Regaining Control after Identity Theft

Robert M. Ryerson, a Certified Financial Fiduciary with New Century Planning in New Jersey, has published multiple books on financial advice. In 2016, Robert M. Ryerson published "What's the Deal with Identity Theft?" which covered this form of financial crime.

Identity theft includes any form of false claim that the criminal is another person, and typically involves using personal information such as a Social Security number, phone number, credit card, or bank account. Many forms of identity theft can be severely financially damaging.

Once one discovers oneself to be the victim of identity theft, swift action should taken. The first steps should be calling any companies with accounts directly affected by the fraud and explaining the situation, freezing any accounts to which the thief gained access, and contacting one of the credit bureaus to place a fraud alert. Victims should also contact the authorities, including the Federal Trade Commission and the local police department. These steps mitigate the damage a thief can continue to do.

After this, victims should assess their credit reports and accounts in detail. New accounts opened by the thief should be closed. The fraud departments of individual businesses can help nullify false charges, and the credit bureaus should be kept in the loop regarding which information is fraudulent.

Signs of Identity Theft

For more than three decades, Robert M. Ryerson has been working in the financial industry. A Certified Financial Fiduciary at New Century Planning, Robert M. Ryerson also teaches about identity protection and has written a book entitled What’s the Deal with Identity Theft?

Here are a few signs that you may be the victim of identity theft:

- Unexplained denial of credit. Any denial of credit that you don’t understand may be a sign that your identity has been stolen. Identity theft can lower your credit score and negatively impact your credit history without your knowledge, leading to denied credit.

- Bills from unknown accounts. If you receive a bill for a credit card you know nothing about or if you get calls from creditors about debts you didn’t charge, someone may have opened accounts in your name without your knowledge. Contact the card issuer right away to close the accounts. Check your credit reports to see what else you can do.

- Missing mail. Rerouting mail from your address to a different address is a simple way to gain information about you. This is particularly worrying if you have credit card bills or bank statements sent to you by mail. Always notify your credit card issuer and bank if statements stop appearing on time, and make sure your mailbox is secure so no one can steal your mail.

- Unauthorized transactions. All credit card, brokerage, and bank accounts should be closely monitored for unauthorized transactions. The sooner you catch these transactions, the sooner you can file a police report.

Society for Financial Awareness Holds Topic-Specific Workshops

New Jersey-based Certified Financial Fiduciary Robert M. Ryerson possesses decades of experience in the fields of legacy planning and estate management. An active figure in the finance industry, Robert M. Ryerson serves as a financial strategist at the Society of Financial Awareness.

Established in 1993 as a nonprofit public benefit corporation, the Society of Financial Awareness (SOFA) brings together professionals from various fields to provide educational workshops on finance-related topics and issues. These seminars are prepared for individuals and companies, and supported by the organization’s members comprising financial advisors, health and wellness practitioners, mortgage brokers, credit counselors, estate planning attorneys, and more.

The workshops conducted by SOFA members are free of charge and of obligation. The topics discussed range from financial blunders to options for quality retirement to debt solutions and college planning. Speakers present topics relating to their own experience, qualifications, and credentials.

SOFA seminars are administered in two ways. One method follows a lunch and learn format. The workshop takes place in a conference room where attendees receive flyers and handouts from the guest SOFA member and food sponsored by the company that requested the event. 

The other workshop method is conducted in a restaurant or a public library and initiated by SOFA members in a lunch or dinner format. The chosen members sponsor the session, and provide food and materials for the workshop.

Blending Distributions Between Taxable and Tax-Deferred Accounts

Based in New Jersey, Robert M. Ryerson functions as a Certified Financial Fiduciary and Certified Identity Theft Risk Management Specialist, serving the needs of clients ranging from families to small business owners. One of Robert M. Ryerson’s areas of extensive knowledge is retirement distribution planning to meet individual goals and expectations. 

One of the foundational strategies for retirement accounts is to liquidate taxable investments first and allow tax-deferred accounts to compound for as long as possible. Unfortunately, this approach can potentially boost the retiree into a higher tax bracket if the account has grown too large. 

One way of mitigating this centers on taking out a certain amount of money from IRA accounts earlier than necessary. Taking out an amount such that the current tax bracket is unaffected, the total amount of the account is then reduced to a level where future withdrawals will not result in paying higher taxes. Through a blended approach, both taxable accounts and IRA distributions are taken out in tandem and the ideal mix of present and future taxes on account earnings is achieved.

The Galápagos Islands’ Status as a UNESCO World Heritage Site

Robert M. Ryerson has worked professionally as an independent Certified Financial Fiduciary (CFF) for nearly three decades. Also an educator, Robert M. Ryerson teaches high-level courses for the Society of Financial Awareness outside of his responsibilities at New Century Planning in New Jersey.

Away from his work, Mr. Ryerson enjoys traveling, especially to the Andes Mountains, and the Galápagos Islands. Located west of Ecuador, the Galápagos is a Pacific Ocean cluster of small islands classified as a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization. UNESCO outlines several factors that justify this status.

Perhaps most importantly, the island is home to an incredible diversity of underwater wildlife that cannot be matched by any other location. Moreover, extensive biodiversity can also be found on the island chain itself that range from giant tortoises and land iguanas to flightless cormorants and Darwin’s finches. 

Outside of the biology present on the Galápagos, the geography of the region also has value. The Nazca, Cocos and Pacific tectonic plates all meet in the region at the bottom of the ocean, providing a continuum of geological and biological features from ocean floor to island surface.