The government has begun mailing to participants new Medicare cards with individual identifying numbers and without Social Security numbers. These cards are free. Beware of scammers posing as Medicare representatives who have been calling and emailing seniors to try to get them to pay a processing fee for the cards. Other scammers are saying beneficiaries  … Read More

A credit freeze blocks credit bureaus from sharing your credit reports with lenders, and lenders won’t open new accounts when they cannot access these reports. Starting September 21, 2018 it will be free to freeze or unfreeze your credit reports under a new federal rule. Previously, each of the three major credit bureaus-Equifax, Experian and  … Read More

There is a transaction fee charged for each cash advance. This fee is usually 2% to 5% of the amount of the transaction. If you do not use designated machines, you may be charged ATM fees on top of that. Also, interest rates on cash advances will be higher than on regular purchases. It is  … Read More

Finding love again after a divorce is a wonderful thing. A blended family may bring additional challenges to estate planning. A few tips for dealing with the financial concerns associated with bringing two families together are: (1) consider a pre-nuptial agreement; (2) define what accounts or assets belongs to each person; (3) update medical documents  … Read More

More individuals may now file for custody. On May 4, 2018, Gov. Wolf signed a statute to broaden the definition of who may file for custody. The new statute provides that any person who is willing to assume responsibilities for a child; and who has sustained, substantial and sincere interest in the welfare of the  … Read More

We all receive those unsolicited marketing notices telling us that we have been preapproved or preselected for a card. Being preapproved for a credit card does not mean you have been approved for the card, however. You must still apply to be approved. And if you apply you could still be rejected, or even approved  … Read More

Some credit card promotions promise you will pay 0% interest for a certain period of time. These are usually referred to as Introductory Rates. Be very careful when you consider these types of the rate because if you are late with a payment, your 0% rate could skyrocket and your purchases could be subject to  … Read More

1. Make sure to make at least a minimum payment within 30 days of your original due date. Preferably, give yourself a cushion so your payment is received within the 30 days. Avoid interest charges. 2. Lenders and credit bureaus favor borrowers who utilize a low percentage of their available credit. In the past, borrowers  … Read More

If you are retiring, carefully consider that you no longer have steady employment income and every dollar you provide to your children means you will have one less for yourself in retirement. Providing occasional gifts and paying an occasional bill are one thing. Quite another is providing a steady stream of income if it will  … Read More

Keep your retirement on track by avoiding some common pitfalls. 1. Do not overspend. You will have more time on your hands now that you are not working. You may be tempted to spend more on hobbies, travel, dining out, and other activities. That’s understandable but overspending could deplete your savings quickly. Instead, develop a  … Read More