Secure Your Homeownership Journey

March 10, 2026

National Consumer Protection Week may have ended, but the mission to safeguard your largest investment continues year-round. When it comes to your home, “protection” means more than a security system; it means financial transparency and knowing your rights.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) provides specialized resources to shield homeowners from predatory lending, hidden fees, and costly surprises.

By exploring the Government Publishing Office (GPO) U.S. Government Bookstore CFPB collection, you can access essential guides such as:

Your Home Loan Toolkit: Your first line of defense against overpaying. It helps you shop for the best mortgage and understand every line item of your closing costs.

Consumer Handbook on Adjustable-Rate Mortgages: Understand how an ARM works, evaluate its risks, and learn how to review critical application documents to see if it’s the right choice for you.

By utilizing these titles, you aren’t just reading—you’re building a shield for your financial future. Visit the collection today and take the next step in securing your financial well-being.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Sign up to receive promotional bulletin emails from the US Government Online Bookstore.

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy a vast majority of eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Order by Phone: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From the US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

Find more than a million official Federal Government publications from all three branches at www.govinfo.gov.

About the author: Blogger Trudy Hawkins is the Senior Marketing & Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication & Information Sales Office, supporting the U.S. Government Online Bookstore (https://bookstore.gpo.gov).

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Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Homeownership Resources

March 17, 2025

Purchasing a home is a major financial decision that can significantly impact a person’s life. If you are considering buying a new home or refinancing an existing mortgage, a great first step is to check out the following publications from the U.S. Government Publishing Office (GPO) bookstore.

Your Home Loan Toolkit: A Step-by-Step Guide takes home buyers through the home loan process in a breeze. This easy-to-understand toolkit includes interactive worksheets, checklists, smart research tips, financing terms, helpful conversation points to discuss with lenders, and much more. The guide also provides the closing disclosure to help home buyers become more comfortable accepting financial documents.

What You Should Know About Home Equity Lines of Credit (HELOC). This booklet can help you explore and understand your options when borrowing against the equity in your home. After you finish this booklet, you’ll understand the effect of borrowing against your home, various financing options, how to get the best HELOC, and what to do if the economy or your situation changes.

There are many benefits to homeownership, including:

  • Building equity: When you own a home, you build equity in the property. This means you are essentially paying yourself back for purchasing your home over time.
  • Tax benefits: Homeowners can deduct mortgage interest and property taxes from their federal income taxes.
  • Financial stability: Homeowners tend to be more financially stable than renters. This is because they have a fixed monthly mortgage payment, which can help them build a strong credit history.
  • Sense of community: Homeowners invest more in their communities than renters. This is because they have a stake in the property and want to see it thrive.

Homeownership can be a great investment, but it is important to ensure you are prepared for the responsibilities and costs. By researching and planning, you can increase your chances of success as a homeowner.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Sign up to receive promotional bulletin emails from the US Government Online Bookstore.

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy a vast majority of eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Order by Phone or Email: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.  Email orders to ContactCenter@gpo.gov

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

Find more than a million official Federal Government publications from all three branches at www.govinfo.gov.

About the author: Blogger contributor Trudy Hawkins is the Senior Marketing & Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication & Information Sales Office supporting the U.S. Government Online Bookstore (https://bookstore.gpo.gov).

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Posted by Trudy Hawkins

Government Resources for Homebuyers

August 7, 2020

Thinking about buying a new home? Existing home owners, real estate brokers, and mortgage providers can all benefit by checking out helpful resources from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). The following publications provide important facts and processes in securing the best loan for you and your family.

Buying a home is exciting and, let’s face it, complicated. A great place to start is Your Home Loan Toolkit: A Step By Step Guide. This booklet can help you make better choices along your path to owning a home. This easy-to-follow guide will take you through the home loan process. It provides interactive worksheets as well as a simple 4-step process to help you estimate key financial considerations. Sections on checklists, research tips, and terms will keep your process on track.

Consumer Handbook On Adjustable Rate Mortgages will help you decide whether an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) is the right choice for you and will help you take control of the home buying process. This publication helps you understand how an ARM works and the risks that come with the variety of ARM products available.

If you are considering purchasing a new home or refinancing an existing mortgage, be sure to check out these helpful publications at the GPO Bookstore.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Sign up to receive promotional bulletin emails from the US Government Online Bookstore.

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy a vast majority of eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Visit our Retail Store: To buy or order a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up(s).

Order by Phone or Email: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.  Email orders to ContactCenter@gpo.gov

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

Find more than a million official Federal Government publications from all three branches at www.govinfo.gov.

About the author: Blogger contributor Ed Kessler is a Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication and Information Sales program office.

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Posted by Trudy Hawkins

New Consumer Financial Protection Bureau eBooks

March 9, 2020

Millions of Americans are managing money or property for a family member or friend who is unable to make financial decisions or pay bills. If you’re one of them, you know how tough it can be to serve as a financial caregiver.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has resources to help and a convenient way for you to use them. The CFPB recently released their popular Managing Someone Else’s Money guides in eBook format. The Managing Someone Else’s Money series is comprised of four guides for people serving in a formal fiduciary role. The guides help financial caregivers by walking them through their duties, providing tips on protecting their loved ones from financial exploitation and scams, and offering helpful resources. The following eBooks offered in English and Spanish language are available from the U.S. Government Bookstore for FREE download in a variety of digital formats, including ePub, MOBI, and PDF.

The CFPB’s Managing Someone Else’s Money guides, now available in eBook formats, will help family members, caregivers, and others in the community tackle their role of financial caregiver.

The GPO Online Bookstore – Easy Access to Federal Publications

HOW DO I OBTAIN THESE RESOURCES?

Sign up to receive promotional bulletin emails from the US Government Online Bookstore.

Shop Online Anytime: You can buy a vast majority of eBooks or print publications —with FREE Standard Shipping worldwide— from the U.S. Government Online Bookstore at https://bookstore.gpo.gov.

Visit our Retail Store: To buy or order a copy of any print editions from this collection at GPO’s retail bookstore at 710 North Capitol Street NW, Washington, DC 20401, open Monday–Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., except Federal holidays, Call (202) 512-0132 for information or to arrange in-store pick-up(s).

Order by Phone or Email: Call our Customer Contact Center Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4:30 pm Eastern (except US Federal holidays). From US and Canada, call toll-free 1.866.512.1800. DC or International customers call +1.202.512.1800.  Email orders to ContactCenter@gpo.gov

Visit a Federal depository library: Search for U.S. Government publications in a nearby Federal depository library. You can find the records for most titles in GPO’s Catalog of U.S. Government Publications.

Find more than a million official Federal Government publications from all three branches at www.govinfo.gov.

About the author: Blogger contributor Trudy Hawkins is the the Sr. Marketing & Promotions Specialist in GPO’s Publication & Information Sales Division supporting the U.S. Government Online Bookstore.

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Posted by Trudy Hawkins