With tax season in full swing and spring finally here, we're bringing you essential financial insights to keep you informed and secure. This month's newsletter covers everything from practical tips to boost your savings and protect yourself from fraud to understanding your credit score and staying up-to-date with changes in peer-to-peer payment platforms like Zelle.
5 Ways to Spring Clean Your Savings
Spring is in the air! It's the season of renewal, and while you're decluttering your home, why not give your finances a refreshing spring clean, too? Just like a good scrub can revitalize your living space, a financial spring cleaning can bring new life to your savings and set you up for a brighter financial future.
Filing your tax return as early as possible is a powerful defense against tax identity theft because it shrinks the window of opportunity for criminals. Essentially, it's a race against the clock. If you file early, you get your legitimate return on file first. This makes it much harder for a thief to successfully file a fraudulent return using your stolen information because the IRS system will likely flag it as a duplicate or suspicious return since your real one is already there. Think of it as claiming your spot – the earlier you file, the better your chances of preventing a thief from stealing your refund.
P2P Payments
Whether you're splitting a restaurant bill, paying for online purchases, or receiving payments for freelance work, peer-to-peer (P2P) payment platforms have become indispensable. The P2P space is evolving; there are new features, competitors, and even some important changes, like the upcoming transition of the Zelle® standalone app and the way their users can send or receive money within the Zelle® platform.
When was the last time you checked your credit report? 🤔 It's a good idea to review it at least once a year (or even more often!). Knowing what's on your report empowers you to take control of your financial future.
