Eligibility: Clients of the Bill Payer Program are those who are still making sound financial decisions but who have difficulty reading and understanding correspondence or writing checks due to a physical disability. They must be able to cooperate with the volunteer and be willing and able to set aside bills and other correspondence for review by the volunteer. In addition, the client must be a resident of Tarrant County and 18 years of age or older.

Service Description: The case manager visits the potential clients in their own homes and assesses their ability to make financial decisions. The case manager works with each client to develop a budget and a plan for assistance in managing finances. A volunteer visits the client as needed to review correspondence, explain bills, balance the checkbook and reconcile it with the bank statement. The volunteer writes out the checks and the client signs them. The client maintains control over what bills are paid or not paid. The volunteer helps with carrying out decisions made by the client. Volunteers may also help the client with activities such as shopping or applying for public benefits.

Accountability: Volunteers submit a record of all transactions, including check numbers, to the program staff. These are periodically matched with bank records to ensure that all checks are for legitimate expenses. Volunteers submit a monthly report of all activities with or on behalf of the client.