Making Money Personal

Steps to Finding Your Dream Home - Mortgage Madness Series

Finding an experienced and knowledgeable Realtor when you’re shopping for your home is critical. Your Realtor acts as your best guide and advocate so you can shop with confidence and ultimately enjoy the home buying process.
In this episode we talk with Realtor and Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®), Lisa Waller-Gage from Sky Realty and discuss what to look for when searching for your dream home.
Important notes:
Pick up an app (like Redfin Real Estate or Realtor.com® Real Estate) and start browsing around to keep your eyes open to the inventory; you don’t want to miss out on a great opportunity.
Decide who is going to be on your team and who will be part of the decision making process right from the start.
Make sure you think about some specifics you want like location, condition, budget, neighborhood, etc. Also, it’s important to consider potential resale value, proximity to buildings, and any regular commuting times.
Bring people along with you who can influence this decision (friends, parents, etc.). Decide what is important so you can act quickly when you find the right house.
Get a solid pre-approval. It educates you on the financial side of buying and builds your confidence in what you can afford.
Don’t look at too many options in one day. A good rule of thumb is to keep it around 5-6 showings so you don’t get overwhelmed.
Links:
Lisa is a licensed New Hampshire Realtor. You can visit her website skyrealtynh.com or give her a call at (603) 440-8486.
Get an instant home evaluation online at www.603-homevalue.com
Check out all the services an Accredited Buyer’s Agent can offer you
Visit Lisa’s Facebook page or connect with her on LinkedIn.
Set up a Free Consultation with a Triangle Mortgage Originator
Test out our mortgage calculators for monthly payment and rate estimates
Visit our events page for a list of upcoming free Home Buyer seminars
View the episode transcript.
 
 For more information visit trianglecu.org and don't forget to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

Securing Financing For Your New Home - Mortgage Madness Series

So you want to buy a home, but don’t know where to start. Join us for the first episode in our special home buying series Mortgage Madness to learn about the first step in your home buying process!
In this episode we talk with experienced Mortgage originator, Al Lima, who helps guide home buyers through their purchase. Al provides insight into the steps needed to secure the financing potential buyers need to get into the house of their dreams.
Important notes:
Determine how much money you will pay for a down payment. With a Triangle Credit Union adjustable rate mortgage (ARM) you can put as little as 3% down!
Get pre-approved! It’s the easiest way to find out how much you’ll be able to borrow and can move the purchasing process along when you are ready to purchase.
There are many types of mortgage options out there. The most common are fixed rate loans and adjustable rate loans. Make sure you shop the rates and terms to find the loan that’s perfect for you.
A 5/5 adjustable rate loan means your rate will remain the same for 5 years, then can adjust in increments of 5 years after that.
After your pre-approval, the next step is finding your Realtor. Our Mortgage Originators will be happy to suggest Realtors we have worked with.
Links:
Set up a free consultation with an Originator today or call (603) 889-2470 to get started!
Check out our current mortgage rates
Use our mortgage calculators to research your potential monthly payment
Check our events page for a list of free Homebuying Seminars
View the episode transcript.
 
For more information visit trianglecu.org and don't forget to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

What the Heck is Credit and Why is it Important?

Credit woes can lead to “no’s”. Learn how important your credit score is to your financial wellbeing and how to turn a potential “no” to a “yes”. Your credit score plays a role in your ability to get a car loan, an apartment, a mortgage and, in some cases, even a job.
In this episode we talk with Rosemary Gagne, one of Triangle’s Senior Loan Officers for over 17 years. With her experience using credit scores as one of the many factors used to qualify loans, Rosemary provides a substantial amount of credit knowledge for anyone trying to understand more about credit scores and their impact on the ability to borrow.
Important notes:
The best way to boost your score is to pay your bills on time!
If you are struggling to make your payments, reach out to your lender. They can help you if you need it. Don’t let your credit score take the hit.
Make sure you review your score regularly. Watching it can help you determine your chances of securing the loan you want.
You are entitled to one free credit report a year from the three big credit bureaus – Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. You also get a quarterly report with your Better Checking account and can review your score regularly.
Your credit score plays an important role in the interest rate you’ll get. A higher score can get you a better rate!
Never charge more than 50% of your credit limit. This can hurt your score in the long run.
Teach your kids and family how to pay back the money they spend. Paying back what you owe is important for maintaining a healthy score.
“Make sure you use credit. Don’t let credit use you.” – Rosemary Gagne
Links:
Get your credit score and report with a Better Checking account
Use rate calculators to determine what you’ll pay in the long run
Try AutoSMART for easy auto research and buying
Get pre-approved for your auto purchase before shopping
Contact us today about using a Shared secure loan to build credit
Open a Triangle credit card to help build credit
Contact us for more information on one-payment loans
View your credit reports from Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion
View this episode transcript.
 
For more information visit trianglecu.org and don't forget to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!
 

Financial Resolutions for the New Year

Get inspired to set your new personal and financial goals this year and arm yourself with the tools to give you the success you want.
In this episode Wil and Terri share their personal goals for the New Year and discuss the tools they use to establish their objectives and track their progress. Join them as they embark on this year-long journey to reach their personal goal destination.
Important notes:
Set goals! Make a list of both personal and financial goals you want to attain for the year and make sure you write them down.
Use an app to help you stay on track. There are many out there so do some exploring to find the best one for you. We can help you get started with our Money Management tool within online banking. It’s super easy to use and already synced with your accounts for convenience and security.
Use the Making Goals Personal Roadmap and worksheet to write down your goals and track them from start to finish.
Consider setting goals that help you plan for securing your family’s future like finalizing a will or estate planning.
Make this the year that you finally take the steps towards protecting your identity. Open a Better Checking account to guard yourself against identity theft. If you already have one, make sure you activate it to get the most out of this valuable benefit.
 
Links:
Take charge of your estate planning services with Triangle Financial Group.
Download the Making Goals Personal Roadmap and worksheet.
Protect your identity this year with Better Checking.
Check out Jeff Rose's online article The Top 10 Good Financial Goals That Everyone Should Have For 2019.
View this episode's transcript.
 
For more information visit trianglecu.org and don't forget to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter!

Child Identity Theft and Ways to Avoid It

Many of us know about identity theft and its negative impact on our society today. With the many ways identity theft can occur it’s no surprise that almost anyone can become a victim, including children. In this episode we wanted to expose the rising threat of child identity theft and provide insight into the steps you can take to safeguard your children against this growing threat.
We are chatting with Basil Paul, a fraud resolution specialist at Econocheck, who helps identity theft victims recover from the damages they suffered. His knowledge and expertise is highly valuable in a day where identity theft is a rising crime.
 
Important notes:
A quick way to safeguard your identity is to freeze your credit. You can do this by calling the bureaus and requesting they place a freeze on your report or sign up through an app. Check out the apps Lock & Alert by Equifax, myTransunion by Transunion and Experian by Experian for freezing credit.
Childhood identity theft has been increasing over the past few years. According to a 2018 Child Identity Fraud Study by Javelin Strategy & Research, over 1 million children have been victims of identity theft in the past year and 2/3 of the children affected were under the age of 8.
Some common types of childhood identity theft are based on what the thief is trying to accomplish:
Financial ID Theft – commonly a synthetic ID created by combining the child’s social security number with and adult’s date of birth to create a false identity to apply for loans, lines of credit, etc.
Tax childhood ID Theft - this crime uses the child’s identity information to collect earnings or to avoid tax liens or obligations they owed.
Medical ID Theft – the thief can use the minor’s information to receive medical services or use it on billing documents or statements to avoid paying for medical services themselves.
Be selective about who you share your child’s social information with. Not everyone who asks for your child’s social security information needs it. You have the right to ask what the information will be used for and how it will be used, stored and protected. If you are still wary, ask if there’s an alternative to providing your child’s social security number.
Calling the credit bureaus is a good way to check if there has been fraud in your child’s name. Usually bureaus will ask for some verification from the parent or legal guardian in order to verify the child’s report.
Sometimes kids give out certain information without knowing. Educate your children by having a conversation about sharing sensitive information with people they don’t know. Teach your children smart Internet behavior and give them pointers on how to spot scams and suspicious solicitations.
If your child’s identity is stolen, contact the IDProtect service center and the credit bureaus.
Triangle’s Better Checking account offers identity theft protection for the whole family and covers children up to the age of 25. Take the extra step in protecting your identity and your child’s identity by opening up a Better Checking account and registering for this valuable service.
For more information on the IDProtect service offered through Better Checking visit trianglecu.org.
View this episode's transcript. 
 
Links:
2018 Child Identity Fraud Study by Javelin Strategy & Research
Get protected with Better Checking
 
Child ID Theft resources:
ftc.gov
Transunion.com

Planning for the College Funding Adventure - Karen Collins from NHHEAF

In this episode we discuss college planning and funding with Karen Collins from NH Higher Education Assistance Foundation (NHHEAF). Karen helps parents and students navigate the multiple stages of the college planning process from college applications, to properly filing and submitting the FAFSA form.
Notes:
Explore the many options for college funding and start as early as you can. Every little bit saved counts and money you don't have to finance is fantastic.
The best way for kids to get free money is to get good grades.
Pay close attention to all the admission and financial aid deadlines.
Don't go crazy when applying for colleges. It can make things very complicated for both parents and students. Karen suggests applying to roughly 6-8 colleges total.
Resources:
Karen Collins: kcollins@gsmr.org or call 225-6612 x119
NH Higher Education Assistance Foundation (NHHEAF) - nhheaf.org
Khan Academy: khanacademy.org
College Board: collegeboard.org
View the episode transcript
 
Contact Triangle Financial Group to speak with a Financial Services professional.