Tag: credit

Are you and you spouse aware of one another's finances? Surveys show it is a big issue for couples. It’s important for couples to discuss finances at the earliest possible time in their relationship and to communicate frequently. Couples should also make sure they agree when it comes to financial practices such as budgeting and how to utilize credit throughout the marriage. Individually, each partner should make sure to be engaged with the household finances so they can protect themselves and their assets if nothing else can be done and the relationship ends.

Americans have already forgotten the lessons of the Great Recession, judging by the Consumer Financial Literacy survey. When the recession began, 57 percent of Americans were spending less money than the year before. By 2014, this had dropped to 29 percent. Sixty-one percent don't have a budget, 16 percent retire without enough savings, and 16 percent have no emergency savings. Before you find yourself in a financial emergency, make sure you're not making any of these common mistakes that could kill your finances.

When you get married, generally you combine bank accounts and share finances; and credit cards are no exception. However, for many couples, talking about ID theft and how to protect yourself isn’t on either of your "to do" lists.

Take myself for instance, had I frozen my credit when my wife and I got married, neither of my cases of identity theft would have happened and I wouldn't be an identity theft speaker today.

Your years of encouragement and supervision have paid off, and your teenager will be heading off to college this fall. But if you’re like most parents, your pride and relief are mingled with new worries. You want your child to thrive (or at least survive) academically. You hope you’ve made a lasting impression when it comes to teaching time management skills and making "responsible life choices." But is it possible that you overlooked one of the most important lessons of all: how to manage money?

You and your spouse have watched them grow. You’ve both experienced the ups and downs of living under one roof for the past 18 years together, but the time has come and they’re about to leave the nest for college—both an exciting and anxiety-ridden experience for most.

Often overlooked is the safety of your child’s identity. These young adults living away from home for the first time are particularly vulnerable to identity theft. In a 2010 survey, Javelin Strategy and Research found that young adults, aged 18-24, take the longest to detect identity theft—132 days on average

Since you can’t protect yourself and your family completely from identity theft, make sure that you monitor the signs! Heading into a new year people make many resolutions that they may or may not stick with, but protecting your identity should always be a top priority. Here are three effective tips to help discover and recover quickly if you, your spouse or anyone in your family becomes the victim of identity theft:

1. Create a Dossier: For these purposes, a dossier is a collection of documents that are stored in a fire safe that you regularly review and update.

Are you as protective of your kids as I am of mine?

As parents, we are called on to protect our children from many things. Even before they are born we practice good preventative care. We take pre-natal exercise classes, coax ourselves to eat right for their benefit, learn CPR and screen regularly for signs of trouble. Once they are born, we provide the best nourishment, the finest medical care, ample playtime, rest and an infinite flow of unconditional love. We do everything in our power to prevent complications and to give them the best chance to grow up healthy, happy and in harmony with the world around them. That is our responsibility, our purpose and our joy.