County & Neighborhood Allies Launch Free Legacy Planning Program
Published on October 28, 2025
Allegheny County and Neighborhood Allies Launch Free Legacy Planning Program to Help Increase Asset Protection and Intergenerational Wealth
Allegheny County Financial Empowerment Center to offer one-on-one legacy planning support to help residents retain wealth by protecting and preserving assets, with support from Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund.
PITTSBURGH - Today, Allegheny County and Neighborhood Allies, in partnership with thenational nonprofit Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund) and Advantage Credit Counseling Service, announced that free legacy planning services are now available through the Allegheny County Financial Empowerment Center (FEC). This one-on-one financial counseling program offers residents access to help with legacy planning and taking steps to protect their assets at no cost. To make an appointment, visit www.myfinancialpower.org or call 1-800-298-0237.
Research shows that the vast majority of Americans own at least one asset – a bank account, a 401K, or a home – that is valuable today and likely to appreciate, but few have taken the steps necessary to secure those assets. Nearly 70 percent of Americans do not have a will or a broader legacy or estate plan. By increasing access to information about topics like adding beneficiaries to accounts and creating essential documents such as wills and powers of attorney, this program will help people in America protect their assets for the future.
“Every family in Allegheny County, regardless of income level, deserves the peace of mind that comes with planning for the future,” said Erin Dalton, Director, Allegheny County Department of Human Services. "Legacy planning means taking simple but important steps — like adding beneficiaries, writing a will, or setting up powers of attorney — to make sure your assets are protected and passed on as you intend. By offering these services for free through the Financial Empowerment Center, we're helping local families build stability for the future."
"Financial counseling at the Allegheny County FEC is a major part of our 'North Star goal' to move 100,000 low- to moderate-income Pittsburghers up the socio-economic ladder over the next 10 years,” said Presley L. Gillespie, President and CEO of Neighborhood Allies. “Now we're able to help ensure FEC clients' gains are protected and sustained over the long term."
“FEC counselors work hard to help clients build assets. With the addition of legacy planning services, counselors also can help Allegheny County residents protect and preserve those assets for future generations”, said Jonathan Mintz, President and CEO of the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund. “We are thrilled to partner with Allegheny County DHS, Neighborhood Allies, and Advantage Credit Counseling to provide these crucial services and ensure that legacy planning is available for everyone.”
The Allegheny County FEC is one of dozens of cities and counties nationwide offering free financial counseling services through the FEC initiative. At FECs, professionally trained counselors provide one-on-one guidance to help individuals and families with low and moderate incomes manage their finances, pay down debt, increase savings, establish and build credit, access safe and affordable mainstream banking products – and now, protect and preserve their assets.
FECs have served more than 200,000 clients nationwide. Collectively, they have helped residents reduce over $344 million in debt and grow their families’ savings by nearly $70 million. Since opening in 2019 the Allegheny County FEC has supported more than 3,000 clients, helping them reduce $10M in debt and build $3M in savings.
About Neighborhood Allies
Neighborhood Allies is a Pittsburgh-based community development nonprofit dedicated to fostering healthy, resilient, and opportunity-rich neighborhoods where all residents can thrive. Through capital, strategy, and know-how, we partner with communities to support initiatives that advance neighborhood development, promote mental health and well-being, and expand pathways to economic mobility. Learn more at neighborhoodallies.org.
About the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund (CFE Fund)
The CFE Fund supports municipal efforts to improve the financial stability of households by leveraging opportunities unique to local government. By translating cutting edge experience with large scale programs, research, and policy in cities of all sizes, the CFE Fund assists mayors and other local leaders to identify, develop, fund, implement, and research pilots and programs that help families build assets and make the most of their financial resources. The CFE Fund is currently working in over 145 cities and counties, and has disbursed over $70 million to local governments and their partners to support these efforts. For more information, please visit www.cfefund.org or follow us on Bluesky at @cfefund.bsky.social; learn more about the FEC Public initiative at www.fecpublic.org.
Media Contacts:
Courtney Lewis, Allegheny County DHS, dhs-media@alleghenycounty.us
Talia DePasquale, Neighborhood Allies, talia@neighborhoodallies.org
Katie Plat, kplat@cfefund.org
###
Media inquiries may be directed to the Communications Office.
For contact information, including email addresses and telephone numbers, visit the office website.