You are here

Credit Abuse Resistance Education Program (C.A.R.E.)

Mission

To educate young people about the hazards and pitfalls of credit card use and abuse.

Target audience

High School Juniors and Seniors

Program overview

A one-hour, interactive presentation by judges and lawyers focusing on the proper use of credit cards; the cost of credit, the effects of credit card use and abuse on credit availability, employment, and future educational opportunities; and the economic and personal effects of credit card abuse. See Program Outline for more details. If you'd like to sign up for a free presentation, please visit https://care4yourfuture.org/kansascity/.

Students beware

  • If you have financial problems when you graduate, you may not get that job you had hoped for -- the job that would help you pay your bills and enable you to buy the things you want -- because some employers check potential employees' credit histories.
  • Poor financial management may prevent you from getting job promotions, especially in jobs that involve handling money.
  • Begin in debt or having a poor credit history may affect your ability to get a student loan or other financial aid to go to college or technical school.
  • On college campuses and at athletic events, fellow students may offer you t-shirts, free meals and other attractive gifts to induce you to sign up for a credit card.  This is not the way to get a credit card!! Often, these cards have very high interest rates and restrictive or punitive repayment terms.
  • Some students have had to drop out of college or technical school and have even committed suicide when faced with unmanageable debt caused by overspending and easy credit.

 
Program sponsors

U.S. Bankruptcy Judges, Western District of Missouri and District of Kansas
Kansas City Bankruptcy Bar Association
Kansas City Women Bankruptcy Attorneys, in partnership with the University of Missouri School of Law
 

For Additional Information:

C.A.R.E. Program Brochure
National C.A.R.E. Program
The Daily Record, May 10, 2005
The Kansas City Star, April 17, 2005
National Financial Literacy, April 2012