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New clinics provide free financial advice

Teresa Ristow
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John F. Russell

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To make an appointment for free financial advice, call 970-879-5605 or email lauren@routtcount...

To make an appointment for free legal advice, call 970-879-5020.

— A program that aims to steer Routt County adults toward financial and personal self-sufficiency will now connect locals to free advice about financial matters, including credit, budgeting and investing for retirement.

Routt to Work is offering free and confidential Ask a Financial Professional clinics the first Wednesday of each month, beginning with a clinic from 4 to 6 p.m. Oct. 5.

Residents can walk in or book a 20-minute session with a local financial professional, including volunteering professionals from Alpine Bank, Mountain Valley Bank, Wells Fargo and Yampa Valley Bank.



Sessions will be held at Routt County United Way, 443 Oak St.

“For the past couple of years, we’ve really been hearing that folks participating in our program really want to take a look at their financial situations,” said Libby Foster, coordinator for Routt to Work, a collaborative program of Routt County United Way, Routt County Department of Human Services and LiftUp of Routt County.



The free clinics use a format similar to the 14th Judicial District’s Ask a Lawyer legal clinics, which started earlier this year in Routt, Grand and Moffat counties.

“We were hearing about the success of those events, and we thought it was a neat concept,” Foster said.

The legal clinics have seen strong participation from local residents seeking free legal advice on issues including divorce, custody, protection orders, landlord-tenant problems or debt issues.

“The past several clinics have been completely filled with several wait-listed,” said Tracey Epley, administrative specialist for the 14th Judicial District.

Epley said the district plans to continue the program into 2017.

The Ask a Lawyer clinics are held from 3 to 5 p.m. the second Wednesday of each month, with the next clinic planned for Oct. 12 at the Routt Combined Court, 1955 Shield Drive.

Foster said she’s hopeful local residents will take advantage of the new program for free financial advice.

“We’re optimistic that it will be really advantageous to our community,” Foster said.

To reach Teresa Ristow, call 970-871-4206, email tristow@SteamboatToday.com or follow her on Twitter @TeresaRistow


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