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The problem with multiple usernames and passwords that are lengthy and varied is that they are difficult to memorize. On the other hand, keeping a single master username and password exposes you to a lot of risk should an identity thief manage to crack that username and password.

This is something that password protection services are picking up on.

The whole premise of these service providers is that they sell you a program that encrypts, stores and hides all your personal information. This information includes passwords, bank accounts, credit details and even your Social Security number should you choose to store it.

These services can even generate complex passwords and then automatically retrieve those passwords when you need them. Others can even distinguish fake and genuine websites; withholding your information and alerting you if you manage to find yourself on a copycat site.

Then again, not all these password protection services are the same.

If you want to cover yourself with this protection, then be prepared to do some research and then pay for a subscription to the more trusted and reliable names out there. The last thing you want to do is entrust your personal details to a fake password protection service.

We see a lot of great promos this holiday seasons, especially from the bigger chains that dole out serious savings on lots of items they sell.

The problem, however, is to be acutely aware of the ins and outs of the authenticity of all those offers – especially over the Internet

True, a lot of identity thieves lurk the Internet. Their authentic-looking phishing emails coupled with malicious viruses can always worm their way into the careless computer user. But what most people don’t know is that Christmas time is feeding time, especially since a lot of people get careless when they see an offer they like.

If you see any offer on the ‘net that’s appealing to you, then slow down and look at everything. Is the URL link of the website actually legit? Does the merchant use a trusted third-party like PayPal to handle purchases? Will you be forced to give out personal details just to be eligible for the Christmas promos?

And one last thing: be very, VERY careful with what you post on social networks. This is old news, I know, but announcing to the world that your family is on vacation also tells everyone that no one is at home. That’s not something you really want going public.

A series of major home equity loan (aka HEL aka reverse mortgage) providers like Bank of American and Wells Fargo have backed out earlier this year, but John Yedinak of ReverseMortgageDaily.com has seen quite a few signs that other big players might be stepping in to fill the void.

Yedinak coyly suggests this as he saw a set of “new faces” in the National Reverse Mortgage Lenders conference this October. The main theme of the conference was on how to limit HEL defaults due to tax and insurance-related causes, which is a good thing for consumers should the industry players come to an agreement on how to do it.

What was most intriguing, however, is the prospect of new players to challenge MetLife and Genworth’s newfound grip on home equity loans.

As an increasing number of HEL suppliers jostle for customers, the customers themselves will start to be offered better and better deals over time. This is especially important for the aging boomer generation, which saw much of its investments in the financial market shrink down to nonexistent levels.

After all, a healthy and competitive HEL market will allow them to at least draw a good amount of money from their real estate equity to their retirement.

A September poll conducted by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling (NFCC) has shown that 24 percent of the population will not inform their spouse of financial difficulties.

Of the 1,400 respondents polled, 9 percent say that sharing this information would worry their spouse, 8 percent say that the spouse is unaware of the debt in the first place and 7 percent say that the information would damage the relationship.

NFCC spokesperson Gail Cunningham says that “Even if well-intentioned, withholding financial information from a spouse is not a sign of a healthy relationship, either emotional or financial.”

The NFCC thus makes a few recommendations to help broaching the topic of financial difficulty somewhat easier:

• Discuss the matter during a convenient time and non-hostile environment.
• Respect each other’s concerns, opinions and financial attitudes.
• Be honest about all debts and the severity of the problems.
• Be open to adjusting lifestyle.
• Do not blame.
• Create a joint budget.
• Create contingency plans for foreseeable financial problems.
• Determine who will pay what and when.
• Set short and long-term goals.
• Clarify other financial concerns like retirement, parental care and education.

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The Office of the Inspector General (OIG) has warned that distance education programs can be easily defrauded by students that provide false identities.

A type of federal loan called Title IV programs disburse funds for students in distance education programs, but the problem here is that Title IV programs do not require colleges to verify a student’s identity.

This will allow groups of individuals to collaborate together in obtaining student loans and then disappearing after they have received the funds.

This follows investigations and convictions revealing 215 fraud participants in 42 different rings since 2005. These convictions, however, do not reflect the full scale of fraud rings since there are rings that have yet to be discovered.

Should a student fail to attend classes, colleges must then repay the full amount of any aid they receive from Title IV programs. This is why colleges are taking steps to mitigate damage as soon as the semester starts.

“To help with this process, it is important for faculty to do roll verification. We moved up the date for roll verification this past year to be closer to class start to help find students who did not attend class. If a student never attended class, then we must remove their aid,” says Financial Aid director of North Georgia College & State University Jill Rayner.

You know the real estate market is dangerously weak when fixed mortgage rates reach their lowest point in sixty years.

30-year fixed mortgages were at an average of 4.09% while 15-year fixed mortgages were at 3.3%. These values were respectively 4.37% and 3.82% last year.

The large drop in mortgage values are a side-effect of the debt troubles Europe is currently facing, since investors are shifting money into safe treasures and forcing yields down. It is, however, the weak buys and sales of real estate properties across America that cause

While these low mortgage values are a sign of an anemic real estate market, they can be very attractive for homeowners that want to purchase property or refinance their existing high-interest mortgages.

Mortgage applications have indeed risen by 6.3% after a few weeks in decline.

The problem here is that not many people are will or able to buy or refinance, as Paul Dales of Capital Economist explains:

“Even though 30-year rates have fallen to a record low, the 90% gain in mortgage applications for refinancing since April is modest compared with the surges in 2003 (720%), 2009 (560%) and 2010 (240%)”

High unemployment, low wage gains, large debt, strict regulations and weak equity make it nearly impossible for most Americans to take advantage of these record-low mortgage rates.

Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, Citigroup and Ally Financial have allegedly been offered settlements over their improper mortgage practices which exist to this day.

The problem is that these banks have declined to go with the alleged settlement offers, with some guessing that the banks are still waiting for a more “generous” offer from the government.

These more generous offers are expected to include freedom of liability from “wrongful securitization practices” and failures in loan modifications.

The office of Attorney General Tom Miller – leader of the negotiating states – denies any securitization offers are being made in the deals.

At the heart of these wrongful securitization claims are allegations that the banks did not properly (a.k.a. legally) maintain and transfer related documents from one step of the securities chain to the next.

On the other hand, the Attorney Generals of Nevada, New York, Delaware and Massachusetts have refused a counter-proposal by the banks to be “released” from a broad range of liabilities.

Constantine von Hoffman of BNet.com says “They [banks] were being offered an impressively large and stupid gift horse, too. Stupid because many of the largest mortgage servicers are still fabricating documents that should have been signed years ago and then using them to foreclose on homeowners.”

Talks between the banks and Attorneys General are ongoing.

Jason Hodge of construction company Rausch Coleman Homes says that “traffic has picked up immensely.”

He is referring to the orders Rausch Coleman Homes has received after mortgage rates have officially hit their lowest levels since 1971. Unofficially, the rates could even be lower than those found during the 1950’s.

Freddie Mac saw the average 30-year fixed-rate home loan go down to 4.15 percent before settling to 4.22 percent last week.

Mortgage applications, however, have seen a 15-year low as well according to the Mortgage Bankers Association. Unemployment woes and fears of a second recession are keeping many potential homeowners from taking a mortgage they could not afford in the near future.

Paul Wheeler of Accent Realtors is encouraging buyers go back to the market even if overall sales are below the 2010 level, saying that “it is the best buyer’s market he has seen in 19 years.”

This is especially important not only for the mortgage industry but for the American government as well.

Owning 248,000 foreclosed homes has put major pressure on the government to find ways to dispose of these properties, especially since documentation problems have stalled foreclosures – meaning that foreclosures are expected to pick up once these documentation problems are resolved.

Dwindling scholarships, mounting student debt and high unemployment rates have made it more attractive for fresh graduates to simply come back home and live with their parents.

And this is not something that occurs in only a few households. According to the Patch Network, around 20% of 25- to 34-year olds lived in multigenerational homes during the peak of the recession. That figure was only 11% back in 1980.

The Patch has even named this particular group of young adults “boomerangers.”

But how should both parent and child alike deal with a situation like this?

First off is to look at the practical side of things.

A lot of money will be saved if a child moves in with his or her parents, with rent or mortgage being the most significant savings. The child can also find one way or another to contribute in the household – helping with rent or the chores – as this fosters amicability and encourages a give-and-take relationship.

Then the problem-solving phase comes in to top the discussions off.

Setting long-term goals and a time limit are essential, as these will give direction to the actions of both parent and child in reestablishing independence. Open and frank discussions will result in concrete plans which will in turn make it easier to determine what will be done in the meantime.

Other details like assigning chores and adjusting house rules to fit a young adult can then follow.