Recently, you may have seen a sign near your bank or local municipality touting Shred Day events. Why shred your documents? Identity theft is a real threat, and obtaining access to even a small amount of your data can lead thieves to the jackpot of information they need to ruin you financially.
Shred options
- Buy a personal shredder for all the papers coming into your home
- Schedule a shredding service at work, collect papers and pay for the service to properly shred your pile
- Gather all necessary papers over a longer period of time and then attend a Shred Day event to mitigate your chances of becoming a victim
What to expect
- With a personal shredder, your shreds simply go out with your trash
- A service will come during business hours and haul away your papers and shred off-site
- At an event, watch for a mobile unit that’s typically open to businesses, and personal drop-offs, where you can watch the process from start to finish
Shred cautions
- Witness the shred process if you are unfamiliar with the provider
- Typically a mobile unit will be equipped with an attendant to help and an onboard camera to watch the magic happen. If the attendant is simply collecting papers with the intent to shred elsewhere, it’s advised to find another, more secure option
- Check for reputation and certification.
- Search the name of the shred company online and check the company’s certifications, for example, whether it’s NAID-certified, or a member of a shredding organization. These organizations require specific protocols to be followed and sometimes conduct surprise audits to ensure that member companies uphold the standards that keep you and your information safe
Find an event
- You’ll often find shredding events taking place on weekend mornings, lasting only a few hours, and tend to happen around tax season
- ILG Financial also offers year-round shredding services to our clients. Simply stop by our office during regular business hours, drop off your documents and we’ll have them professionally shredded for you!
Amy Anderson joined the ILG Financial team in 2023 as the client relations coordinator. Her responsibilities include scheduling of appointments, annual check-up notifications, and annuity and required minimum distribution assistance. She is a graduate of Harding University with a degree in Computer Information Systems. Amy and her husband have two children and she enjoys reading, crocheting, music and spending time with her family.
Chase Lopez joined the ILG Financial team in 2020 as an advisor. Chase is a 2016 James Madison University graduate with a degree in management. Chase has been trained under the tutelage of Dave Lopez, who is not only the founder and managing member of ILG Financial, but also is Chase’s uncle and godfather. He also enjoys working alongside his cousin, Megan, who is Dave’s daughter. Chase, as a fiduciary, believes in putting his clients interests first, and building out plans for his clients where they can have a happy and fruitful retirement. He married his beautiful wife in February 2022 and both use most of their free time chasing around their little pup, Aurora.
Jessica Carson joined the ILG Financial team in 2018 as an agent. Jessica and her husband have four children, two dogs, 3 barn cats, 5 chickens, and three parakeets. She indeed loves her children and pets! When not at work, Jessica enjoys playing the piano and cello as well as traveling and spending time outside with her family, hiking, fishing, and boating.
Terri Center joined the ILG Financial team in 2019 as client services manager. She handles client records, application processing, and gathering information to provide a professional and friendly experience with all of our clients. Terri is a graduate of Oakland University. She is married and has two children. She enjoys hiking, family time, and puzzle challenging video games. She also likes to share her creativity in her canvas paintings and sewing projects.
Megan Jones joined the ILG Financial team in 2020 as marketing director. Megan and her husband live in Fredericksburg, VA with their German Short Haired Pointer, Gus. Megan is a graduate of Longwood University and holds a degree in communications. Megan is the oldest of Dave Lopez’s three children and not only enjoys working alongside her father, but also with her cousin, Chase, who joined the ILG Financial team in 2020 as an advisor. When not at work, Megan enjoys sitting on the back porch with family and friends enjoying food and music.