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Old 09-24-2017, 08:58 AM   #1
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Safest Aggregator

I love Personal Capital. It's interface is perfect and a vast improvement on Yodlee and Mint (the version I used years ago.

However, I am trying to improve my online security. I am no longer comfortable with sharing my passwords with PC. And, given I use PC, I am not able to use 2FA for some of my accounts.

I am hoping to get feedback on the following:

- An aggregator where I do not have to provide my passwords. Or an aggregator that has unique passwords set up between the aggregator and the financial institution that has limited 'rights' such as transferring data but not allowed to execute transactions. (I am told that might be coming, eventually).
- An aggregator that works much like Personal Capital where investments are tracked as is spending. (I think I might be describing Quicken but not sure what I would give up. And, are there others I should research). Any comparisons between Quicken and PC, it would be appreciated.
- I am willing to pay for this extra password security

Thoughts/questions? Thanks
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Old 09-24-2017, 10:01 AM   #2
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How is an aggregator to get updated information on your accounts without your log in information?

I use Quicken but I have to include my login info for each account that I want updated... I think the log in info is kept in the file on my laptop rather than on a cloud server like PC so that is a bit of a step up.
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Old 09-24-2017, 10:24 AM   #3
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I don't use any online aggregator as I'm not going to share my passwords.

I would think all the aggregators are prime targets for hacking so no need to give the bad guys one place to get all my stuff at once.
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Old 09-24-2017, 10:36 AM   #4
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Only option if you don't want to share your login information is a spreadsheet that you manually update.
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Old 09-24-2017, 11:06 AM   #5
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Originally Posted by bobandsherry View Post
Only option if you don't want to share your login information is a spreadsheet that you manually update.
+1
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Old 09-24-2017, 11:08 AM   #6
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Can't PC import from PDF or other formats? If it can, simply log in manually to your accounts, save the data locally, then import it into PC.
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Old 09-24-2017, 11:11 AM   #7
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Only option if you don't want to share your login information is a spreadsheet that you manually update.
That is what I do, and not too frequently as I'm not really interested in the rapid fluctuations.

I do make sure to do a end of year update, so I can chart the total amt. over the years.
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Old 09-24-2017, 11:18 AM   #8
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I use Quicken as my aggregator. I prefer not to do it online, but only have data on my laptops at home.
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Old 09-24-2017, 11:21 AM   #9
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Can't PC import from PDF or other formats? If it can, simply log in manually to your accounts, save the data locally, then import it into PC.
I tried PC, I don't recall it importing PDF or any format.
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Old 09-24-2017, 11:27 AM   #10
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Only option if you don't want to share your login information is a spreadsheet that you manually update.
That's what I do. I really don't trade a lot, so I do not need to update my spreadsheet all that often. Security prices are updated automatically.
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Old 09-24-2017, 11:28 AM   #11
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I use Quicken as my aggregator. I prefer not to do it online, but only have data on my laptops at home.
Can you explain how that works?

Does Quicken store your passwords on their site and then pass the information to the Quicken program installed on your computer?

Or, does Quicken make a 'call-out' from your computer to the various sites and then in a 'site to site conversation' download the information to your computer?

Or, do you enter the data manually on quicken from your brokerage and bank sites?

Thanks
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Old 09-24-2017, 01:38 PM   #12
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Vanguard allows one to manually add shares to your balance. If what you hold has a ticker symbol it automatically updates the value of your non Vanguard holdings.

I would think Fidelity and others can do the same.

No way would I give an aggregator my password, no matter how pretty or useful the charts were.
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Old 09-25-2017, 07:36 AM   #13
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Originally Posted by pb4uski View Post
How is an aggregator to get updated information on your accounts without your log in information?

I use Quicken but I have to include my login info for each account that I want updated... I think the log in info is kept in the file on my laptop rather than on a cloud server like PC so that is a bit of a step up.
I just looked at the Quicken Youtube set up and it suggests to me that you provide passwords to Quickenand they automatically upload information to the Quicken site on your computer. That suggests to me that Quicken is holding your passwords as Personal Capital holds mine.

The interface and ability to move things around on your computer might be different. But, the data gets there by a request from Quicken to your financial site.

Do I have that right? If so, Quicken provides no more protection when used as an Aggregator than any other aggregator.
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Old 09-25-2017, 08:22 AM   #14
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Can you explain how that works?

Does Quicken store your passwords on their site and then pass the information to the Quicken program installed on your computer?

Or, does Quicken make a 'call-out' from your computer to the various sites and then in a 'site to site conversation' download the information to your computer?

Or, do you enter the data manually on quicken from your brokerage and bank sites?

Thanks
No, Quicken doesn't save your passwords unless you ask it to.

Quicken imports transaction data, and knows you account numbers and will import transactions into the correct accounts.

Some accounts are handled by Quicken querying the financial institution and prompting you for the password and importing the transactions directly (direct connect).

Others are handling by you downloading a QFX or QIF file from the institution and importing the file. Quicken recognizes the account info in the file and puts the transactions in the right place. I prefer this method as I don't like entering a password in the Quicken prompt.

So you end up with all transactions of all your accounts nicely organized and on your personal computer - not out on the web somewhere. And it's mostly automated.
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Old 09-25-2017, 08:28 AM   #15
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Originally Posted by davef View Post
I just looked at the Quicken Youtube set up and it suggests to me that you provide passwords to Quickenand they automatically upload information to the Quicken site on your computer. That suggests to me that Quicken is holding your passwords as Personal Capital holds mine.

The interface and ability to move things around on your computer might be different. But, the data gets there by a request from Quicken to your financial site.

Do I have that right? If so, Quicken provides no more protection when used as an Aggregator than any other aggregator.
No, Quicken does not hold your passwords unless you ask it to.

I am set up to manually enter mine every time for the few institutions that require direct connect. Most don't - for those I am able to import a QFX file which I obtain through a separate web session with the institution separate from Quicken. I prefer this method where Quicken doesn't interact with the institution directly.

There a a few institutions that don't support QFX or have errors, so I have to do some manually. Fortunately for me these are institutions with few transactions.
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Old 09-25-2017, 08:39 AM   #16
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I actually use 3 - Fidelity because we have our IRA and brokerage accts there, Northwestern Mutual Life as we already have our insurance policies there and Personal Capital since I liked their format. While our hacking exposure is greater it does provide a double check or triple check if you will when 1 or another isn't functioning correctly as I tend to check each one a few times a week.
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Old 09-25-2017, 08:54 AM   #17
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Originally Posted by audreyh1 View Post
No, Quicken does not hold your passwords unless you ask it to.

I am set up to manually enter mine every time for the few institutions that require direct connect. Most don't - for those I am able to import a QFX file which I obtain through a separate web session with the institution separate from Quicken. I prefer this method where Quicken doesn't interact with the institution directly.

There a a few institutions that don't support QFX or have errors, so I have to do some manually. Fortunately for me these are institutions with few transactions.
Thanks! Your post allow me to understand this much better and I searched and found this explanation from the Bogglehead site

"One can use Direct Connect, Express Web Connect or Web Connect. For the last method you log onto your vendor's website and download the information and one can import it directly into Quicken or save it as a Quicken file on your hard drive and then import it."This was from 2014 so perhaps names have changed but it sounds like what you were describing. I think this would create a lot more work but an increase in security.

Thanks
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Old 09-25-2017, 08:59 AM   #18
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I actually use 3 - Fidelity because we have our IRA and brokerage accts there, Northwestern Mutual Life as we already have our insurance policies there and Personal Capital since I liked their format. While our hacking exposure is greater it does provide a double check or triple check if you will when 1 or another isn't functioning correctly as I tend to check each one a few times a week.
You may already know that Fidelity uses the Yodlee program in their website. I am not sure if it has less or more functionality than the stand-alone Yodlee site.
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Old 09-25-2017, 09:07 AM   #19
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I set up a portfolio on yahoo finance that includes all my holdings. I update it when ever I make a trade in any account. Cash and real estate are included as FDRXX (fidelity cash reserve) as a place holder. At the end of the day this portfolio shows my current net worth. No account numbers given out.
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Old 09-25-2017, 09:14 AM   #20
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Thanks! Your post allow me to understand this much better and I searched and found this explanation from the Bogglehead site

"One can use Direct Connect, Express Web Connect or Web Connect. For the last method you log onto your vendor's website and download the information and one can import it directly into Quicken or save it as a Quicken file on your hard drive and then import it."This was from 2014 so perhaps names have changed but it sounds like what you were describing. I think this would create a lot more work but an increase in security.

Thanks
I am running a legacy Quicken for the Mac predates 2014 so my experience matches what you read about.

Quicken stopped supporting Quicken for the Mac a long time ago. Then later came out with "new versions" which didn't come close to the functionality of the old software. Useless.

They have occasionally released much needed bug fixes for my legacy version. It would be crippled by now if not for those.

I do not plan to update any longer as I don't want any new "features". Certainly nothing that requires me to log into a website Quicken account or other such thing that I think could compromise my security.

I'll probably have to find an alternative one day. But this current version seems to run on all the latest MacOSs so keeping my fingers crossed......
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