4 things to check before Nov 3

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov 3. Each state runs its own elections. So the rules where you live may not match the rules where your friend lives.

Check that you are still registered. Your record can be marked inactive if you missed two federal elections and did not answer mail from the election office. Go to vote.gov or USA.gov, pick your state, and look yourself up.

Find your polling place. It can change from one election to the next. Your state's lookup will show where to go.

Know the ID rule. Some states ask for a photo ID. Others do not. Your state's election website says what to bring.

If you plan to vote early or by mail, look up those dates now. They are set by your state, and some close well before Election Day.

Know your rights at the polls. If you are in line when the polls close, stay in line. You can still vote. If your name is not on the list, ask for a provisional ballot. It is counted once officials confirm you can vote.

When thieves steal your name and Social Security number, they often use them to open new cards or loans. You may not find out until a bill collector calls.

A credit freeze shuts that door. While it is on, no one can open a new account in your name. That includes you, so you lift it for a short time when you apply for a loan, a card, or an apartment.

It is free to put on and free to lift. It does not change your credit score. It stays on until you take it off.

You freeze your credit with each bureau: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. Each one gives you a PIN or an account to lift it later. Keep that safe.

Lenders use your credit score to decide if you get a loan and what rate you pay. The most used score is the FICO score.

FICO says five things go into it. Payment history counts for 35%. Amounts owed count for 30%. Length of credit history is 15%. New credit is 10%. Credit mix is 10%.

FICO also says these weights can change from person to person. Still, the order tells you where to start.

Paying on time matters most. One late payment can hurt. Next is how much of your credit you use. A card close to its limit can pull your score down, even if you pay on time.

Flyers, promo videos, and posts for your chapter or your business need pictures and music. It is easy to grab what you find online.

But if you did not make it, someone else likely owns it. Copyright law covers photos, songs, art, and videos. Tagging the owner or writing "credit to" does not give you the right to use it. Permission does.

The cost can be high. Federal law lets a court award $750 to $30,000 for each work used without permission. If the court finds you did it on purpose, that can go up to $150,000.

Fair use is a narrow exception. The U.S. Copyright Office says there is no set amount you can safely use. Only a court decides.