Koch Cushing Financial Group

10/23/2026

Identity Protection / Credit Locks and Freezes
I’ve had multiple clients ask me about identity theft and protection, and I have also been
personally affected by it in the past so I decided to put together a tip sheet in an effort to help
preemptively gain greater control of your credit prior to any breaches or Identity Theft issues.
Below are what I feel are some best practices you could use. These are just suggestions and I
am not able to guarantee that following these will fully prevent an Identity Theft, but it should
help keep your credit more secure for your future.

1. Utilize free credit lock/freeze service. Equifax offers a free credit lock service that you
can do online for no charge. Experian and Transunion do as well but they call their free
version a “credit freeze.” You will need to create a username and password for each site,
and then you can login at any time and simply lock/unlock your report whenever you’d
like. I highly suggest you keep it locked at all times that you aren’t actively pursuing or
applying for credit.

2. Here are the different sites for login instructions:
a. Equifax Lock and Alert – Go to
myaccount and click Sign up. You will need to go through the registration
process, but then once you have a login, you can simply lock and unlock your file
at any time.

b. Transunion Credit Freeze – Go to https://www.transunion.com/credit-freeze
Click on "Add Freeze", or "Create Free Account". It may ask you for updated
services, but to simply freeze your credit with them, you can use the free version
this way. Note – if you click on other links on the site, it may take you to their paid
versions and programs instead of the free version.

c. Experian – Go to https://www.experian.com/freeze/center.html and then Create a
free account. Once in, you should be able to freeze/unfreeze your credit just like
the other two sites.

With Data Security being more important than ever, and large companies constantly getting
hacked and information stolen, we feel it’s best to try and circumvent any potential threats or
issues in advance, instead of waiting for something to happen. Locking/Freezing your credit
doesn’t solve everything, but it will help immensely. As always, if you have questions or
concerns, please let us know.

For help or support, contact the Customer Care team at 888-548-7878. Customer Care is available between 9am-9pm (ET) Mon-Fri and 9am-6pm (ET) Sat-Sun.

10/20/2026

Have you heard about the new 530A accounts, commonly referred to as “Trump Accounts”?
Trump Accounts are tax-advantaged investment accounts designed for kids under 18. They are
designed to help families build long-term savings that grow tax-deferred, invested in low-fee U.S.
index funds.

Here’s what you should know:
• Open for any eligible U.S. child under 18 with a Social Security number (no income
limits).
• Children born 2025–2028 can get a one-time $1,000 federal seed contribution from
the Treasury (must elect it).
• Parents or legal guardians can open and manage accounts on behalf of their
children.
• Parents, relatives, or others can contribute up to $5,000 per year combined
(adjusted for inflation later).
• Funds are locked until the child turns 18, then transfer to their control.
• No account-opening fees or minimum balance required.

Download the official Trump Accounts app or visit to
create an account.

Disclaimers:
Distributions from a Trump Account may be subject to ordinary income taxes and, if taken before
age 59 ½ , may also be subject to a 10% federal tax penalty unless an exception applies under
applicable tax law. Exceptions may include, but are not limited to, total and permanent disability,
qualified higher education expenses, first-time home purchase expenses (up to $10,000 lifetime
limit), or other exceptions permitted by the Internal Revenue Code. Tax treatment and available
exceptions depend on individual circumstances and may change due to future legislation or
regulatory guidance.
This material is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended as legal or tax advice.
Neither Voya Financial Advisors nor its representatives provide legal or tax advice.
Keep in mind that investing involves risk. The value of your investment will fluctuate over time, and
you may gain or lose money.
Investment adviser representative and registered representative of, and securities and investment
advisory services offered through Voya Financial Advisors, Inc. (member SIPC). Koch Cushing
Financial Group is not a subsidiary or nor is it controlled by Voya Financial Advisors.

10/15/2026

🌴 More Americans are deciding that enjoying life now matters just as much as making financial progress for later.

A recent SoFi survey found that 72% of Americans would be willing to make slower progress toward their financial goals so they can spend more time with family, travel more, and prioritize meaningful experiences.

That doesn’t necessarily mean abandoning long-term goals. In fact, 59% of respondents said enjoying life is how they define financial progress, compared with 27% who pointed to owning a home.

The challenge is finding a balance between what matters now and what matters later. ✈️ That can mean making room for a vacation, concert, or family event while still keeping an eye on retirement savings and debt.

But charge that trip to a credit card and carry a balance, and interest can turn a two-week memory into a much longer bill.

What does financial progress look like to you: reaching the next milestone, enjoying more of life now, or some mix of both?


Source:

SoFi found 72% of Americans are willing to make slower progress on financial goals to prioritize family, travel and meaningful experiences.

10/08/2026

Stocks finished the third quarter mixed. The S&P 500 gained 2.03%, and the Nasdaq Composite rose 2.47%, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average slipped 2.70%. Halloween is next on the calendar, with U.S. consumers expected to spend \$13.5 billion USD this year and 6.26 million Canadian children in their trick-or-treating years.

Quarterly Market Insights | October 2026 U.S. and Canadian Markets Stocks were mixed in the third quarter as economic, geopolitical, and corporate earnings news pushed the broad market higher while weighing on the Dow Industrials. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index gained 2.03 percent, while the Nasd...

10/02/2026

Is your estate strategy full of cobwebs? Does your investing approach have too many tricks and not enough treats? Does your retirement timeline read like a ghost story?

These things have a way of going bump in the night.

Knowing where you stand is the first step.

09/18/2026

Trending Higher

09/07/2026

Markets pushed higher in August as AI-driven optimism helped investors look past softer economic data. The S&P 500 gained 2.62% and the S&P/TSX Composite rose 2.96%, even as softening retail sales kept consumer spending in focus. Back-to-school season adds another data point to that story, with spending expected to reach \$146.8 billion in the U.S. and \$4.5 billion in Canada this year.

Monthly Market Insights | September 2026 U.S. and Canadian Markets Renewed enthusiasm for AI pushed stocks higher in August as investors looked past mixed economic signals. The Standard & Poor’s 500 Index advanced 2.62 percent, while the Nasdaq Composite rose 3.93 percent. The Dow Jones Industrial...

09/05/2026

🏈 Football season is almost here, and all 32 NFL teams are bringing something new to the field.

From offseason moves and fresh faces to shifting expectations across every division, there’s no shortage of storylines heading into 2026.

The season opens with the New England Patriots facing the Seattle Seahawks in a Super Bowl 60 rematch, and that’s just the beginning.

Whether you’re following your hometown team, setting a fantasy lineup, or just counting down to Sundays on the couch, now’s a great time to catch up on what changed during the offseason.

🏆 Which team are you watching most closely this season?


Source:

NBC Sports has 32 team previews full of stats, storylines and projections that could shape your favorite team’s season.