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City of Racine FREE One-On-One Professional Financial Counseling Services

The Racine Financial Empowerment Center in Racine (FEC) offers one-on-one, confidential professional financial counseling as a free public service. Services are available to all residents regardless of income.

The Racine FEC helps you reduce your debt, improve your credit, create a budget, grow your savings, connect to safe and affordable financial products, plan for home ownership, and much more.

  • Need help managing or reducing your household debt?
  • Want advice on how to build or restore your credit?
  • Have a budget but need some specific tips on how to better save for your retirement?

Free Financial Counseling in Racine – Our Services

Our free financial counseling in Racine includes many services:

Savings

Saving for a big purchase or for an emergency can be intimidating, but our Counselors help you to break it down into manageable bites. Never forget to always pay yourself first!

Banking

FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS
We've worked hard to establish relationships with a host of different banks and credit unions in the area and are knowledgeable about an array of financial products that can help you access mainstream banking services, even if you've had an account closed on you before.

Debt

Being in debt can feel like drowning, but we're here to help you take control. Our Counselors can help you create a plan to get out of debt and catch your breath again.

Credit

Whether you want to eventually buy a car, become a homeowner, start your own business, or just rent an apartment, you know that having a good credit score is important.

One-on-one professional financial counseling Racine

To Help Racine Residents Achieve Brighter Financial Futures!

The Racine Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) offers free, professional, one-on-one financial counseling as a public service. The Racine FEC is a collaboration between the City of Racine and Housing Resources, Inc. (HRI), a local nonprofit organization. The FEC's financial counselors are professionally trained and certified by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC).

One on one financial counseling

How we help you

Providing free one-on-one financial
counseling as a public service

Your Free Financial Counseling Services

The Racine Financial Empowerment Centers offer free, one-on-one professional financial counseling to all residents.

Racine Financial Empowerment Center counselors can help you:
  • Increase Your Savings
  • Pay Down Your Debt
  • Access Safe & Affordable Banking
  • Improve Your Credit
  • Legacy Planning
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  • Take control of your debt
  • Deal with debt collectors
  • Improve your credit & Using Credit Wisely
  • Build your savings
  • Investments and Future Planning
  • Money Management and Budgeting
  • Find safe and affordable financial products
  • Banking and Basic Financial Transactions
  • Student Loans
  • Bankruptcy
  • Homeownership
  • Insurance and Benefits
  • Organizing Assets
  • Reviewing Titles
  • Updating Account Beneficiariess
  • Connecting Clients to Legacy Planning Resources

How It Works

Schedule an appointment* with a counselor at a time and location that works best for you.

Receive a follow-up call from your counselor and gather the documents you might need for the session.

Attend your first session and work with your counselor on creating a plan to achieve your goals.

Follow your financial plan & schedule a follow-up appointment with your counselor to keep working toward your goals.

Follow Us

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January is Financial Wellness Month. Non-Public Title I at RUSD hosted a Family Night this week. We were honored to present at this event. The workshop focused on the services provided by the Racine Financial Empowerment Center, as well as the importance of budgeting and saving. The parents learned valuable lessons and tips to be better savers and maintain a family budget. Thanks to RUSD for putting this together. It was a fun night! ... See MoreSee Less

January is Financial Wellness Month. Non-Public Title I at RUSD hosted a Family Night this week. We were honored to present at this event. The workshop focused on the services provided by the Racine Financial Empowerment Center, as well as the importance of budgeting and saving. The parents learned valuable lessons and tips to be better savers and maintain a family budget. Thanks to RUSD for putting this together. It was a fun night!

Get your free 2026 Financial Calendar! The children of Racine have created art that highlights important financial dates to remember. It will help you to keep in mind the importance of saving, investing, being a homeowner, keeping up with your credit, and creating a healthy financial future. 2026 can be your best year ever. The Racine Financial Empowerment Center provides professional, one-on-one free financial counseling to City of Racine residents. The calendars are available at the Finance Department in city hall or at the Racine Public Library. Get yours while supply last. We thank Landmark Credit Union for sponsoring this project. Have a great new year! ... See MoreSee Less

Get your free 2026 Financial Calendar! The children of Racine have created art that highlights important financial dates to remember. It will help you to keep in mind the importance of saving, investing, being a homeowner, keeping up with your credit, and creating a healthy financial future. 2026 can be your best year ever. The Racine Financial Empowerment Center provides professional, one-on-one free financial counseling to City of Racine residents. The calendars are available at the Finance Department in city hall or at the Racine Public Library. Get yours while supply last. We thank Landmark Credit Union for sponsoring this project. Have a great new year!

Local students submitted art entries for the chance to be included in the 2026 Racine Financial Calendar. Their art highlighted the importance of savings, financial planning, and to be smart consumers. The winners came to City Hall and were honored by Mayor Cory Mason, the Superintendent of Schools, Soren Gajewsky, and representatives from Landmark Credit Union, who sponsored the project. The calendar will be available for free at the Racine Public Library in December. Thank you to all students who participated! ... See MoreSee Less

Local students submitted art entries for the chance to be included in the 2026 Racine Financial Calendar. Their art highlighted the importance of savings, financial planning, and to be smart consumers. The winners came to City Hall and were honored by Mayor Cory Mason, the Superintendent of Schools, Soren Gajewsky, and representatives from Landmark Credit Union, who sponsored the project. The calendar will be available for free at the Racine Public Library in December.  Thank you to all students who participated!

In view of the possibility for those receiving assistance of having to face food insecurity, let us remember that you are not alone. The City of Racine Financial Empowerment Center has financial coaches that can help you navigate these challenging times.
Your City of Racine FEC counselor also can help you:
• Review your budget and plan for changes in food or utility costs;
• Get connected to other emergency supports; and
• Talk about ways to manage rising costs due to inflation, food prices, or healthcare.
Our services are free to all residents of the City of Racine. For more information or to make an appointment visit us at www.racinefec.org
... See MoreSee Less

In view of the possibility for those receiving assistance  of having to face food insecurity, let us remember that you are not alone. The City of Racine Financial Empowerment Center has financial coaches  that can help you navigate these challenging times.
Your City of Racine FEC counselor also can help you:
• Review your budget and plan for changes in food or utility costs;
• Get connected to other emergency supports; and
• Talk about ways to manage rising costs due to inflation, food prices, or healthcare.
Our services are free to all residents of the City of Racine. For more information or to make an appointment visit us at www.racinefec.org

Protect those you love! We’re excited to share that legacy planning is now available as a free public service through the City of Racine Financial Empowerment Center! Legacy planning is how you protect what you’ve earned and take care of your loved ones. Through free, one-on-one, professional financial counseling, trained FEC counselors can help with a range of legacy planning services, like getting finances in order, reviewing insurance and titles, making a plan for who will care for dependents in your absence, and getting connected to resources for preparing important documents like a will, guardianship plans, or power of attorney.
You’re building a legacy that is uniquely yours and deserves protection. Ensure that your care and your legacy align with what’s most important to you—visit www.racinefec.org. to make an appointment and get started!
... See MoreSee Less

Protect those you love! We’re excited to share that legacy planning is now available as a free public service through the City of Racine Financial Empowerment Center! Legacy planning is how you protect what you’ve earned and take care of your loved ones.  Through free, one-on-one, professional financial counseling, trained FEC counselors can help with a range of legacy planning services, like getting finances in order, reviewing insurance and titles, making a plan for who will care for dependents in your absence, and getting connected to resources for preparing important documents like a will, guardianship plans, or power of attorney.
You’re building a legacy that is uniquely yours and deserves protection. Ensure that your care and your legacy align with what’s most important to you—visit  www.racinefec.org. to make an appointment and get started!

We are happy to announce that the Racine Financial Empowerment Center is offering now Legacy Planning! Our counselors can assist you to help you build assets and protect and preserve those assets for future generations. All services are confidential and available to anyone who lives in the City of Racine. To learn more or schedule an appointment, visit www.racinefec.org. ... See MoreSee Less

We are happy to announce that the Racine Financial Empowerment Center is offering now Legacy Planning! Our counselors can assist you to help you build assets and protect and preserve those assets for future generations. All services are confidential and available to anyone who lives in the City of Racine. To learn more or schedule an appointment, visit www.racinefec.org.
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2022 Financial Literacy Award

2022 Financial Literacy Award from Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers

Racine FEC Managers Dasheika Kidd and Vicky Selkowe attended the award ceremony held in the State Capitol on April 21, 2023, and are pictured here with Governor Evers and First Lady Kathy Evers. Know More

Counselors

Dasheika Kidd

Curtis Szymczak

Program Manager

Hello, my name is Curtis Szymczak. I am a financial counselor here at the Financial Empowerment Center in Racine.

Shasta Williams

Financial Counselor

My name is Shasta Williams. I'm proud to be a Racine Financial Empowerment Center (FEC)'s financial counselor.

Curtis Szymczak

Maira Pineda

Bi-lingual Financial Counselor

Hello, My name is Maira Pineda. I am grateful to be a Bilingual Financial Counselor here at Racine Financial Empowerment Center.