Campus
The Wayne and Roberta Colmer Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program (VITA)
The VITA program provides timely and relevant federal and state information to the community concerning taxpayers’ rights and responsibilities. In addition, this program satisfies the widespread need for free tax return assistance, primarily for low-income individuals, senior citizens, non-English-speaking individuals, and the disabled located in CSUN’s surrounding community. To learn more visit /acctis/volunteer-income-tax-assistance-program.
Bookstein Tax Clinic
The mission of the Bookstein Tax Clinic is to provide pro bono representation to low income taxpayers facing tax disputes with the IRS, and to educate low income taxpayers and taxpayers who speak English as a second language about their rights and responsibilities under the federal tax system. To learn more visit/bookstein-institute.
Department of Police Services
Information ranging from enrolling in a crime prevention program to Identity theft and fraud information can be found on http://www-admn.csun.edu/dps/police/. To speak to someone over the phone call (818) 677-2111. Campus police is located on the corner of Darby Ave. and Prairie St.
Community
LA County Helps
Need Assistance With Healthcare, Buying Food, Childcare, Bills, or Something Else? “LACountyHelps!” is a website that quickly and confidentially checks what assistance programs you (or your family) are eligible for. To learn more visit http://lacountyhelps.org/go/?frompage=topic1&lastPage=PageIntro001.
The Department of Water and Power (DWP)
Can’t Pay Your Water or Power Bill? The Department of Water and Power (DWP) offers several programs to either low-income individuals / families or persons who have experienced severe economic hardships. To learn more visit https://www.ladwp.com/ladwp/faces/ladwp/residential/r-financialassistance?_adf.ctrl-state=sj0qo479a_4&_afrLoop=56061673635186 or call 1-800-342-5397.
LA County
The Los Angeles Department of Consumer Affairs is ready to help get your identity back. To learn more visit http://dca.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/dca/main/home/yourmoney/identitytheft or call (213) 974-9459.
Consumer Action
Consumer Action is dedicated to helping individual consumers assert their rights in the marketplace and to advancing pro-consumer industry-wide change for the benefit of all. We achieve this mission through consumer education, multilingual and multicultural community outreach and issue-focused advocacy. Consumer Action advances consumer rights, nation-wide, by referring complaints, publishing educational materials in multiple languages, advocating for consumers in the media and before lawmakers, and comparing prices on credit cards, bank accounts and long distance services. Consumer Action provides free, non-legal advice and referrals on a wide range of issues, in Chinese, English and Spanish. To learn more visit https://www.consumer-action.org/ or call (213) 624-8327.
Los Angeles County Department of Consumer Affairs
To promote a fair and vibrant marketplace, we serve consumers, businesses, and communities through education, advocacy, and complaint resolution. We serve over 750,000 consumers annually and are the largest local consumer protection agency in the United States. The following is a list of our specialized programs. These programs focus department services in targeted areas to protect the diverse needs of consumers in Los Angeles County. To learn more visit http://dca.lacounty.govor call (800) 593-8222.
State
California Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA)
The Department of Consumer Affairs (DCA) is here to protect and serve California consumers while ensuring a competent and fair marketplace. DCA helps consumers learn how to protect themselves from unscrupulous and unqualified individuals. The Department also protects professionals from unfair competition by unlicensed practitioners. To learn more visit http://www.dca.ca.gov/ or call (800) 952-5210.
California Department of Insurance
The Department’s statewide toll-free consumer Hotline, 800-927-HELP (4357), provides callers with immediate access to current information on insurance issues. The Hotline is staffed by knowledgeable insurance professionals who can answer questions, give direction, and provide assistance to consumers who are experiencing insurance related problems or concerns. To learn more visit http://www.insurance.ca.gov/ or call 1-(800) 927- 4357.
National
Financial Literacy and Education Commission
MyMoney.gov is the U.S. government’s website dedicated to teaching all Americans the basics about financial education. This website is a product of the Congressionally chartered Federal Financial Literacy and Education Commission, which is made up of more than 20 Federal entities that are coordinating and collaborating to strengthen financial capability and increase access to financial services for all Americans. The Commission was established by the Financial Literacy and Education Improvement Act, Title V of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (P.L. 108-159). To learn more visithttps://www.mymoney.gov/.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
CFPB’s mission is to give consumers the information they need to understand the terms of their agreements with financial companies. They are working to make regulations and guidance as clear and streamlined as possible so providers of consumer financial products and services can follow the rules on their own. To learn more visit https://www.consumerfinance.gov/ or call (885) 411-2372.
Department of Labor
DOL’s mission is to foster, promote, and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers, and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights. The Department of Labor administers and enforces more than 180 federal laws. These mandates and the regulations that implement them cover many workplace activities for about 10 million employers and 125 million workers. To learn more visit https://www.dol.gov/.
Federal Trade Commission (FTC)
The FTC works to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop and avoid them. To learn more visit https://consumer.ftc.gov/ OR https://www.ftc.gov/. To talk to someone over the phone, call 1-877-382-4357.
Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)
FINRA is an independent, not-for-profit organization authorized by Congress to protect America’s investors by making sure the securities industry operates fairly and honestly. FINRA is also tasked with helping educate investors. To learn more visit https://www.finra.org/investors.