January 6, 2020 is officially National Technology Day, dedicated to recognizing technological achievements and to look to the future of technology. When it comes to your financial plan, technology should play a major role. Below we’ve outlined a few “tech tips” to help support your financial goals. Putting these tips into play can help get you on the right track in 2020.

 

Take Advantage of Accounting Software

Employing an accounting software tool can help you save time, easily check your financial status, pay bills and stay on budget. We recommend Quickbooks to our clients and encourage them to link all of their financial accounts, including but not limited to; credit cards, investment accounts, mortgages, banking and any lines of credit. There are currently four pricing plans available ranging from $20 – $150 per month. Looking for a free option? Try mint.com.

 

Secure your Online Activity

When managing your finances online, you need to be vigilant about security in order to protect yourself against hackers. Here are a few recommendations to help keep you safe:

  • Keep up with system and software security updates
  • Enable a firewall
  • Adjust your browser settings to the highest levels of online privacy
  • Install antivirus and anti-spyware software
  • Password protect your software and lock your devices
  • Do not use universal passwords! If you’re having trouble remembering a whole bunch of passwords, try a Password Manager tool.
  • Don’t download anything that comes from a site you don’t trust
  • Make online purchases from secure sites. You can identify secure sites by looking for an address that starts with https:(the S stands for secure) rather than simply http: They may also be marked by a padlock icon next to the address bar.

 

Get your Internet Access up to Speed

While this may be an obvious step, it’s often overlooked. We recommend heading over to Google and typing in ‘Check internet speed.” There are multiple free tools which will help you find out what your speed is currently. According to NerdWallet, you’ll need 1 Mbps for general web activity. Below are some additional guidelines to help you avoid getting bogged down when managing your finances online. Annually, review your plan with your carrier for internet service and ask for their promotional rate. They will never call you and tell you about their special rates.

 

Follow Financial News Sources Online

Spend 10 minutes per day online to review financial media and news. This will allow you to work successfully with your financial advisor and your investment plan. Here are a few outlets that we like to keep up with. We recommend visiting their websites and signing up for their weekly newsletters. Pick two or three that you like and follow those sites.

  • CNN Money
  • MoneySense
  • Global Finance
  • SmartMoney
  • Reuters Money
  • Wall Street Journal MoneyBeat
  • Yahoo Finance
  • Financial Times
  • Finance News (from Financial Times)
  • MarketWatch

 

Rely on your Financial Advisor for Guidance

Talking with your financial advisor for guidance on financial tech tools can be beneficial. This will help you maximize the value of your financial planner.