Financial Tips

CFPB: Tax Season Is Right Around the Corner; Tips for Planning Out Your Refund and Savings

You only file your personal tax return once a year. Depending on your situation, filing can be easy or complicated. Many people prepare and file their own returns, but the majority of consumers still seek help from a professional tax preparer. If you think you will need help preparing and filing your tax return in…

CFPB: 5 Financial New Year’s Resolutions

It’s that time of year again. A brand new year and time when we talk about our resolutions to better ourselves at work, home, and in many other ways. This year, why not add a financial goal to your resolution list? Even if you’re not the type to make an “official” New Year’s resolution, here…

FDIC: FDIC Consumer News Offers Tips on Dealing with Debt

Whether you have a little bit of debt or a lot, managing it wisely and ultimately paying off what you owe can be crucial to your financial well-being. The Fall 2017 FDIC Consumer News suggests ways to handle different kinds of debt, including: What to do if you’re struggling to pay your loans, credit cards…

CFPB: This Holiday Season, Help Your Kids Build Solid Money Habits

The holiday season provides plenty of opportunities to talk with kids about money, like when you go shopping or when your children receive gifts. No matter what age, kids learn from watching their parents and absorb what they see and hear around them. Your words and actions are opportunities to share money lessons. These opportunities…

CFPB: Be Money Smart

As part of Financial Literacy Month in April, CFPB supports Money Smart Week (April 21–28, 2018) as a way to help you be smart about money. Lots of free financial education classes and seminars are held by local and regional organizations throughout the United States for consumers like you to attend. The topics of these…

CFPB: A Five-Step Spending Plan to Avoid Holiday Debt

The holidays can put a financial burden even on the savviest of shoppers and savers. But like most things, taking time to plan can help you avoid the stress that comes with overspending. Before you hit the mall or shop for Black Friday deals, keep reading to learn how to make a holiday spending plan…

CFPB: VA Refinancing Offers that Sound Too Good to Be True

By Patrick Campbell and Anthony Vail – NOV 20, 2017 Situation The CFPB and VA are issuing their first WARNO, “Warning Order,” to servicemembers and veterans with VA home loans. If you have a VA home loan, then there is a good chance that you have already come into contact with unsolicited offers to refinance…

ABA: Consumer Tips | How to Avoid Holiday Spending Headaches

As early Black Friday deals kick off the holiday shopping season sooner than ever, it’s important for consumers to develop a holiday spending plan to avoid financial headaches in the future, says the American Bankers Association.  ABA is highlighting seven tips to help consumers minimize their holiday spending debt. “It’s a special feeling to make…

CFPB: How to Spot a Scammer

Have you been contacted by someone claiming to be from a government agency who says you’ve won a cash prize? Has someone claiming to be a federal government employee called and threatened you with jail time or a lawsuit if you don’t pay a debt? If so, there’s a good chance it’s a scam. Criminals…

CFPB: Tips for Servicemembers with Student Debt

The unique nature of life in the military can create financial challenges for servicemembers. This is especially true for servicemembers with student loans. We routinely hear from servicemembers who enter military service not simply with student loans, but because of them. And yet, military borrowers continue to tell us about the obstacles they face when…