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Identity theft can be a devastating crime that victims may not notice until it is already too late. Anyone can become a victim of identity theft, but luckily, anyone can take precautions to protect themselves. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and its partners hosted Identity Theft Awareness Week from January 30 through February 3, 2023. Their mission is to raise awareness that any person, of any age or background, can be a target for identity theft.

Soaring home prices over the past few years have caused an interesting side effect – homeowners are finding themselves with a lot more home equity. Home equity is the difference between your home’s value and how much you still owe on your mortgage. For example, if your home is worth $300,000, and you owe $50,000 on your mortgage, you have $250,000 in equity.

Between the rising cost of gas and groceries, holiday expenses, and unexpected bills, chances are your credit card balance may be a little higher than you’d like. Luckily, there’s a simple solution to help you lower your monthly payments and pay off your credit card debt faster: transferring your current balance to a low- or no- interest credit card. Here’s how a credit card balance transfer can help you get a fresh start and give your budget some breathing room in the new year.

Each January, we celebrate the wisdom and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr., whose fight and vision for a better society left a lasting mark on the nation and still inspire many to this day. Though his “I Have a Dream” speech is perhaps his most famous, King gave over 2,500 speeches in his lifetime and was full of powerful truths and beliefs that can guide us toward more meaningful, impactful living today. To celebrate MLK Day 2023, we have gathered some of our favorite actionable Martin Luther King quotes to help you honor everything he did for our country.

Whether your goal is to save $500 or $5,000, methods used for saving can be easily scaled to accomplish any dream. Developing a plan early into the year can be inspiring, but you don’t need to wait for a new year to get started. Knowing which products earn the highest dividends will help you reach your goal faster. Depending on your needs, a high yield savings account or certificate are excellent choices for the determined saver.

If you didn’t snag all the Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals you were hoping for — or if you didn’t receive everything on your own wish list over the holidays — don’t worry. There are a ton of awesome shopping deals to be had after Christmas. With some planning, patience, and strategic shopping, you can score deep discounts from both big-box stores and mom-and-pop businesses trying to reduce their inventory and make room for new items in the new year. Here are some savings you can look forward to after Santa returns to the North Pole.

Planning any New Year’s resolutions for 2023? Along with goals like eating healthier and exercising more, money-related resolutions are common. If you’ve committed to tackling debt or saving more in the coming year, that’s great news. Here’s how you can take this goal even further: Try becoming more mindful about your money. It’s a personal change that could really pay off, and not just financially.

Credit cards come in many different forms from many different lenders. To incentivize borrowers to choose their card, lenders include special perks like low rates or cash back. If you're looking for a new addition to your wallet, consider diversifying with a card that specializes in cash back. Continue reading to see if the Cash Reward Mastercard® is a good fit for your spending needs.

If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If someone asks you to invest and promises impossible returns on your money, such as guaranteeing that your money will be doubled or tripled with no risk, it’s probably a Ponzi scheme. Knowing how to recognize different types of fraud is a key component to financial literacy. There are many types of investment scams, but one of the most famous is known as the Ponzi scheme.

Credit cards are the most versatile product in your wallet and can be the ticket to a strong credit score and healthy financial habits. By mastering the most popular financial tool, you can demonstrate to lenders that you are a responsible borrower, ushering in new opportunities. Shopping for a new card? Continue reading to see if the Platinum Preferred Mastercard® is a good fit for your banking habits.

The brisk changing of the seasons and the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday gives us a chance to look back at the year and reflect on the things we’re most grateful for. Here at American Heritage Credit Union, 2022 has brought us many new experiences, relationships, and opportunities to advance our mission in the communities we serve. Here are some memorable highlights.

With December right around the corner and holiday festivities quickly approaching, it’s also the time of year when the needs of your community are the most apparent. Though food, clothes, and essential goods are needed all year round, the winter season brings the greatest needs for these items. Whether you want to make a donation, take action, or find new organizations to help into the new year, there are many opportunities to spread joy within your own community.

The holidays are right around the corner, and you likely already started your holiday shopping. As much as you’d like to give your loved ones everything on their wish list, the cost of gifts, decorations, travel, and other holiday festivities can really add up. However, with a little bit of planning and responsible spending, you can celebrate the holiday season and keep your budget intact.

While the holiday season may be a time of tradition for many, changing economic factors will force many to adapt their habits to fit a tighter budget this year. According to Deloitte’s 2022 Holiday Retail Survey, shoppers plan to buy 9 gifts in 2022 versus 16 in 2021, citing rising prices. Despite this, consumers plan to maintain spending levels, spending an average of $1,455, similar to last year’s $1,463 average. Knowing that shoppers don’t expect their dollar to go as far, what options exist for budget-conscious consumers who still want to create happy holidays?

International Credit Union Day ®, also known as ICU Day®, is celebrated on the third Thursday of October. This year marks the 74th anniversary of the day, with the theme “Empower Your Financial Future with a Credit Union™.” This special day is brought to you by World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) and Credit Union National Association (CUNA). The third Thursday of October is also known as National Get Smart About Credit Day. Knowing how credit works and how your score is calculated is a great way to live this year’s theme and empower your financial future.

Ghosts, goblins, witches, and vampires – everyone knows All Hallows’ Eve is full of creepy creatures. But the scariest of them all may be scammers who try to trick you into revealing your sensitive personal information. Millions of Americans have their identities stolen or compromised each year, and dealing with the aftermath of identity theft and fraud is no treat.

You might be familiar with some of the things that make credit unions unique. They’re democratically controlled, not-for-profit financial cooperatives that are owned by their members. Instead of being driven by profits, credit unions are built on the philosophy of “people helping people” and focused on supporting their members’ financial well-being.

Purchasing a vehicle is a significant life milestone and financial achievement. Whether you’ve owned multiple vehicles during your life or are shopping for your very first set of wheels, American Heritage can help you from beginning to end of your purchasing journey.

There are only twenty-four hours in a day, and how you spend each one can impact your entire life. If you frequently find yourself trying to magically turn back the clock, you may be in “time debt.”

You already have lots of reasons to love your home. Here’s one more: Your home is also one of your most powerful financial tools — because of your home equity. Your equity is the portion of your home that you own (as opposed to your mortgage lender). If you’ve been making mortgage payments for some time, you’ve probably built significant equity. And thanks to home equity financing options, you can take advantage of your investment without selling your place.