COVID-19

Advance Child Tax Credit Payments set to Begin in July

  The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently released details about the child tax credit, including dates for when your advanced child tax credit payments will arrive. The IRS is set to begin advanced payments of the enhanced child tax credit (CTC) on July 15 – 50% of these enhanced credits will…
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Options to Make Timely Payments

  If bad weather or other unforeseen circumstances arise, here are some options to ensure the timely posting of payments to your loans and utility bills. This will help you avoid unnecessary inconvenience and/or late fees. For Patriot Loan Payments: Use our online banking portal (eBranch) or our…
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Second Round of Economic Stimulus Payments

  What You Need to Know About Your COVID-19 Stimulus Payments The distribution of a second round of economic stimulus payments has just begun in the United States. These will be automatically distributed, needing no action from most people. Read below to find out anything you need to know about…
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Puppy Scams: How to Spot and Avoid Them

Who doesn’t want a cute cuddly puppy to spend the quarantine with? Especially for people who live alone, there are psychological benefits to having a pet when you feel disconnected from your support system. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), dogs reduce stress, anxiety, and…
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Beware of COVID-19 Fraud Attacks: How to Spot and Avoid Them

WARNING: EIP Fraud Alert The IRS is warning people about a text message scam piggybacking on the economic impact payments authorized under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act. The text reads; “You have received a direct deposit of $1,200 from covid-19 TREAS FUND. Further action…
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5 Tips for Holiday Shopping During the COVID-19 Pandemic

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas! Although holiday shopping will look different this year, the celebrations will go on! Check out these tips for safe shopping this holiday season. Expect Crowds Although crowds will likely be thinner than usual on the main holiday shopping days of the year,…
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Cybersecurity and Social Media: 5 Ways to Stay Safe

In 2020, almost everyone is on social media, but are you staying safe? Using social media is fun and useful for staying in touch with out-of-town friends and family (and pretty much everyone during the COVID-19 pandemic), but don’t let your guard down too far. Check out these tips to keep you and your…
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How to Pay a Large Medical Bill

According to the Journal of General Internal Medicine, in 2019 about 137.1 million adults in the United States faced financial hardship due to large medical bills. Struggling to pay a medical bill is nothing to be ashamed of, but is truly a common issue. So how do you tackle this problem? Don’t ignore…
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What to do When You Can’t Afford Rent

This year has thrown us a lot of curveballs, causing unexpected circumstances and hardships. As we work towards a sense of normalcy, many people are still struggling with their financial situation and affording basic necessities, such as rent. If you’re concerned about the possibility of not being…
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How to Avoid Vishing Scams

First things first, in order to avoid vishing scams, we need to know what they are. “Vishing” means “voice phishing.” Phishing, if you are not familiar, is a form of scam played out over email. So, all in all, “vishing” is a voice scam. These scams are played out over the phone, so vishing…
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