How to Protect Your Identity Online

 

Protecting your identity online requires more than just ignoring spam emails from unknown senders, especially when it comes to using WiFi. Whether at home or in public, most people nowadays use wireless networks to save data on their phone plans or avoid spotty internet connections. However, this convenience comes at a risk. If you’re not careful, hackers might access your WiFi connection and compromise sensitive information stored on your device and in online accounts.

To help keep your information secure no matter where you’re surfing the web, the Federal Communications Commission offers the following tips:

Public WiFi

• When in public places, such as a coffee shop, check the validity of WiFi hotspots. If more than one hotspot appears claiming to belong to the establishment you’re in, check with the staff to avoid connecting to an imposter network.
• Ensure all websites you exchange information with have “https” at the beginning of their address, especially online stores. If so, your transmitted data will be encrypted.
• Adjust your smartphone’s settings so it doesn’t automatically connect to nearby WiFi networks.
• When transmitting sensitive information, use your cellphone data plan instead of WiFi for better security.
• If you use hotspots often, consider subscribing to a virtual private network (VPN), which will encrypt all transmissions between your device and the internet.

Home WiFi

• At home, enable encryption on your wireless router. These devices often come out of the box with the encryption feature disabled, so make sure it’s turned on soon after the router is installed.
•  Change your router’s publicly broadcast default network name, also known as its service set identifier (SSID), to something unique and difficult for neighbors to guess.
• Change the network’s default password. Most routers come with preset passwords for administering a device’s settings (this is different from the password used to access the wireless network itself). Hackers might know router default passwords, so it’s important to change yours after installation.
• Turn off your router when it won’t be in use for any extended period.
• Use antivirus and antispyware software on your computer, and use similar apps on your devices that access your wireless network.

Passwords

• Don’t use the same password for multiple accounts, especially for the most sensitive ones, such as bank accounts, credit cards, legal or tax records, and files containing medical information. Otherwise, someone with access to one of your accounts may end up with access to many others.
• Remembering and retyping all your passwords can be a pain, but don’t have your web browser save passwords and add them in for you. If an unauthorized person gains access to your computer or smartphone, he or she could access any account that your browser automatically logs into.
• Don’t use passwords that can be easily guessed, such as common words and birthdays of family members. Instead, use a combination of letters, numbers and symbols. The longer and stronger the password, the safer your information.

How to Prevent Slip-and-Fall Accidents at Home

 

Slip-and-fall accidents are common and can cause injuries ranging from scrapes and bruises to broken bones, head trauma and even death. Most accidents occur at home. Although senior citizens have a heightened risk, any person of any age can experience a slip-and-fall accident in a fraction of a second.

Eliminate Tripping Hazards
Go through your house and look for things that could cause someone to trip, such as throw rugs, furniture arranged too close together and electrical cords. If any floorboards are loose or uneven, have them repaired. If you have young children, pick up their toys and teach them to clean up after themselves when they’re old enough.

Prevent Falls Caused by Water
On a rainy day, leave wet shoes, umbrellas and raincoats in the entryway or on the porch. Wipe up the floor or put down mats or towels to keep it dry. Use non-slip mats in areas where the floor may get wet, such as the kitchen and bathrooms. If anything is spilled on the floor, clean it up immediately.

Make Sure There’s Plenty of Light
Many slip-and-fall accidents occur because someone can’t see a step or an object on the floor or ground. Keep the house and yard well lit. Use bright lightbulbs, especially near stairs. If staircases don’t have light switches at the top and bottom, contact an electrician to have additional switches installed. Nightlights in bedrooms and hallways can make nighttime trips to the bathroom safer. Outdoor lights can help people see puddles, ice and other hazards that could cause falls.

Make It Easier to Get Around Safely
If your house has stairs inside or outside, make sure they have secure railings. If anyone in your household has trouble standing, rising from a seated position or walking, install aids, such as grab bars in the bathroom. If an older adult in your family has difficulty walking, talk to the individual and his or her doctor about using a walker or cane.

Walking barefoot or wearing slippers can increase the risk of falling. Encourage family members to wear shoes in the house to help with balance.

Review Medications and Side Effects
Many prescription and over-the-counter medications cause side effects such as dizziness and drowsiness, which can contribute to falls. If you’re concerned that a medicine may be causing side effects that could put you or a loved one at risk of a fall, talk to that individual’s doctor about adjusting the dosage or switching to a different medication.

Keep Your Loved Ones Safe
Slip-and-fall accidents are common and can have devastating consequences, but many of them are preventable. Look for hazards in your home and ways to eliminate them to protect yourself, your family and your guests.

What to Do If Your Child Is a Picky Eater

 

Good nutrition is essential for children’s health, but countless parents struggle to get their kids to eat right. For many families, mealtime is a frequent source of conflict and power struggles. If your child is a picky eater, you need to understand that it’s not uncommon.

Give Your Child Time
Many kids are reluctant to try unfamiliar foods. Their taste preferences take time to develop—a child may need to see, smell, feel and taste a food several times before deciding that they like it. If your child says they don’t like a food the first time you offer it, don’t force the issue; that will only create stress and frustration for both of you. Accept that your child doesn’t want to eat the food, and then offer it again in a week or two. Introducing it in another dish with a different collection of ingredients may make your child more willing to give it a try.

Don’t Cave In
If your child refuses to eat what you’ve prepared for dinner, don’t make them a separate meal. You can offer a healthy alternative, such as fruit or vegetables, or a nutritious snack later, but don’t interrupt your own meal and go out of your way to cater to your child. That will only reinforce your child’s picky eating habits.

Don’t Bribe Your Child With Dessert
Don’t tell your child that if they eat dinner, dessert will be a reward—that sends the message that dinner is something that needs to be endured to get to the reward. This strategy could cause your child to overindulge at every opportunity.

Set an Example
Children learn by observing others. If family members talk about how much they enjoy a particular food, a child will most likely become curious and want to try it sooner or later. Don’t just talk about the taste of a particular food, but also the smell, the texture, and the way it complements other ingredients in a particular dish.

Get Your Child Involved
Let your child have input when deciding what to make for dinner. Look at recipes together and take your child grocery shopping with you. Have your child help you prepare meals in age-appropriate ways, such as rinsing vegetables or stirring together ingredients. Your child will be more likely to want to eat a meal that he or she was actively involved in preparing.

Be Patient
If your child is a picky eater, don’t despair—tastes and preferences change dramatically over time. Be patient and offer a variety of foods, but don’t force your child to eat anything they don’t want to. Keep mealtimes as relaxed as possible, and your child will be willing to try new foods when he or she feels ready.

5 Reminders to Keep In Your Wallet

 

Your purse or wallet can be more than just a place to pull your money out of so you can spend it. It can also store a few things to remind you to use less money, or at least use it well.

Here are five things to keep in your wallet that can help you use your money well:

Cash
If you follow the rule of only spending the amount of cash you have on you, then you’ll never have to pay credit card late fees or interest rates on charges, or pay to withdraw your money from an ATM not connected to your bank.

Studies have shown that people spend less money when using cash instead of a credit card. Cash is tangible with value attached to it, while a plastic credit card may not seem like actual money.

That said, using only cash should be a reminder to keep within your budget and not to return to the ATM to withdraw money again and again.

Reward credit cards
Credit cards can get you to focus less on the cost of what you’re buying, which isn’t a good thing. But if you can control your spending and pay off your credit card balance off every month, then a card that offers rewards or discounts can be worthwhile.

Some credit cards reward more points for certain purchases, so using one card at a grocery store and another at a gas station can pay off with more rewards at the end of the month.

Coupons
Carrying around an envelope full of coupons can be cumbersome. If you can’t remember to take specific coupons with you on a shopping trip, then always carry coupons for your favorite department store or restaurant so that you’ll have them whenever you need them.

Loyalty cards
Smartphones are making store loyalty cards easier to carry by opening an app. They can lead to cash discounts or free items by swiping your loyalty card at checkout.

If you go to some stores regularly that only have the physical loyalty cards, be sure to keep those in your wallet. Some stores tie your card number to your phone number, so all you have to do is recite your phone number to collect reward points.

At the very least, seeing a loyalty card is a reminder that you should shop around for the best deal, regardless of if you have a loyalty card at the store offering the best price.

Health Savings Account card
A card for a Health Savings Account, or HSA, is a reminder to use the card’s pre-tax dollars that you’ve saved for medical services and prescriptions. Without the card you may forget to use the money, which can save you 35 percent by not taxing income put into an HSA.

Benefits of Opening a Health Savings Account

 

Healthcare can be expensive. If you have an insurance plan with a high deductible, you’ll need to pay that amount before coverage kicks in. Opening a health savings account can help you prepare for medical costs and enjoy significant tax advantages.

How Does an HSA Work?
An HSA is similar to a personal savings account, but funds in it can only be used to pay for qualified health expenses. The Internal Revenue Service allows money in an HSA to be used for a wide range of medical, dental and mental health treatments.

To open a health savings account, you must be enrolled in an insurance plan with a high deductible. You can contribute money to an HSA yourself, and your employer and others can contribute on your behalf to help you save money for health expenses. The IRS limits the total amount of money that can be contributed to an HSA each calendar year.

In most cases, contributions to an HSA are deducted from an employee’s earnings each pay period. Since payroll contributions are made with pre-tax funds, they aren’t included in gross income, which means they’re not subject to federal income taxes, or to state taxes in most cases. You can also contribute to your HSA with after-tax dollars and deduct those contributions on your tax return. Interest and dividends earned on money in an HSA are tax-free.

HSAs typically provide account holders with a debit card that makes it easy to make purchases for qualified health expenses or to pay bills by phone. Some institutions that offer HSAs charge maintenance fees or a fee for each transaction, which can reduce the amount of money available for health expenses.

If you withdraw money from an HSA and use it for qualified medical expenses, you won’t have to pay federal taxes, or state taxes in most cases. If you withdraw money and use it for non-qualified expenses before you’re 65 years old, you’ll have to pay taxes and a penalty. Once you turn 65, you will be taxed but won’t have to pay a penalty on non-qualified expenses.

If you don’t use all the money in your HSA for health expenses by the end of the year, you can roll it over to cover expenses in future years. If you change jobs or insurance plans or retire, you can take your HSA with you. As a long-term strategy, you can let money in an HSA grow over time to help you prepare for higher healthcare costs you’ll likely face in retirement.

Enjoy Tax Benefits and Peace of Mind
An unexpected illness or injury can be financially devastating. With an HSA, you can set aside money to be prepared for unanticipated medical costs, while enjoying tax advantages and the flexibility to use your savings at any time for a wide range of expenses. If you have a high-deductible insurance plan, explore the benefits of opening an HSA.

This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as professional or legal advice.

8 Signs You're Headed Toward Financial Disaster

 

Most everyone deals with money troubles at some point. However, according to American Consumer Credit Counseling (ACCC), a non-profit group, many people may be headed toward financial disaster without even knowing it.

To help determine if you’re in danger of serious financial problems, ACCC offers eight telltale signs:

1. Not paying your bills on time (or at all). Paying your bills late leads to extra charges and can have a significant impact on your credit score. Some companies will even increase your interest rate after just one late payment. Missing bill payments altogether is a big problem–it’ll kill your credit score. Additionally, after three missed mortgage payments, some lenders will start the foreclosure procedure.

2. Struggling to make minimum payments. In most cases, the minimum monthly payment goes toward interest, not principal. Moreover, if you’re struggling to pay the minimum, you probably have way more debt than you can handle.

3. Relying on credit cards too much. Credit scores are partially calculated by your credit utilization. Consequently, being at or over your credit card limit will have a serious impact on your credit score and could lead to denied loans. If you use your credit card to make payments on other bills, you’re playing a high-risk game. Plus, you’ll end up paying more overall because of the credit card interest you accrue.

4. Taking cash advances out on your credit cards. While it may seem like an easy way to get fast cash, taking out a cash advance on your credit cards is a bad idea. Cash advances on your credit card usually come with a transaction fee and are typically subject to significantly higher interest rates.

5. Getting denied credit. Being refused credit is a red flag that you’re on the verge of a personal finance emergency. If you’re denied, it most often means your credit score is extremely low and the company views you as too high of a risk.

6. Living beyond your means. We all know that we should be saving a little each month, and there’s no way you can save if you’re living paycheck to paycheck or, worse, spending more than you earn. Struggling to make ends meet or being in the red month after month is very stressful and can cause major financial problems, especially if an emergency occurs.

7. Dipping into savings or retirement. People dip into their savings and retirement funds for a number of reasons ranging from medical expenses to mortgage loan distress. While pulling from these sources may seem like a good option in the short term, the long-term impacts can potentially be devastating.

8. Tossing out bills. They say ignorance is bliss, but ignoring bills will only lead to heartache. Throwing your bills away before opening them is a clear sign that you’ve given up. While opening the bills may cause you stress, it’s not too late to get a handle on your finances.

By catching these warning signs now, you may be able to avoid serious financial trouble. You can also research and find trustworthy resources available to help you get back on track.

This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as professional or legal advice

How to Save for Retirement If You're Self-Employed

 

Working for yourself comes with a lot of responsibilities—and funding a retirement plan should be one of them. After all, if you don’t think ahead to your retirement, who will?

Payroll deductions and 401(k) retirement plans set up by employers make it easy for workers at 9-to-5 jobs to contribute to retirement plans. But for the self-employed, it can be more of a challenge simply because there’s no one to do it for you.

Here are some ways to take the process of funding a retirement plan into your own hands:

Traditional or Roth IRAs
If you’re just starting out or saving less than $55,000 a year, a traditional or Roth IRA is a good option. If you’re leaving a job to start a business, you can roll your old 401(k) into an IRA.

As of 2018, the annual IRA contribution limit is $5,500, plus $1,000 catch-up contribution if you’re 50 or older. The Roth IRA has income limits for eligibility, meaning that those who earn too much can’t contribute.

With a variety of differences between the two, depending on your situation, one may prove to be a better choice for you.

For example, a Roth IRA might be best if your business isn’t making much money. While there’s no immediate tax deduction for a Roth IRA, withdrawals are tax-free in retirement when your tax rate is likely to be higher. In addition, a Roth IRA doesn’t require withdrawals at a specific retirement age.

On the other hand, a traditional IRA offers immediate tax deductions on contributions, and ordinary income taxes on withdrawals at retirement must be paid. You must start withdrawing from a traditional IRA when you retire or reach age 70-and-a-half.

Solo 401(k)
For the self-employed or a business owner with no employees, except a spouse, a solo 401(k) plan is a good way to save a lot more money for retirement than through an IRA. A solo 401(k) is like the 401(k) retirement plan you may have had when you worked full-time for someone else but is operated and used by a single person.

As of 2018, the contribution limit is up to $55,000 (plus $6,000 in catch-up contributions if you’re 50 or older), or 100 percent of earned income, whichever is less. Being self-employed basically allows you to contribute to the plan twice, or double the limits in a traditional 401(k) plan, as both an employee and employer.

As an employee to yourself, a solo 401(k) allows you to contribute up to all of your compensation or $18,500, whichever is less. As the employer who administers the plan, you can match contributions of up to 25 percent of compensation.

The tax advantages are the same as a standard, employer-offered 401(k). Contributions are made pre-tax, and distributions after age 50-and-a-half are taxed.

SEP IRA
A Simplified Employee Pension Individual Retirement Arrangement (SEP IRA) is best if you have few employees or none altogether.

The 2018 contribution limit is the lesser of two options: $55,000 or up to 25 percent of compensation or net self-employment earnings, with a $275,000 limit on compensation that can be used to factor the contribution. Net self-employment income is net profit less half your self-employment taxes paid and your SEP contribution. No catch-up contributions are allowed.

For tax purposes, either the contributions can be deducted from your taxes, or 25 percent of the net self-employment earnings or compensation can be deducted. Distributions in retirement are taxed as income.

This article is intended for informational purposes only and should not be construed as professional or legal advice.

What to Do If You Find an Error on Your Credit Report

 

Lenders look at your credit report to determine whether you qualify for a loan or credit card. Inaccurate information could lead to an unfavorable interest rate or outright denial of your application. You should periodically request copies of your credit reports and check them for errors. If you find a mistake, act immediately to have it corrected so it doesn’t hurt your chances of obtaining credit.

How an Error Might Have Occurred
If you have a common name, your records could have gotten mixed up with someone else’s. If you are divorced, a joint account that you had with your former spouse might not have been removed from your credit report, even if it was supposed to be according to your divorce settlement. Someone might also have made an error when entering your personal information. An account might be listed on your credit report more than once, or an account that was closed might not have been removed. In a more extreme scenario, someone might have stolen your identity and opened a fraudulent account in your name.

How to Dispute an Error
Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, credit bureaus are required to investigate any alleged errors reported by consumers, unless those claims are deemed frivolous. If you find what you believe to be an error, write to the credit bureau or fill out an online form. Explain what you believe is incorrect and provide copies of any documents that support your position. If you send letters via the postal service, mail them certified and request receipt confirmation. Keep copies of all letters you send to the credit bureau and any responses you receive.

You should also contact the company that provided the information to the credit bureau and explain why you believe it is incorrect. Include copies of supporting documents and state that you have filed a dispute with the credit bureau.

Possible Outcomes
The credit bureau should complete its investigation within 30 days. In many states, a consumer who disputes an error is entitled to receive a free copy of a new credit report showing that the mistake has been corrected.

If the credit bureau does not agree that there is an error in your report, you can ask it to include your statement disputing the information in your file. Your statement can be provided to anyone who received your credit report recently or who will in the future. You may have to pay a fee for this service, but it can be worthwhile if it helps you avoid getting turned down for a loan or credit card. If you suffer harm as a result of an error on your credit report, you may need to hire a lawyer to help you resolve the issue.

Check Your Credit Reports
An error on a credit report can prevent you from achieving your financial goals. Request free copies of your credit reports and check them for errors. If you find any, take steps to address the situation as soon as possible.

Healthy Ways to Manage Stress

 

We all have stress in our lives. Busy days at work, problems at home, traffic jams and money trouble are prime examples of stressful situations. However, chronic stress can lead to serious health issues, such as heart disease, high blood pressure and depression, so preventing and managing stress is essential to living happier and healthier.

Here are some tips from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to help you deal with stress:

Prepare yourself. Prepare ahead of time for stressful events like a job interview or a hard conversation with a loved one. Stay positive, picture what the room will look like and what you’ll say, and have a backup plan.

Plan your time. Feeling in control of your situation could lower stress. Think ahead about how you’re going to use your time. Write a to-do list and figure out what’s most important–then do that thing first. Be realistic about how long each task will take.

Relax with deep breathing or meditation. These are two effective ways to relax your muscles and clear your mind.

Relax your muscles. Stress causes tension in your muscles. Try stretching or taking a hot shower to help you relax.

Get active. Regular physical activity can help prevent and manage stress. It can also help relax your muscles and improve your mood. Aim for 2.5 hours a week of physical activity. Try riding a bike, taking a walk or lifting weights. Be sure to exercise for at least 10 minutes at a time.

Eat healthy. Give your body plenty of energy by eating healthy, including vegetables, fruits and lean sources of protein.

Talk to friends and family. Tell your friends and family if you’re feeling stressed. They may be able to help.

Get professional help if you need it. Stress is a normal part of life. But if your stress doesn’t go away or keeps getting worse, you may need expert help. A mental health professional, such as a psychiatrist or social worker, can help treat stress-related conditions. Lots of people need help dealing with stress–it’s nothing to be ashamed of.

Home Safety Tips Every Child Should Know

 

Home safety is an important, even life-saving topic that you should teach your children about at an early age. If you educate your children on basic home safety principles when they’re young, the lessons will stick with them for a lifetime.

Learn to lock a deadbolt. Let your children know that the door should always be locked to keep them safe—even when they’re home. However, it’s important they also know how to unlock it in case of an emergency.

Arm and disarm the home security system. With thousands of burglaries happening each day, it’s wise to invest in a home security system. Teach your children how to arm and disarm the system and what to do should it go off when they’re home or sleeping.

Memorize the escape plan. Just like how elementary schools conduct fire drills, it’s important to have an emergency escape plan at home as well. Walk your children through the house to show them the safest exit routes, and designate a meeting place outside the home where family members should gather if an emergency occurs.

Know important emergency contacts. Post important contact information on the fridge or in an easy-to-access location. Teach young children how to use the phone, dial a number and ask for help. This list could include contacts such as 911, Poison Control, parents’ cellphones, a family doctor, or a trusted friend or neighbor.

Never answer the front door. Children should never answer the front door, especially if they’re home alone. Tell children to alert an adult when the doorbell rings.

Don’t climb on furniture. Heavy furniture, such as TVs, bookshelves and entertainment centers, can tip if children climb on them. You can secure these pieces to the wall studs and add nylon straps to increase security. It’s also important to teach children that climbing on furniture is always dangerous—even if safety measures are in place.

Use medicine safely. Store medicine in locked cabinets that are inaccessible to children. However, should children come across any medicine, they need to know never to consume anything unless it’s given to them by a parent or trusted adult.

Young children often imitate the actions and behaviors of their parents and siblings. Practice the safe habits you want them to emulate, and they’ll likely mimic your moves.

Source: Sage Singleton/RISMedia’s Housecall

How to Help Your Kids Build Confidence

 

Children gain confidence by exploring the world around them, trying new things, and learning how to process both successes and failures. The way you interact with your kids on a daily basis can have a profound effect on how confident they feel as they grow up.

Provide Love and Support
The most important ingredient that helps children build confidence is unconditional love from parents. That doesn’t mean that you should agree with everything your children say and let them do whatever they want, but rather, it means that your kids should always know that you have their backs and that you’ll love them even if they make mistakes.

Encourage Your Kids to Try New Things, but Set Limits
Whether you introduce your kids to foods from other cultures or different genres of music, or take them to museums, plays or foreign countries, help them see the richness and beauty of the world around them. If a child expresses an interest in playing a new sport or musical instrument, let him or her try, even if the idea seems to come out of the blue and you think it’s just a passing fancy. Your kids may surprise you by sticking with an interest you’ve never heard them express aloud before.

Letting your children try new things doesn’t mean that you should let them try everything. Kids need rules to protect them, although the rules can change as they get older. Knowing where boundaries lie provides children with a sense of security.

Help Children Succeed and Learn From Failure
Kids will be confident if they know that they’re capable. That doesn’t mean that they’ll do everything perfectly, but everyone has talents, so help your kids find theirs. Encourage them to try things they might enjoy and to keep trying, even if they have a hard time at first. Instead of letting kids set lofty goals that will leave them disappointed, teach them to set realistic, incremental goals. With each accomplishment, their confidence will grow. Offer assistance, constructive criticism and praise whenever appropriate.

A large part of gaining confidence is learning from failure. When your kids are unable to do something, reassure them that everyone fails along the way—and encourage them to try again. They might need to devote more time and attention to a task, slow down, or try an entirely new approach. Frame failure as an opportunity to learn and grow.

Give Your Kids the Support and Freedom They Need
Parents can help children learn to be confident by allowing them to explore while enforcing rules for their safety. Kids gain confidence by knowing that with hard work and determination they can succeed, and that even if they don’t, their parents will love them just the same.