Four Steps if You Become a Victim of Identity Theft 1) Report it Report the fraud to all three credit reporting agencies – call each of the agencies below and ask that a “fraud alert” be placed on your report. When you place a call to one bureau concerning fraud, that bureau is supposed…
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The FBI lists identity theft as one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States. Over 10 million Americans will be victims this year alone and criminals are getting more sophisticated in their attempts to strip you of vital personal information. Their success can mean hundreds of lost hours, thousands of wasted dollars, and…
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Are you at Risk of ID Theft? Certain practices make you more vulnerable to identity theft. If you answer “Yes” on two or more of the following questions you are in a high risk category, and you should to take immediate action to protect yourself. Do you often receive “pre-approved” credit card offers in the…
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Are you worried about identity theft? Most Americans are. Identity theft is the number one concern among consumers who contact the Federal Trade Commission. Forty-two percent of all complaints to the FTC are regarding identity theft. The fear is justifiably real. The FBI says identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the…
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The threat of a home burglary or fire is real. Home safes and safe-deposit boxes should be a part of your financial makeover. It’s not enough to dream big, save, invest, and have insurance. You need to protect your valuables too. Not all safes provide the same quality of protection. This section demystifies home safes…
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The frequency of lawsuits is shocking, but despite the numbers, no one believes it will happen to them. Too many people use our legal system as their personal lottery. Frivolous lawsuits are not just a problem for big corporations or the rich. They affect people from all walks of life. With a baseless claim and…
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The decisions you choose to make and those you ignore or overlook for your estate plan will have long-lasting and permanent ramifications. Don’t let the significance of estate planning prevent you from getting started. Would you fail to jump to action if you saw a friend choking because of the long-lasting ramifications of helping him?…
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Optional estate planning documents are generally not legally binding documents. Their purpose has little or nothing to do with the transfer of assets and do not effect estate tax. Optional estate documents focus on values, lessons, and legacy issues. Not everyone wants to think about these issues since they can be much more emotional. 1)…
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Power of Attorney: What is it? This sounds much more complicated than it is. A power of attorney (POA) is a legal document that allows one person to act on behalf of another. The person setting up the POA is called the principal and the person given the power to act is called the attorney-in-fact.…
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A Will: What is it? After you pass away, the courts must determine the distribution of your assets. A Will is a legal document that expresses how your assets should be distributed at death. Remember, each state has a pre-determined plan for your assets that they will use unless you provide other instructions. A Will…
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