In today's increasingly digital world, transferring money electronically has become the norm for many. However, with the convenience of electronic transfers comes the potential for fraud and scams. The Electronic Funds Transfer Act (EFTA) might offer some protections and remedy. The EFTA is a federal law enacted to help safeguard consumers with qualifying electronic fund transfers (EFTs), while offering protections Read More
Understanding the TikTok Divestment Debate and FTC’s Actions
Data privacy and national security concerns have become increasingly prominent in our conversations, especially surrounding the TikTok divestment and the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) enforcement efforts. This article identifies some of the key issues in the evolving legal landscape and offers considerations on how to consciously evaluate the use of your private data. The TikTok Debate: Balancing Innovation Read More
Navigating Peer-to-Peer Payment Apps (Zelle, PayPal, Venmo, etc.): The good, the bad, and the ugly.
Photo by Rami Al-zayat on Unsplash Peer-to-peer (P2P) payment applications have become indispensable tools for simplifying our financial lives. Whether you're sharing a restaurant bill or paying for that Airbnb stay, most of us can agree these apps are convenient and easy to use. However, as with any technology, there are potential pitfalls, so consider protecting yourself from being defrauded and losing money. Read More
Do I Need a Lawyer?
Almost everything we do—from making a big purchase of a vehicle or home to operating a vehicle and interacting with others personally and professionally—can implicate a legal concern. When do you need a lawyer? When might you handle a legal concern without one? Some challenges may be assisted, at least in part, with the help of another professional, accountant, counselor, or perhaps clergy. Here are some frequent Read More
Your Medical Records: Do you have access and ownership?
Photo by Hush Naidoo Jade Photography on Unsplash “Access to computers and the Internet has become a basic need for education in our society.” Kent Conrad Do you own your medical records? Henrietta Lacks unknowingly donated her medical information when as a young mother of five, she died from cervical cancer. Her cells, identified as "HeLa cells" (taken from her first and last name), were used in Read More
The Rooftop Solar Market: Considerations Before You Invest
Photo by Angie Warren on Unsplash “We are like tenant farmers chopping down the fence around our house for fuel when we should be using Nature’s inexhaustible source of energy – Sun, wind, and tide… I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don’t have to wait until oil and coal run out before we tackle that.” -Thomas Edison Due to increasing energy costs and a growing solar Read More
Have you made an emergency plan yet?
Photo by Marissa Grootes on Unsplash "Let no one ever come to you without leaving better and happier." - Mother Teresa Do you have an emergency plan? I am prompted by a close call at our home several weeks ago when the palm trees in Agua Caliente Park caught fire with a lightning strike. In the middle of the afternoon, I looked out my office window and saw high flames in the air a short distance away. Read More
How to Improve a Business: Whether it is your own business or another business you support.
We put together some tips on how to improve a business and workspace: Organize. Getting organized is a key to improving your business or employment skills. Many software-as-a-service (SaaS) tools exist to increase organization. Online programs such as Slack, Asana, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams, are types of platforms that assist businesses and employees to collaborate more efficiently. Keeping your office and desk Read More