There are several steps before you purchase a home or buy your next vehicle. One of the first steps in these processes is to be preapproved for a loan. While a preapproval may seem unnecessary at first, the truth is that it’s a critical step in the loan process which can help make your end goal of buying a home or finding your next car easier.
Whether it’s saving for a child’s college fund or putting money away to purchase a vacation home, savings are a critical element of achieving your financial goals. But outside of savings accounts, what are some other ways you can manage your savings? Certificates, also commonly referred to as certificates of deposit or CDs, are a great way to store your savings to accomplish your savings goals.
When you join a credit union, you join a community. As a member of that community, you get a say as a shared owner of the credit union as well as a host of other benefits, like financial education, events, and discounts!
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October is Financial Planning Month, making it a great time to take a closer look at your financial goals and how you’re working toward them. One of the key things to consider when planning your finances is timing. How soon you’ll need the money for a goal—whether over a few months or several decades—should shape how you save or invest. This is called your time horizon, and it plays a major role in determining the best strategy for reaching your objective.
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Do you know the warning signs of online fraud? With National Cybersecurity Awareness Month just around the corner, now is the perfect time to sharpen your scam-spotting skills. In this blog, we'll help you learn how to identify and avoid these schemes so you can protect your personal and financial information.
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Everyone manages their money differently, and as such, there are different types of checking accounts to meet your own lifestyle and preferences. While each comes with their own unique benefits, it’s crucial that you identify what kind of checking account is right for you and one which aligns with your habits and regular spending.
Whether it’s your freshman or senior year of college, you’re hopefully beginning to feel settled and prepared to tackle the fall semester. Amidst a stack of textbooks and endless trips to the library, managing your finances and a budget might be the last thing on your mind during the academic year. However, it is possible to balance your financial health with your academic and social life during college.
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Are you planning for retirement? It may not seem urgent if you're young, but the earlier you start, the better prepared you'll be. Early planning allows you to harness the power of compound interest, where your investments grow exponentially over time. Even small contributions made early on can significantly boost your retirement savings.
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Do you know the 60/20/20 rule for budgeting? How much you should have in your emergency fund? Or why you should keep your credit card utilization at 30% of your limit? Many Americans are unfamiliar with these financial basics. If you’re new to these rules or just want a quick refresher, read on. Below, we’ll give you the tools to build your financial knowledge, from short-term savings to retirement planning.
It’s time once again for pencils to be sharpened, lunches to be packed, and backpacks to be zipped. Whether you’re a parent or not, your last few weeks have likely been surrounded by back-to-school advertisements or thoughts. And while it’s undoubtedly exciting for the kids to return for another school year, it’s a process that can become rather costly.
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