by Silvana Jimenez | Apr 27, 2016 | Blog
Online shopping is a fast and convenient way to buy almost any product you can think of. There are many advantages to shopping online, including lower prices, avoiding crowded stores, access to a wider selection of products, or simply to shop in the privacy of your own home. However, shopping online also includes taking some risks. This activity requires you to share personal and financial information. Some online stores make no efforts to protect your information, while others are nothing more than scams in disguise. read...
by Silvana Jimenez | Apr 25, 2016 | Blog
Things rarely go exactly as planned. Maintaining an emergency fund is a smart move. With interest rates so low and the need to keep an emergency fund solvent, should you invest your emergency fund? Investing your emergency fund is better than keeping the money in your bank account. There are many options for investing your emergency fund safely. While a bank account may be the safest strategy against significant loss, inflation is still a concern. The low interest rates paid on savings accounts will fail to match inflation, and your emergency fund will lose purchasing power over time. read...
by Silvana Jimenez | Apr 20, 2016 | Blog
Most Americans assume that social security will still be available at retirement. But will it? We’ve been cautioned about the long-term solvency of social security for at least 40 years. Life expectancies continue to increase, and the number of seniors has never been greater. There will also be a lower percentage of workers in the future. Less money going in and more money going out usually leads to bankruptcy. There’s still plenty of time for Congress to act. However, changes are necessary to keep the social security program solvent. read...
by Silvana Jimenez | Apr 20, 2016 | Blog
There are three primary components of a credit score: Your payment history. Do you pay your bills on time? Then you’re perfect. Late payments and collection actions seriously damage your credit. The length of your credit history. If you’ve only had credit for a couple of months, your score will be lower than if you’ve been using credit for several years, assuming everything else is equal. That’s why it’s important to get started today. Your utilization ratio. If your credit card limit is $2,000 and your balance is $1,000, your utilization ratio is 50%. Always keep your utilization below 35%. Any higher than this will result in a lower credit...
by Silvana Jimenez | Apr 13, 2016 | Blog
Are you familiar with Datalogix and Acxiom? These companies are the two giants of the personal data industry. It is estimated that this industry generates $300 billion a year by gathering and selling data, including your basic contact information, shopping habits, online behaviors, interests, or employment and earning information. Your information is gathered by some of the retailers you shop at and some of the websites you use. Organizations that collect and sell your information also include the DMV and the main credit reporting agencies. read...
