-
Posted on May 07, 2018 by Jake Ward
If you use a cellphone or have an email account, you’ve almost certainly been exposed to an attempt at mass marketing fraud. Common examples include being interrupted by an annoying robocall just as you start eating lunch, or waking up to a suspicious message in your email inbox that somehow slipped through the spam filter. Sometimes, the attempted fraud is kind of funny—the wording is so strange or the premise is so ridiculous (“An exiled prince needs my help transferring a million dollars? Really?”) that we’re left wondering how anyone could possibly fall for such an obvious money grab.
Read More
-
Posted on April 03, 2018 by Jake Ward
April is National Credit Union Youth Month. A 2015 T. Rowe Price survey found that 90% of parents experience some degree of reluctance in talking to their kids about finances. Wow! The most common reasons given were that the parents didn’t want them to worry about financial matters, or they thought kids were too young to understand.
Follow our tips for talking to your children about money and join us in April for a fun savings challenge that will allow your kids to earn prizes by saving! There’s no need to be reluctant.
Read More
-
Posted on February 27, 2018 by Jake Ward
As we start to think about warmer weather, those of us in the market for a new home are starting to get serious about house hunting. It’s exciting, but can also be a little nerve wracking. And that’s where we can help you! We have an in-house mortgage team who would love to give you some tips personalized to your own journey. And R.I.A. Federal Credit Union is organizing a Home Buyer’s Workshop on April 24th at 6:00 pm at our Bettendorf Corporate Center. We’ll have a panel of area experts—realtor, appraiser, inspector, and closing attorney, as well as one of our mortgage originators—who will help you to understand the whole house-buying process, and answer any questions you have. In the meantime, here are some things to think about:
Read More
-
Posted on January 25, 2018 by Jake Ward
Many people view tax refunds in the same way they do their Christmas bonus: Fun money!!
You hear people telling each other what they're going to do with that extra chunk of change. I've heard everything from buying a pool to paying for a vacation to splurging on a twelve course meal. While these are all great, they certainly don't help you financially.
Read More
-
Posted on November 09, 2017 by Jake Ward
It’s the night before the interview. Your outfit is all laid out, your resume is hot off the press and you’ve Google-Mapped your route. You’ve done your company research and you’ve practiced answering the tough questions. You are perfectly prepared—and you still feel like a nervous wreck.
Read More
-
Posted on August 22, 2017 by Jake Ward
Auto dealers are expected to sell cars that meet certain consumer protection criteria. This may include providing a warranty that will cover the buyer’s costs if a car turns out to be a lemon. Unfortunately, some unethical dealers may attempt to bypass these laws by curbstoning. Curbstoning is when a dealer poses as a private seller to sell a car. By curbstoning, an unethical dealer can avoid having to comply with the regulations that apply to dealers. To a buyer, this could mean buying a car that has a salvaged title (a car that’s been declared a total loss by an insurance company). It could also mean unknowingly buying a car that has been in a flood and suffered severe water damage.
Read More
-
Posted on August 10, 2017 by Jake Ward
Student loans are a necessity for most high school graduates and adults heading off to college. Federal and private student loan programs are well designed to provide the money students need to complete their education and repay their debt over time after graduation.
Read More
-
Posted on May 23, 2017 by Jake Ward
Bulls and bears can be considered the unofficial mascots of the stock market. They represent the upward and downward movements of the stock market over a period of time and have even come to describe investor behavior (optimistic investors are said to be bullish, while investors with a pessimistic outlook are said to be bearish). In a field typically known for its confusing financial terminology and often uninspired language, the bull and bear symbols really stand out—and this is especially true in Lower Manhattan.
Read More