It Might Not Help To Have Workers Change Passwords
Most office drones have had to deal with a job that requires them to keep changing their passwords like clockwork, maybe every six months or so. The longstanding IT security practice is based on the idea that flushing out old passwords will cut off access for bad guys who may have figured them out. But according to the Federal Trade Commission’s chief technologist, Lorrie Cranor, the strategy has some major holes. “Unless there is...
Money Talk: Long Waits for IRS to Issue Refunds
Question: How long is too long for an IRS tax refund to be disbursed? I got my state tax refund in a matter of weeks. The IRS refund has been “under review” for almost five months. Answer: A sizable surge in tax refund theft as well as a database breach that exposed more than 300,000 taxpayers’ returns have kept the IRS pretty busy. At the same time, big budget cuts have left the agency with fewer people to help with these issues....
Money Talk: Mailed Tax Returns Need Tracking Number
Question: My CPA sent my completed tax return to my home address via first-class mail with no tracking number. The large envelope should have arrived in two days. Over a week has passed and it’s nowhere in sight. I am freaking out as it has all my financial data and is a gateway to fraud of every sort! The various post office officials have really done nothing to assist in its location. I have credit freezes at all three bureaus and...
Saving for Retirement As a Stay-At-Home Parent
Doing the math on becoming a stay-at-home parent often involves tallying up child care, dry cleaning and takeout expenses and weighing how much of that second paycheck is eaten up by those costs. Many couples conclude that the profit margin for a second income doesn’t justify the emotional cost. Retirement, often decades away for couples with young kids, isn’t much of a factor in the discussion. But it came into focus recently for...
Money Talk: Beware Credit-Repair Rip-Offs
Question: I’m seeking help in reviewing my credit report and how to fix any issues. I am not financially distressed, but have FICO scores in the 675 range. Could you recommend someone I can hire to assist as I need to refinance a house I bought for cash? Answer: There’s so much fraud in the credit repair industry that you’re likely better off doing it yourself rather than exposing yourself to rip-offs. Credit repair companies aren’t...
