Twin Accounts™ encourage saving by providing an incentive for families to make timely payments into a savings account. Every time a monthly payment of $25 is reported to the credit agencies, it is matched by Neighborhood Allies, providing a powerful incentive to save $300 in one year which, with the match, accumulates to $600 at the end of the year, positioning participants to build emergency savings or to invest.
Shay Port, Financial Coach at JobLinks meets with a client to discuss her financial goals.
Imagine negotiating a car loan without a credit history, or securing a decent job when employers check credit scores. Those without positive credit pay more for basic services, and many rely on payday lenders and high-interest loans, ending up deeper in debt. Layered with the services of a financial coach to develop a budget, reduce expenses, those participating in Twin Accounts™, are able to build credit and savings quickly and effectively, and move their families closer to financial stability. National outcomes show that unscored participants will have a score of over 600 in just six months; those scored at the start will see an average increase of 60 points in a year.
Neighborhood Allies has made this incredible product available at each of our local Financial Opportunity Centers to low-wage workers working toward improving their individual and family wealth. We’re happy to report that after one year of saving, three Pittsburghers who are clients at Oakland Planning and Development Corp.’s (OPDC), JobLinks, have completed the program. But the $300 match is just icing on the cake in terms of the positive impact these individuals have experienced. In just 12 months, clients have the capability to go from having no credit score to a score in the high 600’s or low 700’s. One client came to JobLinks with no credit and by the end of the 12 months, he was able to get a secured credit card, raise his credit score to 718 and get a loan from a local bank that enabled him to make improvements to his multi-family home, which positioned him to be able to rent available space and begin collecting rental income.
“I wanted to say THANK YOU for suggesting the Twin accounts program. I have found it to be a very useful tool… it not only helped me establish credit, but also built my rating quickly. I used the Twin Accounts program in conjunction with a secured credit card. This allowed me to have two positive remarks sent to the credit bureaus each month. In turn, my credit rating soared, and it’s soared quickly. Thanks again for all your help!”
-JobLinks Client
The first step in participating Twin Accounts™ is to connect with a financial coach at one of our local FOCs. For more information, visit our website!
