Financial Readiness

The Fort Carson ACS Financial Readiness Program offers a variety of services such as finance education, budget assistance,  personalized budget counseling,  credit counseling,  debt management along with a host of many other finance support programs. To schedule an appointment, call (719)-526-4590.

This program was created to enhance and maintain mission readiness and quality of life by providing soldiers and their family members a ready-made program to help achieve personal financial readiness and deploy-ability through the use of sound money management and consumer skills.

Financial Readiness Brochure

Army Emergency Relief (AER)

AER is a private organization that was established in 1942 to provide emergency financial assistance to Active Duty, Active Duty Family members, Retirees, Retiree Family Memebers, Widows, Widowers and Orphans in unforseen emergency financial situations.
United we stand! Visit AER Headquarters.

Budget Counseling

Budget counseling allows a client to meet with a financial counselor and discuss the management off their personal finances. The counselor develops a financial analysis to determine the household's monthly living expenses and a budget is established, with an emphasis on managing personal finances and tracking spending habits. Budget Counseling also offers assistance in bankruptcy counseling, purchasing an automobile and repaying creditors.

Debt Management

If you find yourself in the position of considering loan consolidation, you may be headed for financial difficulty. The following are danger signs:

More than 20% of your take home pay is used for credit payments (excluding home mortgage).
You have one or more loans from a lending company(ies) at 20% or more interest.
You screen your phone calls because bill collectors are calling frequently.
You use credit cards impulsively
You routinely use your overdraft protection.
You do not pay your bills on time.
You pay only the minimum amount down on your charge accounts each month.
The use of advance check cashing and pay day loans is part of your regular budget plan.
Your car loan is financed at 12% or more interest.

If one or more of the above describes you or your spouse, don't wait! Stop by ACS, Bldg. 1526 or call 526-4590 and schedule an appointment with a Financial Counselor.

Command Financial NCO

This program was created to enhance and maintain mission readiness and quality of life by providing soldiers and their family members a ready-made program to help achieve personal financial readiness and deploy-ability through the use of sound money management and consumer skills.
Each Battalion-size element has a mature, and financially stable CFNCO who trains, organizes, implements and supervises the CFNCO program along with serving as the battalion commander's principal advisor on policies and matters related to personal financial readiness and local consumer affairs.

Services each CFNCO provides include:

Conducts financial evaluations
Provides budget counseling and advise to soldiers and family members
Screen and counsel all AER referrals
Refer soldiers/family members to appropriate resources or agencies
Present financial readiness and consumer training as part of the command program
Disseminate financial and consumer information within the command
Schedule unit financial management training with Financial Readiness Program
Provide emergency food locker referrals to soldiers and family members
Attend battalion pre-deployment briefing to describe available resources of family members
Attend Army Family Team Building (AFTB) sessions as an available resource
Provide desk-side briefing to new unit leaders to explain the program
Provide financial and consumer benefits to all newly assigned personnel
Assist unit commanders in emphasizing consumer prevention/education rather than crisis management
CFN Contact Numbers

Assistance Programs

Soldiers are often reluctant to ask for assistance, and yet there are state and county programs in place to assist Soldiers and Family members. By using these programs families can save a few hard earned dollars for use in other areas of household management. Financial Readiness provides information, eligibility guidelines, referrals and or registration for the following assistance programs:

CHRISTMAS UNLIMITED: A local non-profit organization that provides new and refurbished toys for Christmas to children in El Paso and Teller counties. Toys are available for children from birth up to the age of twelve. Parents of qualifying children will be provided with a "shopping certificate" to be used at the Christmas Unlimited distribution site. Interested applicants must schedule an appointment with an ACS Financial Counselor, call (719) 526-4590. Applicants must bring identification card (ID), social security card and a recent end of the month leave earning statement (LES).

COMMODITY FOOD PROGRAM: A USDA dry-goods surplus program, which provides food such as, cheese, butter, peanut butter, honey, meal and canned goods. Applicants must be screened by a finance counselor to determine eligibility.

FAMILY SUPPLEMENTAL SUBSISTENCE ALLOWANCE (FSSA): This program assists with supplementing income to assist with purchasing food. Contact your Command Financial NCO or ACS financial advisor for details.

HOLIDAY FOOD VOUCHER PROGRAM: Holiday food assistance provided throughout the Thanksgiving and Christmas season (November/December). Contact your Command Financial NCO or ACS financial advisor for details.

LOW INCOME ENERGY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (LEAP): Provides assistance by paying a portion of your monthly heating (utilities, gas or water) bill only during the months of November-April. Applications are currently being accepted. Call (719) 526-4590 to schedule your appointment.

WOMEN, INFANTS & CHILDREN (WIC):Provides nutrition education and special foods such as iron fortified infant formula, milk, cheese, eggs and other nutritious foods to pregnant and breast-feeding women, infants and children up to age five.

EMERGENCY FOOD VOUCHER: Food assistance available to active duty soldiers and their family members . These vouchers, upon applicant approval, are for use only at the Fort Carson Commissary. 

HEADSTART: A preschool program for eligible children that focuses on social development. Age requirements are, prenatal to four years old.

OPERATION BACK TO SCHOOL: Provides school supplies for school age children in eligible families.

Consumer Affairs

Daily consumer awareness/ information sessions are conducted at 4th Replacement for new arrivals (E1-E6). Assistance with consumer complaints and resolution of issues concerning local businesses is another service offered by the Consumer Affairs Program. A wide variety of personal finance and consumer education classes are available for presentation to unit and Family Readiness Groups. Classes include: Money Trouble Solutions Workshops, Car Buying Seminars, Checkbook Management, Investing 101, Couples and Money and much more. For more information on these classes, call (719) 526-4590.

Financial Literacy Program

Financial literacy is an integral part of mission readiness and quality of life. The goal of this campaign is to maintain a comprehensive and state-of-the-art education & training program throughout the services. Designed by DoD, the purpose of the FLP is to increase personal readiness by reducing the stressors related to financial well being. This program will assist soldiers and family members in awareness, savings & debt reduction and protection against predatory practices. For more information, visit your Financial Readiness department or a Command Financial NCO.

Helpful Links

American Red Cross
Annual Credit Report
Army Emergency Relief
Better Business Burea
Defense Finance and Accounting Service - DFAS MYPAY
Military Saves Program
Military Save and Invest
Thrift Savings Program