USALLIANCE Blog

In the age of credit cards and mobile payments, it’s easier than ever to buy stuff you can’t pay for right away while supporting a lifestyle you can’t really afford.

Your career is beginning to take shape, and with any luck, you’ve started to earn a salary that allows you to put a little money aside each month. You know that saving is important, but there’s one nagging problem...Debt.

Your 20s and 30s are a time filled with new adventures and milestones — first job, first home, and perhaps marriage and children. To succeed at all of these, you’ll need credit, something that can be a challenge to build early on in your career. As many as 26 million Americans live without a credit history, which makes it difficult for them to get a credit card or take out a loan.

In May 2020, the U.S. Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) began sending out Economic Impact Payments (EIP) as prepaid debit cards. The cards arrive in plain white envelopes that are strikingly similar to junk mail from credit card companies and scam mail. Unless you’re expecting it, you wouldn’t know this piece of mail has come from the federal government.

If you are one of the millions of Americans currently laid off or on furlough due to COVID-19, you may be panicking about incoming bills and wondering where you’ll find the money to pay for them all. Here’s how you can make a responsible, informed decision about your finances going forward.

It’s that time of year again! Get ready to break out the calculator and pencils, dig out the enormous pile of receipts, tax forms and pay stubs, and get to work.

If you’re in the market for a new car, you’re going to want to make sure you start by checking out your financing options. Though many people start their process on the dealer’s lot, if you go into the dealer prepared and knowledgeable about what you’re qualified for, you’ll enjoy a lower rate, a simpler loan application, and other benefits by choosing to finance your car with your credit union.

Icy driveways and snowed-out open houses can be less than thrilling when you’re looking for your dream home, but there are some hidden benefits to purchasing a home at this time of year.

The holiday shopping season may be mostly over, but fraudsters aren’t slowing down. You still need to be diligent in protecting yourself from scams, even after the holidays are over. Here are a few common scams that occur post-holidays.

Have you thought about what your New Years Resolution will be next year? Choosing a resolution that helps you improve your finances is often a wise choice, but make sure you choose something achievable. Here are 6 good options for on how you can improve your finances over the next 12 months.