Encompass Credit Union is accepting applications for its Community Social Responsibility Investment Program until the end of November 2020.The annual community grant funding allows for up to a maximum $10,000 grant for a capital project in 2021. The program was designed for larger requests that would fall outside of the usual requests from minor sports…
How can I help my adult children and grandchildren financially?
Wealth transfer can happen in many ways. The most inefficient and unfortunately, most common way, is transferring assets at death. When you have assets to provide enough income during your retirement years, you can start this transfer earlier. You get to see your children and grandchildren enjoy these assets, making their lives a little easier….
So you want to be financially independent. Now what?
What’s your plan to be financially independent? For many of us, winning the lottery seems to be in the top five ways to have a comfortable retirement. That, or maybe getting adopted by Jeff Bezos. If you’re not that lucky, or you’re not going to develop a million-dollar mobile phone app game or become the…
Saving money the Millennial way
Millennials get a hard time for being, well, Millennials. They’re young, inexperienced and were branded as lazy, eating Cheetos and holding out for management positions. None of that is true anymore. In fact, they’re not really that young anymore. Sorry. The truth is, Millennials must work harder to get what previous generations may have had…
Now’s the time to buy real estate
For some people, the pandemic has not caused a giant shift in their finances, although for many, with the addition of low oil prices it has been difficult for many Albertans. Yet, new homes are being built, and real estate sales are starting to increase. In the Wainwright area, if any indication of how…
Don’t use a public computer for your digital banking
You wouldn’t leave your debit card in an ATM and walk away, so don’t leave yourself open to fraud when doing your digital banking at a public computer. It really isn’t a great idea to use publicly available computers to access digital banking, like in a public library. Even benign programs, like popular desktop search…
9 Tips to be smarter with your smartphone
Unless you live under a rock, or are under 13, you probably have a smartphone. It may be hedging my bets, but that’s more common than uncommon now. Smartphones let you surf, shop or bank wherever you are. Make sure your information stays secure while you’re on the move by following these smartphone-safe browsing tips:…
How to protect yourself and report scams
At Encompass Credit Union we offer tips on how to protect yourself from cyber threats. But what should you do when it does happen? The type of recourse depends on the type of cyber incident. One of the most common scams in Canada is a phishing or smishing scam, where a scammer poses as a business or…
Don’t use free WiFi for your digital banking
These days, everyone is on the go and it’s not uncommon to access Wi-Fi at coffee shops, hotels, restaurants or airports. Using wireless networks to access information is convenient, but not risk-free. Be smart when you surf. Protect yourself from threats by: Not using a shared computer to access your digital banking. We strongly recommend not…
Be fraud aware when shopping online
Online shopping is definitely convenient especially now. There are no lines and no crowds, but it can also be a haven for fraudsters. Consider the following tips when shopping online to ensure your information stays secure: Make sure that you are shopping at a trusted retailer when you enter your credit card details online. Use…
