Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailToday’s top story: How credit cards can hurt your credit without charging a dime. Also in the news: Protecting yourself from tax scammers, top 10 tax tips for individuals, and five things that could trigger a larger tax bill.

Why Applying for Lots of Credit Cards Can Hurt Your Credit
Hard inquiries can lower your score.

E-Filing Your Taxes? Here’s How to Protect Yourself from Scammers
Keeping your information safe.

Top 10 tax tips for individual taxpayers
AICPA’s top 10 tax tips

5 Things That Could Trigger a Bigger Tax Bill
Some of these may surprise you.

How To Manage Your Biggest Investment: Your Kids
You’ll spend at least a quarter of a million dollars on your kid.

Tuesday’s need-to-know money news

Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailToday’s top story: How to cope when friends and family steal your identity. Also in the news: How to deal with defaulting on your student loans, storing your digital items for free, and five tax credits and deductions you should know about.

When Family and Friends Steal Your Identity
Dealing with the financial and the emotional fallout.

Debt Adviser: How to deal with student loan debt default
Communication with lenders is key.

How to store your e-memories for free
The battle for the Cloud means cheaper storage for everyone.

5 Tax Credits and Deductions You Need to Know About
Don’t give Uncle Sam more than you absolutely have to.

Retirement: A third have less than $1,000 put away
A scary situation.

Tuesday’s need-to-know money news

Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailToday’s top story: Turning this year’s tax refund into next year’s savings. Also in the news: Growing your 401(k) at any age, four financial potholes you should swerve around, and what cyberscams you need to worry about in 2014.

How to Turn This Year’s Tax Refund Into Bigger Tax Savings Next Year
Making your tax refund work for the future.

How to grow your 401(k) at any age
Tips that work for both Boomers and Generation X.

The Four Financial Potholes that can deflate your dreams
You’ll need to swerve around them.

The CyberScams You Need to Worry About in 2014
It’s not just your home computer.

Savings Clubs: Not Just for Christmas Anymore
Clubs exist for virtually anything that requires savings.

Thursday’s need-to-know money news

Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailToday’s top story: How to protect yourself during online transactions. Also in the news: Finding financial help when you’re not wealthy, saving money at the gas pump, and how to tell if your financial dreams are based in reality.

4 Tips for Secure Online Transactions
Protecting yourself while shopping online.

How to Find a Financial Advisor If You’re Not Rich
You don’t need to be loaded in order to get advice.

3 Secrets to Saving Money at the Pump
Following these tips could save you almost $500 a year.

Financial Goals: How To Tell If Yours Are Truly Realistic
Keeping your head out of the clouds.

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

1594411528_1512b1aad5_zToday’s top story: Capital One faces major backlash against home visit policy. Also in the news: Retirement strategies for the self-employed, how to choose between a will and a trust, a how your taxes could affect your chances of buying a home.

Capital One policy about home visits causes backlash
Customers aren’t thrilled with the idea of Capital One literally knocking on their doors.

Retirement Strategies for the Self-Employed
The best ways to build your retirement nest egg.

Wills vs. Trusts: What’s Best For Retirees?
Important differences to consider.

How Your Taxes Could Hurt Your Homebuying Chances
Saving money on taxes could increase the cost of a future home.

Double Trouble: Being an Identity Theft Victim Can Land You in Jail
Adding insult to injury.

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

Today’s top story: Getting the biggest tax write-offs for your home office. Also in the news: What you should ask a potential financial advisor, the cold realities of identity theft, and smarter ways to give to charity. Zemanta Related Posts Thumbnail

Get The Biggest Tax Write-Off For Your Home Office
There are new tax rules this year for those who work at home.

10 Questions to Ask a Financial Advisor
What you need to know about your potential advisor.

Can You Do Anything to Prevent Identity Theft?
You can’t stop identity theft. You can only hope to contain it.

Smarter Ways to Give to Charity
Creating a charitable giving plan can help you avoid the end-of-the-year rush.

How To File Your Child’s First Income Tax Return
A financial rite of passage.

Not to make you paranoid, but…

Zemanta Related Posts ThumbnailIt’s bad enough that tens of millions of Americans’ financial and personal data got hacked in recent database breaches (Target, Michaels and Neiman Marcus have admitted breaches, and more may be on the way).

But this week we learned that you’re much more likely to be the victim of identity theft these days than you were even a few years ago. From Kathy Kristof’s post on MoneyWatch:

If your data had been stolen three years ago, you only had about a 10 percent chance of falling prey to identity thief. Today, one-third of those who are affected by a security breach become victims of identity theft, according to Javelin Strategy and Research, which has done comprehensive annual studies of identity theft since 2006.

If your debit card information was stolen, the chance is even higher – 46 percent of consumers with a breached debit card in 2013 became fraud victims in the same year, according to the Javelin study.

As I wrote earlier, you should demand a new debit card (one with a new number) and change your PIN if you used your card at any of the affected retailers. Same goes if you used a credit card, although you have more protections from fraudulent charges when you use that type of plastic.

And you need to be vigilant. Scrutinize your statements and question every charge you don’t recognize. Beware of emails and phone calls purporting to come from your bank, your credit card company, even the IRS. The Target breach included email addresses and other personal information that could be used to deceive you.

If you really want to make yourself paranoid, watch this short video that shows how much data we leak in a typical day. It’s an eye-opener.

Wednesday’s need-to-know money news

Today’s top story: Could your job search be impeded by medical debt? Also in the news: Easy steps for a complete money makeover, the future of identity theft, and details on the new MyRa retirement savings plan. Zemanta Related Posts Thumbnail

Could Your Medical Debt Keep You From Getting a Job?
Not if Senator Warren has her way.

9 Easy Steps for a Complete Money Makeover
Start by choosing a better bank.

Here’s What Identity Theft Will Look Like in 2014
Thieves are after more than just your money.

Introducing the myRA retirement savings account.
Announced at last night’s State of the Union, the account would work like a savings bond.

Got a charge for $9.84 on your credit card? Beware
This small charge could put your credit and identity at risk.

Tuesday’s need-to-know money news

Today’s top story: Just how safe are your credit cards? Also in the news: Your hidden credit score, purchasing life insurance, and how you can get your financial resolutions back on track. credit

Could Your Credit Card Be Safer?
How the U.S. stacks up against other countries in credit card security.

How Lenders Use Your Hidden Credit Score
Lenders are looking beyond the traditional scores.

How Much Life Insurance Should You Buy?
Things to consider before purchasing a policy.

The five most common broken financial resolutions — and what you can do to get back on track
All is not lost.

When Not To Invest In Your 401(k) Plan
Why your 401(k) could be a lousy investment.

Friday’s need-to-know money news

Today’s top story: Tips for baby boomers on making out a will. Also in the news: Money moves you can make to start building a successful retirement, credit thieves target Neiman Marcus, and how to build your 401(k) without running out of spending money.

What Baby Boomers Need To Know About Making Out A Will
It’s time to get serious about long-term financial planning.

5 Money Moves to Create a Successful Retirement
Simplifying your accounts plays a major role.

Neiman Marcus Security Breach Puts One Million-Plus Payment Cards at Risk
Credit thieves find another Target.

How to Fund Your 401(k) and Still Have Spending Money
A few small changes could leave you with extra cash.

4 Ways to Keep Your Cellphone From Getting Hacked
Hackers are after more than just our computers.