Destroy Confidential Documents at Shred Day- September 21st!

Your valuable personal information is often buried throughout your paperwork and mail, leaving you and your finances vulnerable. One search through your mailbox or trash could garner enough evidence for a thief to take control of your identity — and your finances.

Thieves can use credit cards, financial statements, or utility bills to obtain and exploit your personal information. That’s why it’s important to take actions to prevent theft of this kind from happening in the first place. Your first line of defense is to destroy documents containing your personal information before anyone can access it. Private documents and credit/debit cards, which contain sensitive information, should be destroyed as soon as you no longer need them.

Your Guide to Identity Theft Protection

Did you know there were 14.4 million victims of identity theft in 2018? According to Javelin Strategy, each case cost the victim an average of $1,050, and that’s only the dollar cost. When an individual’s identity is stolen, the thief also impacts the victim’s financial health, recovery from which can take years.

Luckily, there are steps you can take to prevent becoming the next victim. Here’s your complete guide to identity theft protection.

11 Ways to Save on Back-to-School Shopping

Back-to-school time already? Did you know the average American parent will spend about $700 per child this shopping season? If that’s likely to put a damper on your summer, take a deep breath and relax.

You don’t need to spend yourself into debt just because everyone else seems to be doing it. Instead, take a proactive approach when shopping for the new school year and spend much less than the national average. Let Community Financial show you how!

Here are 11 ways to save on back-to-school shopping.

7 Steps to a Mid-Year Financial Checkup

It feels like you just packed away the holiday decorations yesterday, but believe it or not, 2019 is already half over. As we sail into the season of barbecues and beaches, take a few minutes to give yourself a mid-year financial checkup. A small investment of time can spur important changes that can affect your financial wellness for the rest of 2019 or even for years to come.

Use the seven steps detailed below to guide you through your checkup.