Consumer Links

The following websites provide access to a wealth of consumer information. Although CUNA believes these sources to be reputable, we in no way endorse the information provided.

Business

• The Better Business Bureau
  The Better Business Bureau Web site gives consumers the latest information about a company’s business practices and features an online complaint system. In addition, the site contains an abundance of consumer information.


• Econsumer.gov
  Where do you turn when you have a complaint about a foreign firm that’s doing business online? The U.S. Federal Trade Commission and 12 other countries have launched this Web site, which provides a complaint form for disgruntled customers, plus information about consumer protection laws in the participating countries.


• Small Business Administration
  This Web site is designed to help small business owners run successful businesses. The site features information about starting, financing, and managing your business and information about other business opportunities. (Credit unions have established a relationship with the Small Business Administration (SBA) to expedite loans to credit-worthy small businesses.)

Education

• U.S. Education of Department
  ED.gov helps inform citizens of the President’s education initiatives, including "No Child Left Behind"; to ensure equal access to education; and to promote educational excellence for all Americans. "Audience pages" provide selected information for teachers, principals, parents and families, students, higher education administrators and institutions, grantees, and technical assistance providers. The area "My.ED.gov" lets you personalize the site, so you’ll see the latest information about your favorite topics each time you visit.

Environment

• Green Vehicles Guide
  The Environmental Protection Agency established this Web site as a guide for those looking to purchase an environmentally friendly vehicle. The guide gives an overall rating to each vehicle—based mainly on fuel-economy estimates and an emissions/air-pollution score—to help consumers find the right vehicle for them. Also, consumers will find a Green Vehicle Class Rating that uses a five-star scale to compare vehicles within their class.

Disabilities

• Accessibity: Equal Access to Transportation
  This resource on the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Web site provides access to inforamtion concerning the rights of disabled passengers and provides tips to help trips go smoothly.

Federal Agencies

• FEDSTATS
  Thi is a gateway to more than 100 U.S. federal agencies. Agencies are listed alphabetically with descriptions of the statistics they provide and links to their Web sites, contact information, and key statistics. You also can search agencies by subject. The site provides statistical profiles of states, counties, congressional districts, and federal judicial districts. Statistics by geography from U.S. agencies show international comparisons. Its statistical reference shelf lists published collections of statistics available online, including the Statistical Abstract of the U.S.



• USA.gov
  This U.S. government Web site offers one-stop access to online consumer information from all federal agencies. The site, managed by the General Services Administration, enables consumers to search through government documents for information on topics ranging from dieting to deposit insurance.

Finances/Investing

• HomePath (Fannie Mae)
  Run by Fannie Mae, this Web site helps you through the home buying process, including showcasing Fannie Mae properties for sale.


• Federal Reserve
  This interactive Web site offers students, educators, and the general public an introduction to the workings of the Federal Reserve System. The site pulls together some of the Fed’s programs from past years, along with a video, "The Fed Today," which features journalist Charles Osgood explaining the workings of the Federal Reserve System.


• NEFE
  The National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) is a non-profit foundation dedicated to helping all Americans acquire the information and skills necessary to take control of their personal finances. NEFE accomplishes its mission primarily by partnering with other concerned organizations to provide financial education to members of the public—in particular, to underserved individuals whose financial education needs are not being addressed by others.


• NFCC
  The National Foundation for Consumer Credit (NFCC) is a national nonprofit network created to help people dealing with stressful financial situations. The NFCC Web site contains consumer debt advice, as well as information about where to go for debt help.


• Roth IRA
  The Roth IRA Web site gives consumers technical and planning information about Roth individual retirement accounts. The site provides the latest information about Roth IRAs from various publications. It provides access to information about Web-based Roth IRA calculators, as well as links to educational materials to help consumers decide which is better—a traditional or Roth IRA.

Fraud

• Consumer Sentinel
  This Web site allows consumers to register fraud complaints about Internet con schemes, bogus prize promotions, telemarketing scams, identity theft, and more. The site brings together U.S., Canadian, and Australian law enforcers, along with organizations such as Better Business Bureaus, the U.S. Postal Service, and the National Consumers League, to determine if a reported scheme is local, regional, or national.


• The Federal Trade Commission
  This Web site provides helpful information about how to protect yourself from fraud. The site also contains the most recent news about deceptive practices and economic issues.

Privacy

• Cyber Savvy
  This online guide - created by the Direct Marketing Association - educates parents about information use, behavior, and privacy on the Internet.

Retirement

• Benefits CheckUp
  This Web site, run by the National Council on the Aging, provides a database of about 1,000 federal and state programs available to assist older people. The site provides customized results through an easy-to-use questionnaire that requires a zip code, but no other personal information (such as name, address, or Social Security number). Financial information is requested to determine eligibility for programs, but cannot be traced back to the individual. The site produces a list of programs, including contact information, for which the user most likely qualifies. The user can receive help for any question on the questionnaire and advice about applying for benefits.


• Planning for a Secure Retirement
  Developed at Purdue University as part of the 21st Century Extension Initiative, this site shows 10 modules that focus on different financial topics to help you plan for your future. This distance-education course is informative and free.


• Early Retirement: Thinking Over an Offer
  Developed by the University of Iowa Cooperative Extension Service, this Web site serves as a guide for those considering early retirement. The site helps consumers consider every aspect of early retirement and provides basic information and advice. In addition, the site contains links to more detailed information from reliable sources.

Safety

• Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC)
  The CPSC's website allows consumers to report dangerous household products online. You also can call the agency’s hotline at 800-638-2772. CPSC’s home page, www.cpsc.gov, lists product recalls and has a special link for kids about staying safe and playing safe.


• Kids.gov
  You can’t be with your children every minute while they’re surfing the ’Net, but you want to make sure the sites they’re visiting are safe and appropriate. A portal of the free U.S. government Web site Firstgov.gov, Kids.gov lets kids have fun, stay safe, and maybe even learn something while exploring the world from the comfort of their own keyboards. Children can take a peek at the new baby elephant at the National Zoo through the zoo’s Web cams, learn about an astronaut’s spacesuit at NASA’s kids’ Web site, or take a virtual field trip of the FBI and learn how it uses fingerprints to solve crimes.


• Consumer Federation of America
  The Consumer Federation of America Web site provides consumers with information on some very important issues: safety, health care, and so on. Information comes in the form of press releases, studies, fact sheets, and brochures.


• The Consumer Product Safety Commission
  The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) works to keep consumers safe by maintaining safety standards for and testing consumer products. Their Web site provides the latest recall information, as well as information about how to report an unsafe product.


• NHTSA
  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Web site contains the latest automobile information, including safety issues, crash test results, and press releases about recent NHTSA activities.


• The Food and Drug Administration
  The Web site for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) contains the latest FDA news, as well as information about regulated products. In addition, consumers can bone up on the latest FDA activities.


• Federal Citizen Information Center
  This Web site for the Federal Citizen Information Center contains the latest publications on a variety of important consumer topics, including housing, food, and cars. In addition, the site contains links to a lot of great consumer sites.

Taxes

• IRS
  The Internal Revenue Service’s Web site can help you get a head start on filing your taxes. This site answers frequently asked questions and helps file Federal taxes online using commercial software. The site also offers a peek at some of the changes underway with "News for You 2002." This practical guide provides new information that taxpayers, tax practitioners, and businesses need for the 2002 tax-filing season—and beyond. It highlights a few of the many changes taking place as the IRS undertakes its largest reorganization in nearly a half century and works to improve service for taxpayers.


• Salvation Army
  The Salvation Army’s Web site offers a donation valuation guide for tax deductions. This guide gives approximate write-off amounts for clothing; dry goods, such as blankets and rugs; furniture from air conditioners to beds; sporting foods; and miscellaneous items such as artificial Christmas trees and lawn mowers. To access this guide, search for "valuation guide" on this Web site.