Financial literacy

Protect Yourself from Financial Institution Fraud

A recent headline from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has alerted consumers that another financial institution has been fined for, “Illegally Exploiting Personal Data to Open Sham Accounts for Unsuspecting Customers.” This typically happens when financial institutions incentivize their employees to open new credit and loan accounts and to sell certain financial products. Find out how you can protect yourself.

American Financial Solutions Recognized with Awards of Excellence

On November 18, 2021 AFS received two National Awards of Excellence for their work in helping people improve their financial lives.

What the new CDC eviction moratorium means for you

If you or someone you know is facing eviction, and lives in an area where COVID-19 is rapidly spreading, review this information from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. Resources and links to determine your counties current COVID status are in this article.

Missing Money; Subscriptions, Free Trials and Other Places to Check for Leaks

Sometimes in life routines can cause us to overlook areas of spending that are not necessary. However, neglecting these areas can cause a big dent in our budgets and stifle our best attempts to increase savings or bring a budget back on track. Here are some of the most overlooked areas of spending that could be impacting your finances.

Seven Things That Won't Affect Your Credit Score

It' s true that missing the due date on some of your bills will damage your credit score, but there are some financial transactions that don't have any effect, either good or bad.

Neobanks, Your Money and What to Look For in Safety

For many of us the term neobank is unfamiliar, but mention online only banking and “fintech” and the picture begins to get clearer. A neobank is a is a type of bank that operates exclusively online without physical branch networks. Some neobanks operate in partnership with a traditional bank and others are financial technology companies that offer bank like services. The latter is important to understand.

Precision Tuned Budget, Maximize Stimulus and Refund Money

Here are some ideas on how to use tax refunds and economic stimulus money to improve a financial situation.

Preparing for a Financial Emergency 5 tips for building (or rebuilding) your emergency savings

Debt-to-Income Ratio: The Other Financial Health Metric

The DTI is the percentage of our income that goes toward paying our monthly debts. These ratios can often be overlooked as many people assume that a good credit score and income are the only two elements taken into consideration when seeking to purchase a home, car, or even to open a credit card. However, for many lenders, a good report and credit score are not enough to be considered a suitable candidate.

Preparing for the End of the Mortgage Forbearance Under the CARES Act; Options for Homeowners

For many people, the month of February 2021 will mark the end of their mortgage forbearance under the CARES Act. This leaves many questions about how to manage missed payments and what will happen if someone cannot pay those accumulated amounts. This article will help explain the choices people have to manage their mortgages.