As COVID-19 stimulus deposits are sent out, millions of Americans are at risk of delays because they don’t have bank accounts. The challenge of the “unbanked” is one we’ve grappled with for years, and now it hits home as those consumers are facing delayed relief that many with bank accounts have already received. According to…
Posts By: Melinda Opperman
The CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act) that was enacted in March calls for direct stimulus payments to most Americans. If you qualify for a stimulus check, you may receive as much as $1,200 and an additional $500 for each qualified dependent. More Resources: Calculate Your Stimulus Payment Many Americans are curious…
When it comes to budgeting, everyone should find the best budgeting method for them—some people will benefit from spreadsheets, or apps, or keeping a written budget in a journal. For some people, the envelope method is an effective budgeting system. What is the Envelope Budgeting Method? With the envelope method, the budgeter puts together a…
Generally, consumers should use as little credit as possible, and that means having only one or a few credit cards. Knowing that might cause you to wonder, should a retail store credit card be part of the mix? Retail cards might include cards specific to a certain store or family of stores, or to an…
Buying or selling a home is a big decision, and when you make your move is one of the biggest decisions you can make. Knowing how the calendar affects your home ownership transaction will make sure you optimize your buying and selling decisions. The Best Time of Year to Sell There are benefits and disadvantages…
Every April, we celebrate financial literacy month. It’s an important time for everyone to make sure they’re staying knowledgeable about financial topics and using that knowledge to better manage their money. We want everyone to put aside some time to evaluate his/her own level of financial literacy and to try to learn something new. The…
It’s important to save money when shopping for groceries, and there’s a lot of good advice out there on how to spend less when buying food. With the COVID-19 outbreak, it’s especially important to find ways to buy necessary items without leaving home. Some people might think buying groceries online makes it harder to save…
To Our Valued Clients: As we continue to monitor the rapidly evolving situation around the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), we are acutely aware of the impact these events are having on our clients and our communities. In these unprecedented times, it is important that we come together to support all those impacted. As we navigate through…
There are many ways to save extra money and pay off extra debt, but the most effective thing you can do is change your bad spending habits to ensure you will be able to save consistently going forward. We’ve compiled some of our favorite tips for household habits that can help you save more: 1….
Besides paying off credit card debt, it’s crucial when setting up your finances to prevent the need to rely on credit cards in the future. That means the first financial goal you should set is to start an emergency savings fund. One of the ways credit card debt builds and becomes unmanageable is through unexpected…
Purchasing a home is a big step for any consumer, but one we strongly recommend. Homeownership is the single biggest way Americans build wealth and prepare for a stable retirement. And unlike other investments, you can live in your house, so it’s not just a way to store and build wealth over time. The process…
Credit fraud can happen to anyone. It costs the victims time and money, and the perpetrators often escape without consequences. It’s a tough crime to prevent, and can be even tougher to enforce. The best thing you can do to prevent credit fraud is to be vigilant about theft. There are many different types of…