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Stories From Main Street: Financial Planning Day Ahead At The Business Library

NEW YORK (WCBS 880) - Money is tight. Times are tough. You need help. But where to turn?

How about the New York Public Library.

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"Everything from finding a job to planning for retirement to saving for college. You can learn about identity theft. You can learn about saving for a condo, a house, or a co-op. You can learn about credit cards," says Kristin McDonough of the New York Public Library.

There are day, evening, and weekend classes that are part of the NYPL's Money Matters program. They take place at a handful of libraries in Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island.

"It's everything from household budgeting to milestone decisions - new job, new marriage, divorce - how to save to take care of your aging parents, how to rebalance your 401(k) if you used in a corporate setting," she said.

Stories from Main Street
Stories from Main Street - Photo: Evan Bindelglass / WCBS 880

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There is something extra at the Science, Industry and Business Library at Madison Avenue and East 34th Street, where McDonough is director. Financial Planning Day is Thursday, October 6 from 11:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.

LINK: Details From The NYPL

"We have certified financial planners who give their time - about six hours a week - and meet one-on-one with clients- no product pitch - explaining everything from just graduated from college and you have college debt, how to get out of it, how to plan a budget, to you are retiring in 5 years, let's look at your portfolio and see if you can do anything to change to you have an elder care issue. What can you do?" McDonough told WCBS 880 reporter Sean Adams. "And you're hearing not from a website, not a from a printed source, but from an expert who does this full-time."

They also do credit crisis coaching too and help finding a job. For folks feeling a financial pinch, the best part is the cost of the program.

"It's all free," McDonough said.

It comes courtesy of a grant from McGraw-Hill, which is also helping to back the library system's extended amnesty program.

Know of any other programs like this? Share them in the comments section below!

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