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Financial TipsStuff happens. Okay, that's not the official saying, but we can't put that on our website. The fact of the matter is that stuff does happen. Sometimes, unpleasant stuff, such as losing your job, a medical condition that requires you to be out of work for a time, or the death of a spouse. If you have loans with the credit union and encounter one of life's bumpier roads, please contact us and let us know what is happening with you. There's no need to be embarrassed. We may be able to help with an extension or by rewriting your loan for lower payments. If you stay in touch and work with us, we'll work with you. If you ignore our attempts to contact you, then you leave us with the impression that you don't care about paying us. So pick up the phone or stop by and talk to us. We're your credit union and we want to help.
No Hats, No Hoods, No Sunglasses - Based on advice from law enforcement, most of Maine's credit unions have implemented a 'No Hats, No Hoods, No Sunglasses' policy. We ask that you remove all hats, hoods and sunglasses before entering the lobby so our employees and other members won't immediately become suspicious about your presence in the credit union. You watch the news and have noticed that a vast number of robbers wear a baseball cap, sunglasses and a hood! We're just trying to protect our members and employees, not inconvenience you or make you feel like a criminal. So, please, show us the consideration of removing these items upon entering the lobby. Thank you very much!
Elder Financial Abuse. It's sad, but estimates are millions of seniors are victimized by financial abuse each year. Financial abuse is when someone uses another person's money without consent. The most frequent type of elder abuse is perpretrated by a family member who uses the resources of an elderly relative for their own benefit. Signs of elder financial abuse include unpaid bills, missing valuables, comments from the elderly person and isolation. If you are or know a victim of elder financial abuse, you can call the Elder Abuse Hotline of the Department of Health and Human Services Adult Protective Services Division at
1-800-624-8404.
If you're expecting Social Security benefits to be enough to provide for you in retirement, think again. People under the age of 50 need to be focused on providing for themselves. By contributing $4,000 per year to an IRA earning just 5.00% from age 25 to age 65, you'll have more than $500,000 for your retirement. We offer IRA options that allow you to open an account with as little as $25 and make deposits in any amount. Try using direct deposit to transfer $25 each week directly into your IRA and start counting the days until retirement!
If you change your name, inform the Social Security Administration before you file your next tax return. The name on your tax return must match the name registered with SSA. Those who encounter problems are usually women who take their husband's last name or revert to their previous name after a divorce. Just complete form SS-5 at your local SSA office to avoid delays or complications with the IRS. Our local SSA office is located at 600 Turner Street, Suite 5, in Auburn. The local number is 784-9652. You can also obtain this form at http://www.socialsecurity.gov.
If you are planning to make a large purchase over the Internet or via phone order using your debit card, you may want to call Card Services to ensure your daily limit is high enough to authorize the purchase. If we can verify you to our satisfaction, we can raise your limit temporarily to allow the purchase to be authorized.
You should test your debit and credit cards just before going on vacation by performing a transaction. If you are planning to travel out of the State or Country, please inform Card Services of your itinerary. Making us aware of your travels helps us prevent our fraud services from blocking your card due to unusual activity.
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