We live in an information age.  A few years ago if you wanted to know how to install an additional hard drive on your computer, learn to play the guitar or understand more about your personal finances you had limited options.  You could have purchased a book on the subject or work with an expert who would teach you how to perform the task you wanted (or alternatively did the task required for you)….and then along came the internet!

The world wide web have revolutionised our lives in so many ways.  From how we shop, socialise and work.  It has also revolutionised the way we learn.  If you want to learn to play the guitar or install an additional hard drive on your computer now all it takes is a quick Google (or Youtube) search to discover the answer.

The internet has also revolutionised the way we think about our money.  A wide range of information is available from any financially related subject and covers each and every money related niche you could ever want to know about.

As well as having access to a wide range of information we also receive an unprecedented number of messages on a wide range of subjects via social media, email, text message, and even the good old fashioned post.  Some of these messages are advertising, some are information based and some are a combination of the two.

Having access to so much financial information is brilliant but dangerous.  Let me explain why…

Let’s say you’re looking for advice on your pension.  You’re approaching retirement and want to understand your options.  So when you get home you log onto your computer and search for “Retirement Options”.

You’re instantly provided with a wide range of web pages to choose from to get the information you need.  Whilst many of the pages which ‘pop up’ are from reliable sources (from respected journalistic sources or fully independent financial advisers) there are also links to web pages where the information won’t be as accurate and will recommend solutions which may be inappropriate.  The issue is that some of these websites have been professionally designed and look like they can be ‘trusted’.

Thankfully this are three questions you can ask yourself which will allow you to provide enough information which will allow you to make more of an informed choice about which web sites to trust:-

Question 1 – the source test – Is it clear where the information has come from?  Is it clear who has ‘written’ (either the individual, company or organisation) the information?

Question 2 – the trust test – Once you know where the information has come from you can then ask ‘Do I know enough about this individual, company or organisation for this information to be trusted?’

Question 3 – the additional research test – If this information has passed the first two tests there is always some value in asking yourself the following question.  ‘What other sites / sources of information do I need to look at to validate the information provided?’

Hopefully by asking yourself these three questions you can ensure that you have access to the information you need from sources you can trust.