You may be getting spring fever right about now, but with the April 15th tax deadline approaching, there’s no better time to settle in and think seriously about your finances. It’s for this reason that since 2004, April has been declared “National Financial Capability Month.” But just how important is this, and why does it matter?

National Financial Capability Month is a presidential proclamation. While this sounds awfully serious, the proclamation in this case has to due with raising awareness during a certain month, much like Women’s History Month (March) or National Preparedness Month (September). April, when most of us are thinking about our taxes anyway, is now the country’s official time to encourage citizens to empower themselves financially.

The proclamations over the past several years have focused on these key items:

Strengthening our economy post-recession

Although our economy has grown since the 2008 recession, there’s still a missing link between hard work and fair opportunities — but the smarter financial decisions Americans make, the better off our economy will be as a whole.

Encouraging financial literacy

The government recognizes that, between lack of education and misleading techniques employed by certain financial institutions, Americans don’t always possess the financial literacy they need for success. Campaigns such as “Know Before You Owe” and the new simplified mortgage forms were introduced as a response to the need for fiscal transparency.

Guiding citizens through major financial decisions

The financial “big three” — college, a home, and retirement — aren’t a reality for all Americans. This is why the government has been working to make saving and borrowing safer and easier for more people with programs like myRA.

Why National Financial Capability Month Matters

Since 2008, our country — and our fellow citizens — have had to reevaluate our relationship to money. A complex network of events, practices, and behaviors robbed many people of the financial futures they had been working toward. This is why both the government and the people of the United States come together each April to take a fresh look at the state of our affairs so we can build stronger futures together.

Each of us is responsible for our own financial literacy, but not all of us have had the same opportunity to become truly financially capable. That’s why National Financial Capability Month matters — it’s a time to seek out resources offered by the government and other institutions that will empower us to make smart money decisions.

Here are a few good places to start:

MyMoney.gov

For basic, easy-to-understand information on spending, saving, borrowing, investing, and earning, see MyMoney.gov.

ConsumerFinance.gov

The consumer finance bureau offers a lot of good information on how to safely and securely engage with finance institutions, whether you’re opening up a credit card or taking out a loan.

MyRA.treasury.gov

Find out about the government’s new type of retirement account that’s safe, affordable, and completely free of start-up or maintenance fees.

One of the best things you can do for your finances — and your credit score — is to learn as much as you can. The more you know, the more power you have, and the better off you are likely to be when it comes to money.

The post Understanding National Financial Capability Month appeared first on National Credit Federation.

You may be familiar with “chip and PIN” cards, those high-tech credit cards that actually contain a small microchip. Traditional credit cards use a magnetic stripe to process payments, but this technology is inherently problematic. Between dubious card reader practices and learning to forge a signature, they simply don’t offer consumers a high level of protection. The chip and PIN cards were developed in the early 2000s to put an end to some of these common security complaints.

The chip is more secure because it can’t be cloned. This, combined with the wireless technology of the past ten or so years, has made it possible to process payments with a secure card directly in front of the consumer. No more taking credit cards to a back room, far out of sight, where potential danger lies.

President Obama signed an executive order to make the move to chip and PIN cards within the government starting in January 2015. There’s a strong push to get the rest of the country to switch over by October — a mere 6 months away. Unfortunately, US businesses have been slow to adopt this new technology. The problem has to do with infrastructure — the innumerable credit card machines found in practically every establishment across the states — and less to do with the credit card companies themselves.

So do you need to get a chip card?

Sooner or later, yes. But don’t drop what you’re doing just yet. Since not all retailers accept them, it’s advisable to keep a traditional credit card handy just in case. But if you value the extra protection the chip has to offer — and we hope you do — talk to your credit card company about issuing you a new card. You’ll be ahead of the game, and have more secure finances because of it.

The post Do You Need To Get A Chip Card? appeared first on National Credit Federation.

66% of the items disputed this round were deleted!

Click on the image to view the full size pdf!
Here are the items that were removed or improved:
Credit Adjustments

Credit Solutions Corp

First Bank of Delaware

Pinnacle Financial Group

** AND**
Check Out Robert’s results from Equifax and Experian on this Round!
Although these are Robert’s actual results, we have to tell you that your results WILL vary because everyone’s report is different.
But if you would like to receive results on your report, then call the number on the top of this page or click on “Join Now” and we can get started improving your credit score so you can begin living the life you deserve today!

First round, Bob Easton, Cortland, OH

The post Robert in Cortland's results from TransUnion appeared first on National Credit Federation.

The post Robert in Cortland's results from Experian appeared first on National Credit Federation.

14 Items Deleted or Corrected
100% of the Items Challenged were deleted in one round!

Click on the image to view the full size pdf!

Here are the items that were removed or improved:
AFNI

Capital One Bank USA

Chase

Circuit City

Citicards CBNA

DSNB/Macys

HSBC Best Buy

HSBC Helzberg’s Diamond

Online Information SVCS

Pinnacle Credit Services

Premium Collection SVS

WFNNB/ Limited Express

WFNNB / Victoria’s Secret

Although these are Kristen’s actual results, we have to tell you that your results WILL vary because everyone’s report is different.

But if you would like to receive results on your report, then call the number on the top of this page or click on “Join Now” and we can get started improving your credit score so you can begin living the life you deserve today!

Round 1 Auburndale, FL

The post 14 in First Round appeared first on National Credit Federation.

12 Items Deleted
71% of the Items Challenged were deleted in one round!

Click on the image to view the full size pdf!

Here are the items that were removed or improved:

Amsher Collection Services

First Premier

Honda Fin Dallas Reg Br

HSBC Bank

National Credit Solution

Lane Bryant

Wells Fargo Financial

West Asset Mgmt

**AND**

Check Out Rose’s results from Equifax and Experian on this Round!

Although these are Rose’s actual results, we have to tell you that your results WILL vary because everyone’s report is different.

But if you would like to receive results on your report, then call the number on the top of this page or click on “Join Now” and we can get started improving your credit score so you can begin living the life you deserve today!

Round 1 Bill Spragg Houston, TX

The post Rose in Houston's TransUnion Results appeared first on National Credit Federation.

12 Items Deleted
55% of the Items Challenged were deleted in one round!

Click on the image to view the full size pdf!

Here are the items that were removed or improved:

United Revenue Corp

WFFNB / Mattress Giant

Land Bryant Retail

Amsher Collection

West Asset Management

Financial Control SVC

**AND**

Check Out Rose’s results from Equifax and TransUnion on this Round!

Although these are Rose’s actual results, we have to tell you that your results WILL vary because everyone’s report is different.

But if you would like to receive results on your report, then call the number on the top of this page or click on “Join Now” and we can get started improving your credit score so you can begin living the life you deserve today!

Round 1 Bill Spragg Houston, TX

The post Rose in Houston's Experian Results appeared first on National Credit Federation.

16 Items Deleted
73% of the Items Challenged were deleted in one round!

Click on the image to view the full size pdf!

Here are the items that were removed or improved:

LB Retail

SEARS / CBNA

First Premier

HSBC Bank

LVNV Funding

Mattress Giant

GHEP Greater Houston Emergency

Houston Radiology Associated

Greater TX Emergency Consultants

Clear Lake Regional Medical

**AND**

Check Out Rose’s results from TransUnion and Experian on this Round!

Although these are Rose’s actual results, we have to tell you that your results WILL vary because everyone’s report is different.

But if you would like to receive results on your report, then call the number on the top of this page or click on “Join Now” and we can get started improving your credit score so you can begin living the life you deserve today!

Round 1 Bill Spragg Houston, TX

The post Rose in Houston's CSC Equifax Results appeared first on National Credit Federation.

8 Items Deleted
80% of the Items Challenged were deleted in one round!

Click on the image to view the full size pdf!

Here are the items that were removed or improved:

State Tax Lien

Advanced Collection Serv

Bank of America

Credit Info Bureau

Discover Fincl Svc LLC

The Thomas Agency

Verizon

Zales / CBNA

Although these are Serenity’s actual results, we have to tell you that your results WILL vary because everyone’s report is different.

But if you would like to receive results on your report, then call the number on the top of this page or click on “Join Now” and we can get started improving your credit score so you can begin living the life you deserve today!

Tony Baptista Fort Drum, NY

The post Serenity in NY has 8 Deletions appeared first on National Credit Federation.

14 Items Deleted
87% of the Items Challenged were deleted in one round!

Click on the image to view the full size pdf!

Here are the items that were removed or improved:

Bally Total Fitness

United Revenue Corp

Financial Corp of America

Central Finl Control

Financial Control Svc

Citi Cards / Citibank

Chase

Although these are Adham’s actual results, we have to tell you that your results WILL vary because everyone’s report is different.

But if you would like to receive results on your report, then call the number on the top of this page or click on “Join Now” and we can get started improving your credit score so you can begin living the life you deserve today!

Round 1 Bill Spragg Plano, TX

The post Adham in Plano Experian Results appeared first on National Credit Federation.