Intuit

Fire, Earth, Air and Water We all incorporate the 4 elements in some way into our lives. We are standing on the Earth. The information around us appeals to our intellect, sound, and verb, evoking the element of Ar. Our actions are governed by the domain of Fire, with its will, initiative, and action, while […]

Chemistry is not really a subject I’m super excited about. It’s not as straightforward as some of the other sciences I’ve studied. There are so many exceptions to the rules, and you have to memorize so many little details to get the right answer. I’m obviously familiar with the first few things we went over […]

At first glance, credit monitoring might seem complicated and unnecessary. But it’s surprisingly easy — and has huge payoffs. When you keep an eye on your credit, you can watch for errors and any fraudulent activities like identity theft. As the fastest growing online crime in the United States, identity theft occurs every 79 seconds. That’s what makes credit monitoring so important — and not just when you’re traveling. You’ll be aware of suspicious activity and can stop it in its tracks. You’ll also have a pulse on your credit and financial standing. Luckily, there are simple ways to set up credit monitoring. Putting a system in place now could save you lots of time, energy, and hassle down the road. What is Credit Monitoring and Why is it Important? Credit monitoring is a service that tracks the activity on your credit report and alerts you of any changes. For example, if you apply for a loan or mortgage, the lender will run a credit check. You’ll be notified by your credit monitoring service that a credit check is being done. In the same way, if someone falsely uses your identity to apply for a credit card, you’ll be notified. Credit monitoring acts as an early warning system to let you know of any fraudulent activity or inaccuracies — usually within 24 hours. Some credit monitoring services offer more comprehensive tracking, such as sending you notifications when your credit score changes. By being in the loop on your credit changes, you reap a couple of big benefits. First, you’ll be able to spot any fraudulent activity. Instead of finding out months or years later that someone has been using your identity, you’ll be alerted right away. According to research, identity theft that goes undetected longer than six months has the largest financial impact on the victim. That’s why it’s important to catch fraud early. Second, you’ll know of changes to your creditworthiness. For instance, you’ll know if your credit score increases or decreases. These notifications can clue you into what’s boosting or harming your credit score — and help with your long-term planning. If you’re hoping to buy a home, for example, you’ll know if you need to boost your score before applying for a mortgage. How to Get Free Credit Monitoring Credit monitoring can be incredibly helpful, but it doesn’t have to be expensive. In fact, there are a couple of ways to get free credit monitoring. You can sign up for a service or monitor your credit yourself. Because these options are available at no cost, be sure to take advantage of them. Financial institutions and credit card companies often provide free credit monitoring. When you register, provide them with basic information and tell them how you’d like to receive alerts — such as through text or email. You’ll receive alerts when there are changes to your account or credit history. Before signing up, read the details to ensure you won’t get charged any fees down the road. You can also read the company’s reviews or check with your local consumer protection agency to ensure the company can be trusted. If the free credit monitoring service isn’t enough for what you’re looking for, you can always upgrade. Another option is to monitor your credit yourself. Each of the three main credit bureaus (Experian, TransUnion, and Equifax) provide you with a free credit report every year. If you spread out when you download your reports, you can review your credit for free every four months. When you receive your credit report, review it for inaccuracies and fraudulent activity. You can see if anyone has applied for credit using your identity or if a lender has made a mistake. Take time to review your report thoroughly. It’s easier to dispute errors and fraudulent activity within the first six months of it occurring. When to Pay for Credit Monitoring Although there are options for free credit monitoring, some people opt to pay for the service. If you’re already a victim of identity theft or are at high risk for it — such as if your information was compromised — you may decide to pay for credit monitoring. Purchasing a more comprehensive credit monitoring service allows you to take further precaution in guarding against fraud. You might also purchase a credit monitoring service if you know that you won’t monitor your credit yourself. Instead of taking the time to look at reports and alerts, you can delegate the task and ensure it gets done correctly. With a paid service, you’ll also get more comprehensive coverage, such as monitoring your bank account, credit card, and social security number. Sometimes the service will also include features like a credit score calculator, detailed credit analysis, and help with identity theft resolution. The price and features of each service vary, so be sure to look through the details before signing up for a service. Keeping tabs on your credit through credit monitoring helps you stay informed about your finances. You’ll be aware of any fraudulent activity or errors on your credit report. Credit monitoring also gives you a pulse on your creditworthiness — which ultimately impacts the types of loans and credit cards that you’re eligible for. Above all, it’s better to be proactive than reactive with your financial health. Rather than not knowing where your credit stands, opt to be in-the-know. Sources Consumer Financial Protection Bureau | Forbes | Investopedia

Hey Sagans, Welcome to the new edition of Saga Generator, my RPG character and worldbuilding blog. I have been playing, running and writing my own tabletop RPGs for around 15 years. Here I will share characters, items, story hooks and, occasionally, full adventures for your perusal. The nation of Rahadoum recently hit my radar again […]

Getting your first credit card typically indicates a sign of maturity and increased financial responsibility, but how old do you have to be to get a credit card? It’s a question that makes sense to come up for a teenager. You’ve gotten your driver’s license, perhaps a first job, and now you’re wondering when you can get your first credit card. Why might you want a credit card in adolescence? Besides the obvious milestone it signifies in the financial journey, building a credit history from a young age can set your credit score up for success. Taken together, payment history (whether you’ve paid on time) and length of credit history (average age of accounts) can account for up to 50% of your credit score. Credit is also required for life events like applying for student loans, purchasing a cellphone plan, and could even factor into receiving certain employment opportunities. When Can You Get a Credit Card? The minimum age you must be to apply for your own credit card is 18 years-old, but this comes with a couple of caveats. For one, the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 (or Credit CARD Act) requires that credit card applicants between the ages of 18-21 show proof of a reliable source of income to qualify for a credit card. In the absence of being able to prove your own steady income, you can still get a credit card if you have a cosigner who’s over 21 on the account. In the latter case, the cosigner would take responsibility for your debt if you can’t make payments. How to Get a Credit Card as a Minor To get a credit card under the age of 18, you’ll need to become an authorized user on an adult’s credit card account. Also known as credit card piggybacking, becoming an authorized user means that you will have the ability to use someone else’s credit card as a secondary account holder. Though you will receive a credit card in your name, the primary credit account holder alone bears the legal obligation to make payments on the account. Becoming an authorized user as a minor is the best way to get an early start on your own credit history and can make it easier to qualify for your own credit card when the time comes. Assuming that the primary account holder has a long history of on-time payments, you’ll instantly gain positive credit history. Since you won’t be on the line to make payments, it’s a low risk way to start your credit from scratch. Piggybacking on someone else’s account is only wise if the primary account holder has a great credit history and is responsible enough to make payments on time. If not, your own credit history will likely suffer before you get a chance to really affect it yourself. Additionally, because several credit card issuers do not allow the primary account holder to set limits on an authorized user’s spending, it’s important to establish ground rules to ensure that the credit card balance is paid in full month after month, no matter who uses the account. The Bottom Line Although you can’t apply for your own credit card until you turn 18, it can be a smart move to become an authorized user on an established credit card account as a minor to get a headstart on building your credit. The history of a responsible adult’s credit card account on your credit report could give your credit score an easy boost — potentially increasing your creditworthiness. Being more creditworthy comes in handy for the landmark occasions of growing up, whether in taking out a loan, renting your first apartment, or getting approved for an attractive credit card. Gaining credit card experience at a young age encourages financial responsibility and can give you a good chance at financial health going into adulthood.   Sources Investopedia 1, 2, 3 | The Points Guy | Mint

By Amy Elisa Jackson There has long been fanfare and hype around young dynamos: Mark Zuckerberg, Marsai Martin, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. After all, there is something truly impressive to see CEOs, executive producers and politicians dominating in their fields without year’s of experience — and accompanying wrinkles. However, those who have found early success aren’t the only ones making waves and in high demand. Research has shown that finding one’s way later in life can bring achievement and long-term success. Forbes publisher Rich Karlgaard and author of Late Bloomers: The Power of Patience in a World Obsessed with Early Achievement blends interviews with neuroscientists, personal anecdotes and scientific research to prove that blooming later in life allows us to reach our full potential. Credit to Author “Late bloomers have their own unique gifts, most of which will reveal themselves with patience and encouragement,” says Karlgaard. “Recent neuroscience studies strongly support the idea our cognitive abilities change over time, mostly for the better. We give up a little bit of speed and fluid intelligence, but we gain crystallized intelligence, executive functioning, communication skills and host of other qualities.” Karlgaard, who had a mediocre academic career at Stanford (which he got into by a fluke), and after graduating, worked as a dishwasher, night watchman, and typing temp before finally finding the inner motivation and drive that ultimately led him to start up a high-tech magazine in Silicon Valley, and eventually to become the publisher of Forbes magazine. Glassdoor caught up with Karlgaard to dig deeper into the benefits of being a late bloomer. Here’s what he had to say. Glassdoor: What inspired you to write “Late Bloomers”? Rich Karlgaard: Three things. One, I’m a late bloomer myself. After college graduation, my roommates went off to grad school with grand plans—law, chemical engineering, divinity. I went off to become a security guard, dishwasher, and temporary typist. It wasn’t until my late twenties that I began to make strides towards my current career trajectory. After a plodding and humiliating start, I made rapid progress. But only after discovering my gifts and passions. Two, I believe it is much harder to be a late bloomer today. We live in a world of early achievement celebration and the intense pressures that go with it  – straight As, high test scores, admission into elite colleges. This pressure to achieve works for some, but most kids, teens and young adults are suffering for it. Rising rates of anxiety, depression and suicide among young people is an alarming symptom. The $1.5 trillion college debt overhang is another symptom. The recent college bribery story is an extreme symptom. Three, late bloomers are undervalued, by teachers, schools, employers – even unwittingly by parents, siblings and friends. Late bloomers have their own unique gifts, most of which will reveal themselves with patience and encouragement. Glassdoor: Who are “Late Bloomers”? How would you describe them and their value to a room full of head hunters or recruiters? Rich Karlgaard: A late bloomer is a person who fulfills their potential later than expected; they often have talents that aren’t visible to others initially. The key word here is expected. And they fulfill their potential frequently in novel and unexpected ways, surprising even those closest to them. They are not attempting to satisfy, with gritted teeth, the expectations of their parents or society, a false path that leads to burnout and brittleness, or even to depression and illness. As Oprah Winfrey says, “Everyone has a supreme destiny.” Late bloomers are those who find their supreme destiny on their own schedule, in their own way. Glassdoor: Why should employers and recruiters care? Rich Karlgaard: Late bloomers have their own unique strengths: curiosity, compassion, resilience, useful creative insight (as opposed to raw or random creativity), calmness under pressure, and wisdom. These are the very attributes CEOs say they want in their employees. In the 2017 edition of its annual “100 Best Companies to Work For” list, Fortune asked several CEOs what employee attributes they want most. Bill Anderson of biotech leader Genentech led with “curiosity, a passion for the field, and a desire and drive to accomplish something great.” Brad Smith, CEO of Intuit at the time, said: “People who live our company values, who treat failures as learning opportunities, and who lead with their emotional quotient and their curiosity quotient, rather than their intelligence quotient.” Glassdoor: How can finding one’s way later in life be an asset instead of a liability in today’s work world? Rich Karlgaard: I love early achievers and celebrate them. The world has been enriched by them, whether Mozart or Mark Zuckerberg. The problem arises when we pressure kids, teens and young adults to be early achievers when their brains are wired differently and their passions are yet to be discovered. Finding one’s way later in life has an authenticity that many early achievers have lost. And by lost, I’m not referring to Mozart or Mark Zuckerberg, but all those people who are heading off to the “right” college or “right” career because they were pressured by educators, parents and society. These “forced early achievers” often burn out. Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck told me the freshman she sees today are “exhausted and brittle. They don’t want to mar their perfect records.” Late bloomers are those who discover their destiny – that wonderful intersection of talents and deep passions – and, hence, feel pulled, rather than pushed. When you feel pulled, you’ll work very hard, but you won’t burn out. The London science magazine, The Cube, calls curiosity a “dopamine hit” a drug that makes you feel good. Glassdoor: In your research, what did you uncover about the time of our lives when we reach full potential? Rich Karlgaard: We can only reach our full potential if we’re on a path of discovery that leads, ultimately, to an intersection where our deepest talents and passions meet. The good news: This can happen more than once in our lifetimes, because our talents evolve over time, and our passions change. I discovered that I could do good interviews with the likes of Bill Gates in my mid-30s. I discovered that I could do onstage interviews and give speeches with confidence – me, a frightened speaker in high school – when I was in my forties. Glassdoor: Lastly, what myths would you like to dispel about “Late Bloomers? Rich Karlgaard: One myth is that late bloomers are just not as smart as early bloomers, that they are plodders. Fact is, late bloomers are very smart, but not necessarily in ways that are seen from society’s early achievement conveyor belt, which tends to see only SAT scores, grades and elite college admissions as proof of smart. Another myth is that late bloomers just need to work harder and apply more grit to their tasks. Well, maybe. But it’s more likely the late bloomer needs to embark and a path of discovery and find that intersection of talent and passion. Then hard work won’t seem hard anymore. And grit will be supplied as needed. Originally Published on Glassdoor. Follow us here and subscribe here for all the latest news on how you can keep Thriving. Stay up to date or catch-up on all our podcasts with Arianna Huffington here.