Taking Charge of Money Matters is one of the classes available through the American Cancer Society's I Can Cope program. This class lasts about 2 hours and covers money issues that might come up during or after a person's cancer treatment. The class is designed to address common financial concerns of people with cancer and their loved ones, regardless of health insurance status. The session gives participants a chance to discuss key money matters with guest speakers who are financial planning experts.

Before the class, participants fill out a worksheet that helps the facilitator assess each participant’s needs. The worksheet also gives guest speakers information on key topics of interest to those taking the class.

Some core topics are discussed, along with those identified by participants, these include:

• The need for family openness in talking about financial and investment matters and finding solutions to any problems that come up.

• The importance of practicing basic financial planning. For example, all adults should have a will and other key paperwork in place, make a budget, and track cash flow.

• Warning signs that finances are out of control.

• Advice on handling work-related issues, such as sharing medical information with an employer and the legal rights of cancer patients and their families. (Work-related topics are discussed only if most of the participants are employed.)

I Can Cope facilitators are trained American Cancer Society volunteers. The guest speakers for the Taking Care of Money Matters class are experts in one or more key topic areas. Speakers for this class may include:

• licensed certified financial planners
• hospital billing representatives
• attorneys
• insurance agents/specialists
• bankers and bank trust/loan officers
• Social Security/Medicare/Medicaid representatives
• certified public accountants
• comprehensive health insurance plan representatives
• tax consultants/specialists

To find out if Taking Charge of Money Matters is available in your community, call us toll-free at 1-800-227-2345.

Taking Charge of Money Matters was developed jointly by your American Cancer Society (ACS) and the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE). The ACS and NEFE have worked to combine the expertise of both cancer and financial planning specialists to design a program that meets the needs of people with cancer and their loved ones.

Last Medical Review: 06/15/2009
Last Revised: 06/15/2009