Programs & Partnerships

Bob Miller is a long-time financial consultant and Women’s Money Matters Advisory Group member and we appreciate his time and expertise answering these student loan forgiveness FAQs.

How Student Loan Forgiveness Impacts You

According to the American Association of University Women, women hold the majority of student loan debt in the United States, totaling more than $900 billion. When they start school, women take on greater debt than their male counterparts, and when they graduate, are already faced with higher income gaps, creating even more disparity. 

Women’s Money Matters has heard from its participants over the years about the strain that student loan payments cause on their budgets. 

On August 25, President Biden announced a new student loan forgiveness initiative to assist Americans burdened by their mounting student loan debt. Women’s Money Matters spoke with our Advisory Group Member Bob Miller to dive into some of the details about the effects this initiative will have on individuals. 

What is the initiative that President Bident outlined and how do I know if I qualify? 

The forgiveness plan as proposed will eliminate $10,000 in student loan debt for individuals earning less than $125,000 per year (or $250,000 if you’re married and file jointly). 

If you’re a Pell Grant recipient, you may be eligible for an additional $10,000 loan forgiveness. If you are not sure if you received a Pell Grant, you can verify that you’re a Pell recipient by accessing the link: www.studentaid.gov and clicking on the section “My Aid.”

All loans must have been taken out prior to July 1, 2022 to qualify.

How will this impact my monthly payments? 

In the case of Income Driven Repayment Loans, or IDR Loans, monthly payments would be reduced to 5% from the current 10%, with any remaining balance forgiven after 20 years of payment. 

How can I make sure to take advantage of this initiative? 

The Department of Education should have access to your income data and automatically grant the loan forgiveness. If that doesn’t happen, you can visit the Department of Education’s loan website to submit a forgiveness application, which will be available in early October 2022. 

Do I need to start making payments on my loans in the meantime?
No, the current federal “payment pause” will be extended one final time to December 31, 2022. In the meantime, be sure to verify that all your contact information is up to date with your loan servicer using the Department of Education’s loan website.

What if I have private loans? 

You should look into refinancing options before the Fed raises its rates. 

Women’s Money Matters understands how confusing the student loan process can be and is available to offer support to all prior participants navigating this new development. You can reach out to us at info@womensmoneymatters.org

If you’re interested in learning more about financial wellness, please visit our website to learn more about the programs offered.

Women’s Money Matters Announces Partnerships with Direct Financial Relief Organizations

Women experiencing unexpected financial hardships can now receive direct financial support  

Women’s Money Matters, formerly Budget Buddies, has been providing financial wellness, confidence and security to hundreds of women living on low-incomes for over a decade and began offering direct financial assistance to provide relief when many women lost income when the Covid pandemic hit. Now, the organization is excited to announce new partnerships with organizations to provide additional financial relief directly to women who are experiencing financial hardships.

Danielle Piskadlo, Executive Director of Women’s Money Matters shares “The responses we got when we reached out with emotional and financial support during Covid were heartbreaking – getting low on baby formula, going shopping with my last $60, 38 weeks pregnant with no income – and now, with inflation and prices rising, we’re beyond excited to have developed partnerships to allow us to offer continued financial support to the women in our programs – past and present!” 

The mission at Women’s Money Matters is to empower women on their financial wellness journey and assist them in planning for not only everyday living expenses but unexpected expenses as well. 

According to the Federal Reserve’s 2018 Survey of Household Economics and Decision Making, roughly 40% of Americans would struggle to come up with $400 to pay an unexpected bill. These large and unexpected expenses can derail an individual’s spending plan and cause women to go into further debt. 

Through its direct financial relief partners, currently including The Boston Bullpen Project, Bridge Forward Fund, and NeighborShare, Women’s Money Matters is able to help facilitate even more immediate relief to both current and past participants during challenging times to assist with emergency car payments, medical bills, rent, support leaving an abusive relationship, and more. 

“We are so proud to be partnered with Women’s Money Matters. Their operation and mission is a wonderful fit for Boston Bullpen Project,” said Steve Alperin, Founder of Boston Bullpen. “We look forward to years of working with them and providing assistance to their clients.”

Our partner organizations have made it their mission to assist individuals and families who are struggling to make ends meet, and we are grateful for their continued support. Past participants who are in need of direct financial assistance are encouraged to contact Women’s Money Matters for more information. 

“I want to thank you for helping me by paying my mortgage and rent for June 1st for me,” said Tabitha, a Women’s Money Matters Collective Program participant from New Hampshire who received relief through the partnership with Boston Bullpen. “It has also allowed me a few extra weeks of relief knowing I won’t be behind while waiting for assistance and next steps to go through. I can relax a tiny bit and take time with my kids and show them mom can relax and not stress every day.”

“If it wasn’t for [the relief donation] my husband would’ve had to miss work, I wouldn’t have been able to drive my kids to school and we wouldn’t have had enough for the rent,” said Elizabeth, a Women’s Money Matters participant who graduated in February from a program in Lowell and needed support for an unexpected car repair. “I know it doesn’t seem like much, but for us it was everything to receive that help.”

Women’s Money Matters is grateful for the support of its direct relief partners and looks forward to working with other organizations. If you are interested in partnering with Women’s Money Matters to provide assistance to women living on low-incomes, please visit our website. 

Women’s Money Matters Announces Expanded Access to Customized Financial Wellness Workshops and Personalized Coaching for Women Living on Low Incomes

The organization is announcing robust strategic priorities aimed at advocating for women to address financial inequalities and providing direct support to bridge financial gaps.

BOSTON – Women’s Money Matters, which has operated as Budget Buddies, is announcing a significant expansion to its work supporting women living on low incomes on their financial wellness journey. Increasing access to virtual and in-person financial wellness workshops and personalized one-to-one coaching will allow the organization to elevate the voices of the women who take part in these programs and ensure that all who need access to financial wellness programs, peer support and one-to-one coaching will have access to it. The organization will also increase its advocacy work to empower women to build more resilient futures with financial security.

“Our mission is to empower women and to build up the women who participate in our programs and support their efforts to build their financial wellness, confidence and financial security,” said Danielle Piskadlo, Executive Director for Women’s Money Matters. “By expanding our strategic goals, brand identity and programming to fully encompass and represent what we do for women, we can focus on awareness-raising and advocacy efforts elevating the voices of our clients.” 

Formed in 2010 as Budget Buddies, Women’s Money Matters assists women on their financial wellness journey, providing robust programming, one-on-one mentoring, and access to financial resources. The organization works with women, all living on low incomes and from underrepresented communities. 

Women’s Money Matters operates financial wellness programs tailored to meet women where they’re at in their financial journey. The programs are guided by volunteer presenters and coaches, and workshops cover budgeting strategies, managing credit, keeping money safe, saving for larger expenses, and protecting against fraud. Each volunteer coach works solely with one participant every week to support her unique life goals and any money-management challenges. 

Women’s Money Matters is also excited to provide direct financial relief to participants to help cover unexpected emergency expenses, like a broken car part or rental support. Recently Women’s Money Matters has partnered with organizations to provide this relief and to bridge gaps in budgets that can cause women to fall into debt.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization was able to expand into virtual programming, reaching participants directly and working with new partners. This allowed for the opportunity to assess the strategic brand and mission of the organization, and to push forward with advocacy efforts aimed at addressing why women need to utilize these programs. 

“When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, the impact on women was severe and we quickly made adjustments to reach women directly when they needed us most and provide them with some direct financial relief,” Piskadlo explained. “We also recognize the importance of building financial resilience for women, which means addressing the financial inequalities that women face.”

Through Women’s Money Matters mentorship and resources, participants have the opportunity to improve their financial health to create a more secure future for themselves, their families and their communities. 

“We don’t just build budgets, we build community. We build confidence. We empower women to build more resilient futures with financial security,” Piskadlo said. 

Women’s Money Matters (formerly Budget Buddies) attended a non-profit presentation pitch for 100 Women Who Care (100WWC) Nashua, New Hampshire. Our Volunteer Manager, Berny Lugo presented our impact and reach to empower women living on low-incomes through financial wellness in Southern New Hampshire. Women’s Money Matters is proud to serve communities in Southern New Hampshire and received funding from 100WWC to continue to serve women in these communities.

About 100 Women Who Care- 100WWC is a worldwide organization with over 400 chapters in the United States. The philosophy is simple gather 100+ women, donate $100 four times a year, and the money goes to a local charity.

Women’s Money Matters Executive Director Danielle Piskadlo joined NEPC’s Week of Understand Women’s Nonprofit Discussion Panel. In this panel, leaders of non-profits discussed the systemic barriers women face.

About NEPC, LLC- NEPC, LLC is one of the industry’s largest independent, full-service investment consulting firms, serving more than 400 clients with over $1.3T assets under advisement. Our mission is to help governments, institutions, families, and individuals preserve and grow their capital across different asset classes and market cycles. Our research-driven investment solutions are tailored to support your unique financial goals, constraints, beliefs and time horizons. As trusted and thoughtful stewards of capital, we measure our accomplishments by the success of our clients.

Women’s Money Matters (Formerly Budget Buddies) was proud to sign onto the 100% Talent Compact by the Boston Women’s Workforce Council(BWWC). This compact promotes salary transparency and best practices surrounding wage equality. From BWWC:

Executive Director Danielle Piskadlo signing the compact.