WorkLife

Financial counseling and education

Last updated: June 30, 2023

If you have questions about a financial issue, speaking with a financial expert can help. Your employee assistance program provides you with free consultations with financial experts on everything from credit and debt, to purchasing a home, or saving for retirement.

Experts are available without an appointment during regular work hours, and by appointment on Saturdays. We also offer a full selection of financial articles, tip sheets, financial calculators and other tools to help you get the answers you need.

Available features

  • Free consultation with a financial counselor for you or your family members.
  • No appointment is needed during regular business hours Monday through Friday. Saturday appointments available.
  • Online financial calculators, library of articles and do-it-yourself tools to manage finances.
  • Online will: through a series of questions and prompts, employees can create basic, legally valid wills, quickly and easily.

What is covered

Covered Issues: bankruptcy prevention, budgeting, comprehensive financial fitness, credit report review, debt reduction and management, estate planning, financial planning, foreclosure prevention, housing education and purchasing, long-term goal setting.

Excluded Issues: Counseling, advice or comparison of specific financial services or products, taxes.

How does the service work?

Contact the service by calling 1-888-728-1408. Expert financial counselors are available Monday through Friday, or through prescheduled Saturday sessions (day and evening). There is no time limit to this service, but sessions typically last 30 to 90 minutes.

The counselor will address issues and follow up with supportive educational materials sent via mail. Counselors do not sell or endorse specific products and their advice is objective and pressure-free. They may make referrals to local services that may be helpful.

Additionally, the WA state EAP provides 24/7 access to financial calculators, links to helpful web resources and a basic online will-maker.

Other UW financial services

Schedule time with TIAA or Fidelity to get personalized financial counseling from someone who knows your UW retirement benefits.