Financial Tips For Immigrants

Today’s Broadcast

The purpose of our program is for you to know what’s going on and what’s new for immigrants, and in general information that is beneficial to your life. That’s why today we were talking about financial wellness for immigrants. Despite the large number who are not legally employed, we recognize the importance of educating the immigrant community on financial matters so that they can more effectively plan and invest their resources. Today our hosts Karla, Fidel, and Kate were joined by Erika Leos, who provided information on financial tips during today’s “El Show Sin Fronteras”.

Financial Wellness

Undoubtedly when a person’s financial situation is affected, many other areas of his or her life are affected as well. Daily stress is increased, interpersonal relationships are hindered, among other things that diminish the quality of life of the person. Erika Leos, our guest, works with a foundation called Foundation Communities.

Foundation Communities was initially created with the goal of providing affordable housing, and over the years they have added new programs not only for the residents of these housing units but for the entire community.

These programs have been added according to the needs that Foundation Communities finds in the community, so they have a health insurance enrollment program, a college center, tax preparation programs, and other programs that are mostly focused on financial wellness.

They have counselors who can help those in need to build a personal success plan and provide tools to help them reach their goals.

Explore Your Options With An Austin Bankruptcy Attorney

The advice they provide is open to the entire community, regardless of whether they are undocumented, and the only condition is that the maximum income of the consultant is USD 55,000 per year or in case of belonging to a family nucleus of 2 to 4 people the income limit is USD 75,000 per year.

It is true that the costs of the different immigration processes are high, taking into account the fees that must be paid to Immigration, and without considering the costs of a lawyer.

For this reason, attorney Kate advises planning and saving for these types of proceedings; in the event that, for example, a member of the household who is undocumented is apprehended by Immigration, it will probably be necessary to pay a bond, so having savings can also be extremely useful.

Everything starts with a plan, according to Erika, to gradually reach the goal that has been established.

Migratory Processes

On many occasions, people who consult do not feel certain to continue with their process because they do not have the money to pay for the entire service.

According to attorney Kate, this is common on many occasions, and she advises taking advantage of these opportunities. In our firm, we have had cases where the person went to consultation 4 or 5 years ago and then decided not to continue with the process, but now they decide to go to consultation again.

During that time it may have been possible to obtain Permanent Residency and be in the process of obtaining U.S. Citizenship.

In the event that a person is apprehended and placed in deportation proceedings, for example, handling the process would involve a larger amount of money.

Here at Lincoln-Goldfinch Law, we offer you interest-free payment facilities, with frozen rates and convenient monthly payments.

Banks & Credit

There are several banks where an undocumented person can open an account. Foundation Communities counselors will guide those who require it through the process of opening an account or applying for a credit card.

Some financial institutions may accept other types of personal identification, such as a passport so that many people will be able to start a credit life.

One of the purposes of Foundation Communities is to make your money work for you and your goals, not to make you only work for money. This is achieved through the financial advice they provide to make the best use of your money and get a profit.

It is common for many people in the immigrant community to come to us with questions about what to do to pay for their children’s education or a major medical expense, such as surgery.

At Foundation Communities, financial advisors work hand in hand with an interdisciplinary team willing to evaluate all aspects of each case (professionals with expertise in health insurance, taxes, universities, among others).

Consulting with them in no way affects your immigration case, it will not change a person’s chances of adjusting status.

For example, as Kate told us, filing taxes together can be proof of good moral character in a Deportation Defense case or proof of a Good Faith Marriage if a couple has a shared bank account even if one spouse does not have a Social Security number.

If you find yourself in a situation where you need financial relief because you are deep in debt, you can contact us at Lincoln-Goldfinch Law as we have experienced bankruptcy attorneys here who can legally help you find a solution.

Likewise, our friends at Foundation Communities can simultaneously teach you how to survive on your current income so you don’t have to go through a similar situation again.

They also have advice available regarding the requirements and guidance on how to apply for the Rental Assistance program.

The Role Of Co-Sponsors

Those who want to petition for a person through a family-based migration process must prove that they are earning more than 125% of the Poverty Guidelines, which is equivalent to approximately USD 19,000 per year, and must be done using payroll slips or tax forms, for example.

If this is not possible, a co-sponsor can be included in the process.

But always, before starting any process, it is important to have all the documentation about your property, income, etc. ready to be used before Immigration.

It is also important that all information provided is truthful so that we can plan accordingly and help your family members.

If you have additional questions about financial tips, or about your specific case you can contact us at (855) 502-0555. After a short 10 minute evaluation of your case via telephone, we will let you know what options you have. You can also follow us on our social networks so you don’t miss our weekly broadcasts via Facebook, YouTube, and Twitch.

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