Learning Center

Personal Finance   /  Managing Your Money

Even with wills and careful estate planning, families can still be left with difficult problems after a loved one dies. A detail missed or vital account that can’t be accessed complicates their path forward during a sad and difficult time. A letter of last instruction isn't a legal document, but it can be the key to making sure everything is accounted for and accessible to the family members left behind. What should you include?

Personal Finance   /  Managing Your Money

The U.S. Postal Service recently announced a cost-cutting plan that will slow down some first-class mail beginning Oct. 1. The changes are expected to affect long range deliveries most, especially those that have to be flown to their destination, but USPS has warned that it could take up to five days for any first-class mail to be delivered. What does this mean for your finances?

Personal Finance   /  Health and Benefits

Open enrollment season for employer benefits can be stressful. It only happens once a year, and with changing options and plans plus the time pressure of the deadline, it can feel overwhelming. You’re choosing plans for the entire upcoming year, and features vary widely, so how do you make the best choice when it feels like you’re comparing apples to oranges?

Fraud and Security   /  Safe Practices for Businesses

Financial fraud has surged, with crooks working banks and their clients. According to Banking Journal, fraud attempts have as much as tripled since early 2020, with an ever-widening variety of new scams. Human vigilance is your front-line protection, but it's not perfect. Better to have some block-and-tackle services to help tighten security and prevent fraudulent transactions. Here are five to consider.

Personal Finance   /  Health and Benefits

If you’ve ever been asked to submit documentation for expenses on your flexible spending account (FSA), health reimbursement account (HRA) or dependent care account (DCA), you may have wondered, “Why do I need to provide a receipt when it’s my money in the first place? And why do they ask some times but not others?” Some very good reasons are behind this.

Personal Finance   /  Retirement

Most people have a few different retirement accounts that are in essentially two buckets: tax-deferred vehicles like IRAs, 401(k)s or even a pension  and taxable investments in a brokerage or savings account. Many don’t know about the third leg of that stool: a Life Insurance Retirement Plan (LIRP). This is another option that can generate consistent income without a taxable event or capital gains. This would be a tax-free bucket.

Fraud and Security   /  Safe Online Practices for Consumers

If you do any amount of business online or through mobile apps, you’re familiar with password protection. It can be pesky, but passwords are part of life, and they’re absolutely critical for keeping your private information secure. The “old” way of keeping track on a post-it note or a document on your computer was never really secure. Here's our advice for managing and remembering all those complex passwords.