announced today that it has received a $75,000 to support its Utah Individual Development Account Network.   Read More...

AAA Fair Credit Foundation Receives Good Citizenship Grant from State Farm Insurance - 1/10/2007

Salt Lake City, UT – January 10, 2007 - Tamara Pachl, Community Outreach Officer and Chris Hudson, Public Relations Officer for State Farm Insurance, present Preston Cochrane, President and CEO of AAA Fair Credit Foundation with a $10,000 contribution as part of State Farm's commitment to the community. The main purpose of the Good Citizenship Grant is to increase financial literacy education and awareness in Utah. AAA Fair Credit Foundation plans to use this contribution to enhance personal financial security through outreach and education.   Read More...

Just Call 2-1-1 for Free Tax Preparation Assistance - 12/28/2006

Salt Lake City, UT – December 28, 2006 – As many as 40,000 households fail to file for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) because of they are not aware of it, because they don't earn enough to be required to file taxes or because of education and language barriers. It is estimated that up to $80 million in federal EITC money is left unclaimed by Utahns each year. An economic impact study commissioned by United Way of Salt Lake found that each increase of 10,000 households in utilization of the EITC could bring an additional $17 million in direct EITC payments to Utah and generate approximately $63 million in additional state and local economic activity.   Read More...

New Technology Provides Relief from Harassing Collection Calls - 11/14/2006

Salt Lake City, UT – November 14, 2006 – New technology has arrived to help relieve consumers struggling to make ends meet from the overwhelming and even harassing barrage of collection calls that can ensue from a missed or late payment to a creditor.   Read More...

Utah Non-Profit Agency Receives $350,000 Grant for Asset Development Program - 10/9/2006

Salt Lake City, UT – October 9, 2006 – AAA Fair Credit Foundation today announced it has received a $350,000 federal grant from the Office of Community Services. "This funding will greatly enhance our ability to expand the Utah Individual Development Account Network (UIDAN) and allow more Utahns to open Individual Development Accounts (IDA's). This is very exciting not only for us but for the many individuals and families these funds represent who will eventually receive the funding to achieve their personal financial goals," said Preston Cochrane, President of AAA Fair Credit Foundation.   Read More...

IDA Program Receives Grant From GE Money Bank - 9/15/2006

Salt Lake City, UT – September 15, 2006 – Gwen Robinson and Michelle Lea from GE Money Bank present AAA Fair Credit Foundation with a $25,000 contribution grant in support of the Individual Development Account program. This donation is to help expand UIDAN into underserved areas and populations including resident of Summit, Morgan, Davis, and Weber counties and the Latino community.  Read More...

AAA Fair Credit Foundation and UIDAN Receives Grant From Wells Fargo - 9/11/2006

Salt Lake City, UT – September 11, 2006 – Alan Urie, Senior Vice President from Wells Fargo Bank presents AAA Fair Credit Foundation with a $10,000 contribution grant to support the statewide expansion of the Utah Individual Development Account Network.  Read More...

AAA Fair Credit Foundation Welcomes Three New Board Members - 9/8/2006

Salt Lake City, UT – September 8, 2006 – AAA Fair Credit Foundation, a national consumer credit counseling agency based in Salt Lake City, UT, today announced the appointment of Diane Hartz Warsoff, Marilynn Gardner, and Ann C. House to its Board of Directors. The Board of Directors provides fiduciary and fiscal accountability for the organization.   Read More...

Washington Mutual Bank Grants AAA Fair Credit Foundation and UIDAN - 9/5/2006

Salt Lake City, UT – September 5, 2006 – Matt Gibbons from Washington Mutual Bank presents AAA Fair Credit Foundation with a $10,000 grant to support the expansion of the Utah Individual Development Account Network to low and moderate income Latinos.  Read More...

Local Consumer Credit Counseling Agency Applauds New Federal Rules for Credit Counseling Agencies - 8/21/2006

Salt Lake City, UT – Aug. 21, 2006 – AAA Fair Credit Foundation, a Salt Lake City based non-profit credit counseling organization said today that enhanced standards for nonprofit credit counseling agencies should help protect debt-ridden Americans from predatory businesses that falsely claim to serve consumer interests. The new rules, which lay out explicit criteria for credit counseling agencies that seek tax-exempt status, are part of The Pension Protection Act of 2006 recently signed into law by President Bush.   Read More...

Utah Issues Announces AAA Fair Credit Foundation as New Host Agency for Utah Individual Development Account Network Due To Growth Expectations - 7/25/2006

Salt Lake City, UT – July 25, 2006 – Utah Issues Center for Poverty Research and Action is pleased to announce that the Utah Individual Development Account Network (UIDAN) moved to AAA Fair Credit Foundation on July 14, 2006.   Read More...

Sharpen Your Personal Finance Skills with Consumer Cents - 5/18/2006

Salt Lake City, UT – May 18, 2006 – This year consumer credit card debt has reached an all-time high of almost 806 billion dollars, according to the Federal Reserve. With all the recent attention on Americans' perceived need to accumulate debt, these numbers may not surprise you; but the root cause of all this mounting debt just might.   Read More...

Utah Non-Profit Company Receives Recognition of Excellence Award - 5/1/2006

Salt Lake City, UT – May 1, 2006 – AAA Fair Credit Foundation, a consumer credit counseling agency, received high honors within the Salt Lake City community at the annual United Way of Salt Lake Compassionate Leader Awards luncheon held April 26, 2006, in Salt Lake City, Utah.   Read More...

IRS & GAIN Coalition Recognizes AAA Fair Credit Foundation for Innovations to VITA Program - 8/11/2005

Salt Lake City, UT – August 11, 2005 – Kathy Keszler, Senior Tax Specialist from the Internal Revenue Service and Martha Wunderli, Chair of the Growing Assets & Income Now (GAIN) Coalition, present Preston Cochrane of AAA Fair Credit Foundation with a Recognition of Excellence award in appreciation for their contribution to the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) Program. AAA Fair Credit Foundation created, implemented, hosted and coordinated an online Web Scheduling System for all Utah VITA sites statewide to use in scheduling appointments with tax filers. The scheduling system was used by over 25 sites 150 users.  Read More...

Get Checking Financial Education Program Successfully Launched In Utah - 2/1/2005

Scottsdale, AZ – February 1, 2005 – Get CheckingTM, a financial education program designed to help un-banked and under-banked consumers gain access to basic financial services, and AAA Fair Credit Foundation (FCF), a non-profit community service agency dedicated to empowering consumers to achieve a lifetime of economic freedom, successfully launched the Get Checking Program last week to 22 financial institutions in Utah. Get Checking is currently available in 44 markets across 17 states, with over 140 financial institutions (more than 2,200 branches) actively participating in the program.   Read More...

Financial Warning Signs that Commonly Lead to Bankruptcy - 12/30/2004

Salt Lake City, UT – December 30, 2004 – Over 20,000 Utahns will file for Chapter 7, 11, and 13 Bankruptcy in 2004. Filings through November 30, 2004 decreased by 5% compared with filings through November 2003. Despite this slight decline, Bankruptcy figures continue to increase and not surprisingly, consumer debt continues to rise as well.   Read More...

AAA Fair Credit Foundation Receives Good Citizenship Grant from State Farm Insurance - 12/4/2004

Salt Lake City, UT – December 10, 2004 – AAA Fair Credit Foundation, a national non-profit credit counseling organization based in Salt Lake City, received a $15,000 grant contribution from State Farm Insurance for their Good Neighbor Citizenship grant.   Read More...

AAA Fair Credit Foundation Expands Get Checking Program in Utah - 12/3/2004

Salt Lake City, UT – December 3, 2004 – AAA Fair Credit Foundation (FCF), a national non-profit credit counseling organization based in Salt Lake City, is expanding its free educational classes for people who currently do not have a bank account or who have difficulty managing an existing account.   Read More...

Credit Counseling Agency Receives Best of State Award in Financial Planning Category - 8/15/2004

Salt Lake City, UT. – July 15, 2004 – The 2004 Best of State award for Financial Planning Services was presented to AAA Fair Credit Foundation on Saturday, June 19, 2004 at a gala awards banquet held at the Salt Palace Convention Center Grand Ballroom. AAA Fair Credit Foundation has been selected because of its overall excellence and achievement, innovation, and contribution to the community.   Read More...