Timely Tips
Balancing Your Checkbook
The importance of balancing your checkbook is something everyone understands even the people who don't do it. Here are some tips on handling this vital part of managing your family's finances.

• Check your monthly statements. This is the most obvious but also the most important step. It's all too easy to put your statement aside when it arrives and then forget about it. Make a point of comparing it with your check register every month.
  
• Keep track of all transactions. Remember, checks are just one type of transaction on the typical checking account. There may also be check card purchases and ATM transactions, automatic deductions, deposits, transfers, withdrawals, and fees. Forgetting to record any one of these items will cause your checkbook to be out of balance.
  
• Record transactions as they happen. Make things easier on yourself by recording check card purchases, ATM transactions and all other types of activity immediately. If you just can't find the time, put all your receipts in one place like in an envelope or in your checkbook so you can be sure you won't forget to record those transactions when you have time.

One last word of advice: If you and your spouse have a joint account, it's best if one of you assumes the responsibility of balancing your checkbook. The other can help by keeping receipts in a designated place, and when possible, by agreeing on which checks will be written and when.

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MEMBER ADVISORY

The United States Department of the Treasury has issued a warning regarding recent fraudulent e-mail schemes-some appearing to be from government agencies- designed to deceive consumers into surrendering sensitive personal information which could lead to identity theft.  These e-mails tell the recipients to go to web sites where they're asked to verify personal information, as well as other information.  DO NOT GIVE ANYONE THIS INFORMATION!  We assure you that the NCUA, and other government agencies are not "phishing", "carding", or "spoofing".  These are the names that were given to these fraudulent e-mail scams.  If you receive an e-mail with little or no notice, that an account of yours will be shut down unless you reconfirm your billing information, please do not reply or click on any hyperlink.  The Federal Trade Commission has issued some tips for consumers which include:

• Contact a company cited in such an e-mail directly suing a phone number or web site address you know to be genuine.
• Look for the lock icon on the browser's status bar, or the "https" in a web site address-both of which indicate a secure transmission-before submitting information.
• Review credit card and account statements as soon as they are received to determine whether there have been any unauthorized charges.
• Report suspicious activity to the FTC.

For more information or to file a complaint go to the FTC web site at www.ftc.gov

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