Financial Importance of Protecting Yourself Online

Online financial purchase

Why you should keep financial information private

There’s no denying that financial information is some of the most sensitive data we deal with every day. Because of the sensitive nature of financial information, it should be a priority for all individuals and businesses to do everything in their power to protect it. In order to protect all financial information, encourage your friends, families, coworkers, and employees to protect their Personally Identifiable Information (PII). This type of information includes names, personal ID numbers such as social security, driver’s license, taxpayer and credit account numbers, addresses, biometrics, vehicle IDs, phone numbers and technology asset information such as IP addresses. If these identifiers are kept private, hackers will have a more difficult time breaking into your larger systems and accessing financial information once inside.

 

Prevent identity theft

Identity theft occurs when an unauthorized individual gains access to personal information online and impersonate a said person with malicious intent. Those who gain access to personal accounts can retrieve all login information, personal data and commit cyber crimes such as tax fraud and theft. Identity theft can have repercussions that last for years following the attack and can negatively affect your finance, digital reputation, and privacy. In order to avoid identity theft, precautions can be taken that increase your security online and lock down confidential information on various levels.

 

How to protect financial information

The first step in ensuring your information is safe online is implementing a few new practices into daily digital activity. A few of these practices include:

  1. Using strong passwords – One of the most important things you can do to keep your systems safe is to lock down systems with strong passwords. The use of weak passwords makes all internal accounts easier for cybercriminals to hack and is something that can be easily avoided with a quick update. When you go to update passwords from weak to strong, be sure to include both lower and upper case letters, at least one special character, and avoid using personal information such as qualifiers, which include names, home addresses, and birthdates.
  2. Enabling 2-factor authentication – To further keep financial information secure, utilize a two-factor authentication security process for all internal systems. The addition of this second step provides an extra layer of security to limit who can access your information. With this form of authentication, simply knowing the password is not enough to gain access to private accounts. Rather, anyone trying to break in will go through multiple forms of security checkpoints, such as a fingerprint scan or facial recognition, before successfully logging in. Many of these second checkpoints require the use of multiple devices as well, making it even more challenging for hackers to penetrate the system.
  3. Never save payment information online – According to a study conducted by CreditCards.com, approximately 100 million American individuals currently store their credit card or debit card information within apps or on websites to make future shopping experiences more convenient. While it may seem helpful at the time, storing your financial data on these kinds of sites actually makes it easier for hackers to access your information. Not only could this site be hacked, but your personal device might be stolen. In either scenario your personal information would be at risk.
  4. Making purchases from only trustworthy sites – A pro tip to ensuring you are browsing on and entering financial information on a safe site is to look for the “S” after “HTTP” in a website’s address. This “S” signifies that the site you’re visiting is protected by Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) encryption. You can also double check for a trust icon (which looks like a padlock symbol) on the site with the words “Secure” or “Verified”. Click this icon to see if you are taken to a verification page and if you aren’t, you’ll know that it’s a fake, unsecure site. This can help you avoid filling purchase orders or fulfilling other financial activities on sites that could easily open your system up to hackers.

 

Protect your company’s reputation

Research shows that a single data breach can cost American businesses an average of $7 million, considering the firm’s direct monetary loss along with business disruption, fines, and credit monitoring and identity theft repair efforts. On top of these costs, failing to protect your customers’ and employees’ sensitive personal data can destroy their trust in your brand. To avoid these repercussions, consider implementing these practices for your whole enterprise:

  1. Using secure applications and tools – Some of the most important things to lock down within your systems are the tools your employee base use every day. From messaging systems and call center software to the email platform you send all important data through, ensuring these tools have adequate security measures is critical. One simple way to keep these tools in sync is to streamline them all through a cloud-based unified communications platform with built-in security measures. Not only does implementing the cloud ensure the safety of all tools your employees are using, but it also makes it simple to track that security by being hosted in one, unified system.
  2. Encrypting data – These days, most correspondence between professionals happens via email, which increases the need to protect data by utilizing email encryption. Not sure what encryption is? Email encryption is the process of using an authentication mechanism to prevent unauthorized personnel from accessing private email messages and information. Most well-known email platforms come with a form of built-in encryption, but that often isn’t enough for sensitive financial data. Instead, consider upgrading to a more secure form of encryption and require all individuals within your network to do the same.

 

Even if you think you are invincible online or have nothing to hide, it’s important to protect privacy from both a personal and professional standpoint. You never know when something completely innocent-seeming could lead to a threat or breach. In order to prepare for these unknown attacks on your data, the best thing you can do is make that information less accessible, starting with these tips laid out before. To also stay up-to-date on the best security practices available, continue to research and update security measures as necessary.

 

Source: https://blog.kasasa.com/2019/02/protecting-yourself-online/

 

Cherry Street Branch to Re-Open Tuesday, February 19, 2019

Press Release

February 13, 2019

Cherry Street Branch to Re-Open Tuesday, February 19th

(Vicksburg, MS): The Main Branch of Mutual Credit Union located at 1604 Cherry Street will re-open to the public on Tuesday, February 19, 2019 at 9 a.m. after undergoing extensive renovations to both the exterior and the interior of the building.

We are so excited to open Main Office back up on February 19th,” states Mutual Credit Union CFO, Jennifer Lynne McMillin. “Our renovated space will allow us to better serve our members and provide a secure and safe environment for our members and employees.  We have expanded our office space to prepare for future growth and opportunities.  We look forward to having our members back at our Cherry Street branch.”

Also, on Tuesday, February 19th the coin machine located inside the Cherry Street branch will be available for use. Members can access this service during normal business hours starting this Tuesday, February 19th.

The hours of operation for all Mutual branch locations remain Monday – Thursday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Fridays 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; drive through services open at 8:30 a.m. at every branch. Account access is also available 24/7/365 by visiting www.mutualcu.org, using the Mutual Credit Union app on your mobile device, or by calling our SAM Audio Response System at 1-877-457-3654 Option 1.

Cherry Street View (New)

The 1604 Cherry Street location of Mutual Credit Union was constructed in 1984. In 1998-1999 it was renovated to add a Drive-Thru and to expand the main branch and support offices.

For more information about Mutual Credit Union please follow this link to our webpage. Any additional questions, please contact the marketing department at marketing@mutualcu.org or by calling (601) 636-7523 ext. 1226.

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How I Learned About Saving For Retirement (And You Can Too)

coins and time clock retirement

Confession time: Finances have never been my specialty. As a creative professional, sometimes what I dream up and what happens in the real world need to come together for a little tête-à-tête. Now that we’ve gotten that on the table, you may ask, “So why are you writing about saving for retirement?” Fair question. Here’s why: in my quest to crack the “retirement savings code,” I resolved many previous unknowns (to me) and ultimately rethought my personal approach to saving for retirement.

 

I will also conjecture that there are a lot of people who are similarly lost when it comes to saving for retirement. In fact, the numbers support this hypothesis: according to an Economic Policy Institute (EPI) study“nearly half of families have no retirement savings at all.” With that in mind, here are some of the major questions that I had while digging into how I should be saving for retirement.

 

How much do I really need to have set aside to coast through retirement?

AKA, what is the magic number? A seemingly innocuous question, right? Not exactly. Turns out it depends on who you ask. This is where I learned there are many schools of thought on how to best approach your number. Below summarizes the three different methods I found, but you can learn more about each at 3 Ways to Calculate Your Retirement Number by money.usnews.com.

 

Income Method

This involves multiplying your income by a factor to determine how much you need to retire. There’s a little more to it than just that, and exactly how much you should multiply it by is debatable, but the article does a nice job of breaking down the different variables and assumptions you should account for.

 

Expense Method

This method asks you to analyze your monthly budget to arrive at your retirement number. You’ll need to think through what expenses you anticipate having then, what gets added, and what falls off, which brings up the subject of a mortgage… I’ll get into that a little later. There are, of course, a few other considerations which you can see in more detail here, but that’s the main idea.

 

Savings Method

This method involves setting aside a percentage of your annual salary in retirement accounts. This might be the most prevalent approach I encountered in my research; however, the “right percentage” to set aside can vary from source to source. My takeaway: 15% is a good goal on the conservative end and 20% on the aggressive end. Anything beyond that gets you gold-star status.

 

That’s a lot to digest. I get it. Luckily, I stumbled upon this article by CNBC with features a more digestible timeline of savings goals from Fidelity that follows the Income Method. And visuals are always helpful.

 

How much do I need to save for retirement?

10X

Fidelity Investments suggests you should aim to have 10 times your salary in savings.

Here is how much to set aside by age in order to stay on track for retirement at 67.

how-much-save-retirement-380x839

Keep in mind this is a ballpark diagram. Consult a financial advisor for exact numbers.

Epperson, Sharon. “What’s the Magic Number for Your Retirement Savings?” CNBC. 11 Feb. 2016. Accessed 8 Feb. 2018.

Where all will this money come from?

Here are the key players. Getting a general sense of each will help you understand how they all work together. This video from CNBC Money also does a nice job of explaining the differences.

 

401(k) – A 401(k) is an employer-sponsored type of retirement plan. It allows an employee to dedicate a percentage of their salary to a retirement account. Contributions are tax-free and taxes are paid upon withdrawal. Putting money into your 401(k) can be a great place to start, as many companies offer a match program up to a certain percentage. Ideally, you should strive to at least contribute up to the full match since that is free money for you!  Learn more about 401(k)s here.

 

IRA – An IRA is an Individual Retirement Account that can be opened up by anyone, whether they’re associated with an employer or not. There are two types of IRAs — a traditional and a Roth — which have a few differences, but the main one being the time at which you’re taxed. (Roth contributions are taxed the year you deposit them, traditional IRAs are taxed upon withdrawal.)

 

HSA – An HSA or Health Savings Account offers a way to set aside money for your healthcare expenses while receiving some tax advantages. Another nice thing is if you don’t use it all in a year, you can hang on to it and, in some cases, invest it!

 

Investments (other) – Whether it be in real estate, stocks, bonds, mutual funds, or any combination of these and more, this is anywhere you’re setting aside money in the eventual hope of reaping a return on top of your initial deposit.

 

Pension –  Employer-provided retirement income (from companies with pension plans) that requires an employee to work for them a certain number of years. The benefit usually increases with the length of time employed at the company. This often applies to government jobs, like military, police, and fire departments. According to The Balance, “Large corporate employers may also offer pension benefits, but it is not as common as it was thirty years ago.”

 

Social Security – It is hotly debated how much longer we should rely upon this as a source of retirement income. Regardless of its endurance, according to CNN Money, “your Social Security benefits will only replace about 40% of your previous income, which won’t cut it even under the most frugal circumstances.” So the best bet is to think beyond Social Security.

 

Do I count my home equity as income?

You’re right to realize that some of the expenses you have today won’t necessarily be around by retirement age. The amount you’re currently setting aside for retirement is one, ideally your student loans are another, and of course, that brings you to a major investment — your home (assuming it’s paid off).

 

But according to TheBalance, “you’ll also have retirement costs that you don’t carry today, like certain out-of-pocket health and end-of-life care costs. And ideally, you’ll also travel more, enjoy more hobbies, and indulge a bit. As a result, you may want to budget for retirement by assuming you’ll spend roughly the same amount you spend now.” The Huffington Post further supports this outlook in Is Your Home Equity Part of Your Retirement Savings?, saying that “If you don’t plan to sell, then your home equity, while still an important part of your overall net worth, shouldn’t be included in your retirement savings calculation.”

 

Should I focus on paying off debt or saving for retirement?

According to Dave Ramsey, it’s important to start with a firm foundation, and that includes addressing your debt first. In his post on The Truth About Retirement, Mr. Ramsey recommends that:

“You begin investing for retirement after you’ve done two things: you’re debt-free, and you have saved an emergency fund of three to six months of expenses. Three-fourths of the people on Forbes list of the 400 wealthiest people in America say getting and staying debt-free is the most important thing you can do when it comes to handling your money. The full emergency fund ensures you have a cushion in case of an illness or job loss and that your retirement funds stay where they are and keep growing.”

 

When is the best time to start saving for retirement?

The short answer: Now. Or as soon as possible. That’s because there’s also another factor in play that could really work to your advantage — compounding interest — or the interest you can earn on interest. According to Tony Robbins, “by not saving, and by not investing, you are losing out on more money by waiting than you stand to lose by taking a small risk and starting your retirement account.” For a more in-depth breakdown of how compounding interest over time can make a big difference, see Tony Robbins’s article: Create a Money Machine.

 

My final thoughts:

Although I’m no financial guru, I have wised up to a few things over time. First of all: processing your current age never feels any less like an alien/host-type situation; at 7 years old, the coveted teen years felt oh sooo far away, your 20s felt unimaginably grown up (hilarious), and every decade that passes thereafter… more of the same. Second: Seeking the “right time” is futile, because it doesn’t exist.

 

So when you factor in those “constants,” waiting to perfect a master retirement savings plan feels less critical (and daunting) than just getting the ball rolling in the right direction. That’s not to say you should become lax in your research and planning. By all means, get out there and speak to a certified financial advisor (they get paid to do this stuff for a reason). Just try to avoid getting stuck an endless loop of analysis and become your own enemy to progress. That’s not how you’ll make it to that little beach bungalow or another perfect retirement of your dreams.

Source: 

How I Learned About Saving for Retirement (And you can too)

Jaclyn Eickenhorst
Jaclyn Eickenhorst

 

By craft Jaclyn is a copywriter, but she really fashions herself more of an “idea explorateur.” When it comes to working through tasks to arrive at the best solution, she considers herself a purist, aka a compulsive brainstormer. Intervals of staring into space, broken up by a frenetic syncopation of keystrokes — that’s just part of “the process.” No need to call for someone…unless they have cookies. Definitely call then.

3 Questions for Jaclyn:

  1. Favorite hobbies?

    Paying guitar, boxing, finding new ridiculous things to worry about, daydreaming about the next great American novel, and talking to my cat like she’s a human baby (because she is).

  2. What was your very first job?

    A confectionary & culinary artist/customer service liaison within the food and hospitality industry — a.k.a. “counter girl” at Dairy Queen.

  3. Worst financial decision?

    Probably buying a timeshare at the ripe old age of 21. Not only was I gullible enough to attend the spiel, yes, I actually bought into it. Luckily, I read the fine print, found a loophole, and got out within 24 hours! Critical reading skills for the win!

2019-2020 Mutual Credit Union Scholarship Committee NOW Accepting Applications

Press Release

February 1, 2019

2019-2020 Mutual Credit Union Scholarship

(Vicksburg, MS): The Mutual Credit Union Scholarship Committee is pleased to announce the we are accepting applications for our 2019-2020 Mutual CU Scholarship. Every year, Mutual provides $10,000 in awards for the upcoming school year to recognize its members who have shown scholastic achievement and who are interested in advancing their education. We will award six (6) scholarships in the amount of $3000, $2000, (2) $1500, and (2) $1000 to High School Seniors who best meet the requirements.

The deadline to apply is Monday, April 1, 2019. A completed application package must be mailed or delivered by April 1, 2019 to the following address:

Mutual Credit Union • ATTN: Susan Mandarino • PO Box 25 • Vicksburg, MS 39181

It can also be emailed to smandarino@mutualcu.org or delivered to any of our branch locations. For additional questions or to request an application be mailed to you, please call 877-457-3654 ext. 1226 or email smandarino@mutualcu.org.

Mutual CU has a firmly-held belief that the education of our community’s youth is a solid investment in our community’s future. We wish the best of luck to all applicants and to each of our graduating seniors.

Hours of operation for all Mutual locations are Monday – Thursday 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Friday 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.; drive through services open at 8:30 a.m. Account access is also available 24/7/365 by visiting www.mutualcu.org, using the Mutual Credit Union app on your mobile device or by calling our SAM Audio Response System at 1-877-457-3654 Option 1.

For more information about the Mutual Credit Union Scholarship program please follow this link to our webpage. For additional questions, please contact the marketing department at marketing@mutualcu.org or by calling (601) 636-7523 ext. 1226.

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