What is a credit union? A credit union is a not-for-profit, cooperative financial institution that is owned and controlled by its members. Credit unions serve people that share something in common such as an employer or place of worship. Credit unions allow members to pool their savings, lend to one another, and have a voice

When it comes to retirement planning our clients have a number of different choices. Typically, they must decide between a tax deferred retirement plan or a Roth retirement plan. A tax deferred plan offers a tax deduction for contributions and then the money grows tax deferred. A Roth has no tax deduction on contributions but

If you have ever applied for a loan or mortgage, you know one of the first things the lender looks at is your credit score. Although, it is important to maintain a high credit score, it is just as important to have good credit habits. Good credit habits not only include your payment history, but

Buying a car is unquestionably a unique experience. We are empowered with an apparently unlimited number of choices, including manual or automatic transmission, global positioning systems or anti-lock breaking systems, and the ever-important cup-holder option. Often we also need to take out a loan when purchasing a new ride. Although we probably have the best

If you’re in your 40s, you could be considered either a late baby boomer or a member of Generation X. Either way, you’re at a time in your life when you’re putting youth aside and should be doing some financial planning for your future and your family’s future. A dilemma faced by people in their

Need to boost your credit score? Unfortunately, a credit score isn’t like a race car, where you can rev the engine and almost instantly feel the result. Credit scores are more like your driving record: They take into account years of past behavior, not just your present actions. In addition to making the right moves,

More Americans are struggling to make their car payments on time. The numbers, while still low, are definitely on the rise. According to the latest State of the Automotive Finance Market report from Experian Automotive: 60-day loan delinquencies in the second quarter of 2014 increased by 7 percent (from 0.58 to 0.62 percent) from the

When you apply for a business loan the lender will almost always present you with a loan application form to fill out. But there are numerous other factors that will determine whether you are successful, so make sure you pay attention to the following tips. Believe it or not it’s also a great way to

Setting up a budget If you want to get on top of your finances, a budget is a really good way to start. It’s just a record of money you have coming in (from things like your salary or wages, pensions or benefits) andpayments that you make (such as your rent or mortgage, insurance and Council

Buying life insurance for the first time can be overwhelming. You’ll run into a lot of terms that you may not understand at first. The good news is those terms are not very difficult to figure out once you do a little research. These tips are designed to help you create an organized approach toward