MoneyWisdom Fall 2015
NEW CHIP CARDS:
Enhanced Security Plus International Acceptance
3 STEPS TO AVOID Buyer’s Remorse ESTATE PLANNING:
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4 Top Issues & How to Plan for Them
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A CO MPL I ME NTA RY SUB SCRIP TION FROM HAN SCOM FCU
CHAIRMAN’S CORNER Paul J. Marotta, Chairman
be part of a tradition with the hanscom fcu charitable foundation Our tradition of people helping people goes back to the beginning of the credit union movement. We proudly continue that principle through the Hanscom FCU Charitable Foundation. We created the Foundation in 2012 as a way of bringing together people and funds to make a difference in the community. Not only have we continued our support for causes such as children’s health and advocacy for homeless families, we have added new groups that serve our member base. In the past year, the Foundation has joined forces with the Red Sox Foundation and Massachusetts General Hospital Home Base Program. Home Base supports veterans suffering the invisible wounds of war, including post-traumatic stress disorder and traumatic brain injury. We have completed fundraising events this year, including raffles and a charity golf tournament. However, the best support we get is your through membership in the Foundation. Every time someone joins, we have one more person standing behind these terrific organizations and we are able to make a difference in our community. I ask your help by becoming a member of the Hanscom FCU Charitable Foundation. Join today!. Join at any branch, by phone at 800-656-4328, or online at www.hfcucharity.org.
INTERNATIONAL 15 CREDIT UNION DAY OCT
Join us for
On Thursday, October 15, we will recognize International Credit Union Day in all our branches. Please join us to celebrate the world-wide credit union movement. This year’s theme, “People Helping People,” has been a guiding principle at Hanscom FCU since our beginning. Please stop by during the day for a snack and to say hello.
Apple PayTM Education Now you can use your Hanscom FCU ATM & Check Card with Apple Pay! You’ll enjoy the convenience of paying with your phone plus all the benefits of your Hanscom FCU card. For information on Apple Pay, visit www.hfcu.org/applepay. 2
Fall 2015
NEW PAYMENT TECHNOLOGY
CHIP CARDS: Stronger Protection from Fraud With the rise of credit card fraud, the United States is switching to the global credit card standard, called EMV, or the chip card. Chip cards are embedded with a microchip that’s been proven to decrease fraud by making it harder for thieves to obtain payment data.
How the Chip Card WORKS
CHIP CARDS CAN BE PROCESSED SEVERAL WAYS:
With a traditional card, the magnetic stripe contains static data that can be skimmed and duplicated.
chip and PIN preferred chip and signature
With a chip card, the chip creates a one-time-use transaction code for each purchase.
chip only (under a certain dollar amount)
The Typical PROCESS
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Chip Cards by the NUMBERS
Insert your card into the payment terminal, chip first, face up.
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Leave your card in the terminal for the entire transaction.
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You’ll be prompted enter your PIN or sign your name as you normally would. Once payment data has been verified, you’ll be prompted to remove your card.
YEARS
130 December
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While they’re new to us, chip cards were first used in France in 1992 Percentage of U.S. retailers estimated to be using chip card compliant technology by Dec. 31, 2015
Number of countries that use chip cards today
600 million: Estimated number of chip cards to be issued by the end of the year
What You Can EXPECT If you have an active Hanscom FCU ATM & Check Card, you can expect a replacement chip card to arrive in October 2015. If you have an active Platinum Credit Card, we will send your new chip card by early 2016. Your ATM & Check Card is PIN preferred. If required by the merchant, you will first be prompted to enter your PIN. You will have the option to decline the PIN and sign for your purchase if you prefer. To learn more about the benefits of our ATM & Check card, visit www.hfcu.org/account-access/atm-check-card.html.
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Keep in Touch
Send Us Your UPDATED
CONTACT INFORMATION
Want Instant Answers about Your Account? SIGN UP FOR ALERTS Keeping tabs on your Hanscom FCU accounts has never been easier. Sign up for account alerts and you can stay up to date without constantly logging in to your account. Set your account alerts to get a message when a deposit hits your account or if your balance goes below a certain threshold. Track purchases on your credit card, or get a notice right away if your home equity line is tapped. Knowing your account activity makes it easy to spot a fraudulent transaction. Security alerts will let you know about several activities involving your online account. Know immediately if someone enters an invalid password, if a new password request has been successful or if a computer/browser has been registered. If any alert is unfamiliar, contact us right away and let us know. All your alerts are conveniently located within Online Access. Just log in and choose the Alerts option. 4
Fall 2015
If you’ve moved, changed your phone number or switched your email address, please let us know. Here are three easy ways to update your contact information.
BRANCH
WRITING
ONLINE
We occasionally send mailings with important information about your account. To avoid delays, it’s helpful to have your updated contact information.
1. Online: Just log in to your account online and select “Services” from the left-side menu. Choose “Address Change” and follow the instructions. 2. In writing: Download a Change of Address form from our website, or send us a signed note with the changes. Send it to us by fax at 888-279-7725 or mail it to: Member Services, Hanscom FCU, 1610 Eglin St., Hanscom AFB, MA 01731. 3. At a branch: Stop by any of our branches to let us know your new information. Be sure to bring a photo ID with your signature when you visit.
MONEY SAVING TIPS
3 STEPS TO AVOID Buyer’s Remorse As the holiday season gears up, you may be thinking about how you’ll avoid overeating at family gatherings and other social events. Is it also time to consider how you’ll avoid overspending? For example: • Have you shopped for holiday gifts with a “one for them, one for me” approach? • Do you forget to track your spending, especially on small items like stocking stuffers? • Could heightened emotions or competitive impulses sway you to buy an unnecessary gift for yourself or give your children more? The 3-D method – determine, distract, delay – is recommended by Lean Body Fat Wallet authors Ellie Kay and Danna Demetre. It can be an easyto-remember way to shop smart without overindulging and having buyer’s remorse.
1. determine It’s vital to know what you need before shopping. Make a list of not only the items you need to purchase, but the stores you will visit. This can help you steer clear of wandering into impulse shopping territory. You may also want to set a time limit to help you get in and get out of stores.
2. distract Have a tough time saying no to your children when shopping together? Ask them to help you create the list before shopping. Then they too can focus on what you need instead of finding things you don’t. Be mindful of your long-term goals when something that’s not on the shopping list catches your eye. Carrying a picture of your family or a vacation destination in your wallet may help you pause and rethink before adding a “want” rather than a “need” to your cart.
We’ve got a Holiday Spending Guide to help you stay merry through the busy holiday season. Get your copy now at http://go.hfcu.org/holidaybudget-template
3. delay Some financial experts recommend waiting a week to see if you still want an item, others suggest 24 hours. It’s likely you’ll forget all about the cute shoes or computer gadget that was tempting you. Another technique is to use cash and leave credit cards at home. You may want to even go as far as literally freezing your credit – by freezing your card in a block of ice. If something is really worth it, you’ll be willing to go home and chip away at your credit card to use it.
stay on track Learn about our tools to help you manage your money on the go. Visit www.hfcu.org/access for details on setting up alerts, transferring funds, and reviewing your transactions from your mobile device.
Financial Management Help from Hanscom FCU Budgeting and money management may not be everyone’s cup of tea. That’s why we offer BALANCESM. You have access to free and confidential financial education and counseling. It can help you take charge of your finances and build better financial habits. Set up an appointment at 888-456-2227.
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4 Estate Planning HAZARDS
TO AVOID
An estate plan is not exclusively about assets and possessions. It’s an expression of your hopes and wishes for the future. You want to know not only that your assets will be transferred successfully, but also that the family unity you spent a lifetime creating will be preserved as well. Well-drafted estate plan documents are important to achieving those goals. However, open communication with and among heirs may be equally important. Too often, when adult children are unprepared for their parents’ inevitable aging and passing, squabbles and rivalries can crop up that threaten to cripple or destroy the best-laid plans. Heirs need to be equipped to deal with a number of potentially sticky issues, and who better to assist them than you? As they say, a parent’s job is never finished! Rest assured, though, that an estate planning professional with Hanscom Financial Services is available to support you. We welcome the opportunity to meet with you and your loved ones.
issues for heirs You may need to prepare your children or other heirs to deal with:
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Your changing care needs or those of your spouse or other family member. Who will decide if and when assisted living, home care or more advanced care is needed? Who will make the arrangements?
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The complexities of administering an estate or trust. There’s more involved than many people realize. It can be helpful to name an experienced, professional executor or trustee. You might also name a family member but suggest that they hire a professional to take on the more complex duties, such as managing assets or filing taxes.
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Avoiding elder financial abuse. You may not recognize when it happens, or may be too embarrassed to admit it. Protective measures are best put in place before you fall victim to scams or other financial abuse.
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An estate planning professional with Hanscom Financial Services is available to support you. We welcome the opportunity to meet with you and your loved ones.
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Preventing or resolving conflicts between siblings. By anticipating possible conflicts and discussing potential resolutions – perhaps even putting in place a mechanism that everyone agrees upon to resolve disputes – family harmony may be preserved.
get started now Plentiful and open communication can help families avoid or at least significantly reduce family discord, which in turn helps protect and preserve family unity and wealth. Starting well before you need to put your plan in place can help everyone feel more at ease.
Start a conversation with your heirs soon. Create an atmosphere where everyone is comfortable and feels their voice will be heard. Listen to each family member’s ideas and concerns and encourage everyone to brainstorm solutions to potential conflicts. Family members are less likely to dispute a plan they had a hand in creating. Contact an estate planning professional at Hanscom Financial Services at 800-656-4328, ext. 2236 to learn how we can help.
PEOPLE HELPING PEOPLE
Hanscom FCU IN
THE NEWS pitching in to honor our veterans U.S. Army veteran Joseph H. Dussault was our first Hero Among Us of the summer. He was honored July 9 at a Lowell Spinners baseball game. Mr. Dussault, a Lowell resident, served in Korea and Vietnam as a combat medic. For decades, Mr. Dussault has served area veterans as Commander of the Retired Armed Forces, Post Commander of VFW Post 662 and Commander of the Lowell Veterans Council. He also was appointed the Veterans Service Officer to the City of Lowell and served for 15 years in this role.
lowell high student reaches for the stars Aidelis Perez, Lowell High School Air Force JRTOC cadet, has received the Paul J. Marotta Reach for the Stars Award for 2015. The Paul J. Marotta Reach for the Stars Award is presented annually to a member of the Lowell High School Junior AFROTC program who excels in encouraging peers to reach their potential and best displays the core values of the U.S. Air Force.
hanscom heroes Homecoming celebrates returning airmen Hanscom FCU was part of this summer’s Hanscom Heroes Homecoming at Hanscom AFB. Over 60 Airmen were welcomed home with a parade, luncheon and award ceremony. The event recognized everyone who returned from a deployment over the past year.
Celebrating
our new burlington branch with donation to town group
memorial to gen. greene unveiled in natick Hanscom FCU officials unveiled a traditional battlefield cross memorial to US Army Major General Harold J. Greene, former Commander of the Natick Soldier Systems Command. Gen. Greene was killed in Afghanistan in 2014. The base of the cross is inscribed “A Soldier’s Soldier Who Truly Served His Nation with Honor.”
Jo-Ann Gorrasi, board member of People Helping People, accepts a check for $1,000 from Hanscom FCU President/CEO David Sprague and Chairman of the Board Paul Marotta. People Helping People is a Burlington, MA, organization devoted to providing assistance to residents with an emergency need for food, medicine, heat or utilities. The group also provides holiday food baskets and gifts for children through local charitable groups. 7
our mission To provide superior financial service responsive to our members’ needs.
contact us Headquarters: 1610 Eglin Street, Hanscom AFB, MA 01731
1610 Eglin Street Hanscom AFB, MA 01731 Page 1 of 1
800-656-4328 www.hfcu.org Download our free app for iPhone® and AndroidTM Short code for text access: 692667 Routing Number (for direct deposits and withdrawals): 2113-8048-3 NMLS# 410771 To report a lost or stolen ATM & Check Card or Credit Card call: 800-656-4328 Overseas (24 hr): 701-461-0621 (call collect)
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Go green. Log in to Online Access HD to sign up for online statements. Learn more at www.hfcu.org/online.
HO-HO-HOLIDAY STRESS!
Keep It in Check with These Four Tips board of directors Paul J. Marotta, Chairman Mark D. Walsh, Vice Chairman John A. Delcore, Secretary Alan M. Hart, Treasurer Teresa S. Conrad Hugh W. McNeil Ray T. Phillips Frederick C. Ryan Lawrence S. Rzepecki
statistics Members.................................................61,624 Assets........................................ $1,107,000,000 Loans.......................................... $849,000,000 Deposits.......................................$977,000,000 Reserves...................................... $106,000,000 July 31, 2015
Federally insured by NCUA. This publication does not constitute legal, accounting or other professional advice. Although it is intended to be accurate, neither the publisher nor any other party assumes liability for loss or damage due to reliance on this material. Websites not belonging to Hanscom FCU are provided for information only. No endorsement is implied. Images may be from one or more of these sources: ©iStock, ©Fotolia, ©Canva. ©2015 Hanscom Federal Credit Union.
The holidays are right around the corner. Whether your approach is lively and quick or tinged with the blues, your Hanscom FCU accounts can help you keep stress http://bitly.com/SM3Slv.qrcode levels in check.
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Think it through. What do you remember fondly from the past few years? What are you most looking forward to? List each one along with the cost. Be realistic about what you can afford and stick to the things that will most help you enjoy the season.
Give wisely. Gifts are the largest budget item for many of us. List everyone you will buy for, including tips for service people, secret Santa and hostess gifts. Assign an amount to each 12/7/2012 person and write in gift ideas. Once you buy the gift, check that person off. Track your spending on the go with mobile access and text banking. Get a list of recent transactions and balances or transfer funds in seconds.
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You might be tempted to borrow funds or use a high-rate credit card, but there are other ways to give your budget some breathing room. Some lenders will let you skip a payment, but only if you ask. The extra funds can ease a cash crunch without adding debt. Learn more at www.hfcu.org/skip.
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Plan your spending. Once you have a total budget, decide if the money will come from savings, cash on hand, a loan, or a combination. Commit to a date when all holiday debt will be paid off. If you plan to borrow, check out our low-rate holiday loan and credit cards.
Be kind to yourself. Holidays can be difficult for people who have suffered a loss, feel stressed by increased demands on their time and money, or simply don’t take the time to eat properly, rest and exercise during these weeks. Pay attention to your moods and take time each day for yourself. Open a CU Thrive account to save a little each month so you won’t be overwhelmed with holiday debt.
Download our Holiday Budgeting eGuide at http://go.hfcu.org/ holiday-budget-template to stay on top of your money.