TIPS & TRICKS

If you’re like many Americans, you’re storing documents in your house that contain sensitive information that you wouldn't want to get into the wrong hands.

The recent wildfires that swept through San Diego County and destroyed at least 65 homes can serve as a wake-up call to the rest of us to be prepared if and when a natural disaster strikes. To protect against worst-case scenarios, it’s important to make sure that your house and personal property are covered by the right kind of insurance and that you know where your key documents are. Here is a checklist that can help you prepare for a disaster:

You may have recently read in the news about the Heartbleed bug. We want you to be aware of the Heartbleed bug and actions that may be necessary to secure your data.

What is the Heartbleed Bug?
Heartbleed is a flaw in the open-source encryption standard used by a majority of websites that transmit secure data. Encryption works by making data look like nonsense to anyone but the intended recipient.

If you plan to buy a house this year, you should know about the new federal mortgage rules that have made it more difficult to overborrow.

The new regulations, which will impact both home buyers and lenders, are intended to prevent the type of housing meltdown that fueled the nation’s descent into recession several years ago.

Could the federal government inadvertently be encouraging a new generation of scam artists?

If you plan to make financial resolutions in the New Year, congratulations.

No, really.

Ever wonder where counterfeit U.S. dollar bills come from?

Turns out, Peru is the biggest pipeline for these fake dollars.

Have you ever paid to receive your credit score?

It’s only natural that you’d want to see what your credit score is before you buy a house, car or another big purchase.

Studies from Consumer Reports and the federal government, however, call into question whether you should even bother.

Do you encourage your children to talk about money?

Most parents believe that they do, but not nearly as many children think that their moms and dads are initiating conversations about money.

That was one of the many fascinating results of the 5th Annual Parents, Kids & Money Surveyby a large  mutual fund company.

Money can’t buy you happiness or can it?