Financial Education

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, a time dedicated to raising awareness about the importance of staying safe in our increasingly digital world. With cyber threats evolving rapidly, it’s crucial to stay informed and take proactive steps to protect yourself both online and in-person. Here are the latest tips and best practices to help you stay secure. 1. Recognize and Report Phishing Attempts Phishing scams are one of the most common cyber threats. These scams often come in the Read More

A good credit score is essential for securing loans, getting favorable interest rates, and even renting an apartment. Understanding how credit scores work and how to improve and maintain them can significantly impact your financial health. Here’s a comprehensive guide to help you navigate the world of credit scores. What is a Credit Score? A credit score is a numerical representation of your creditworthiness, based on your credit history. Lenders use this score to assess the risk of lending Read More

Our financial wellness is extremely important now and for years down the road. Spring into those financial goals you had set for the new year, as well as check in with your budget to continue to have financial success in year 2023!   Prepare Your List of Financial Goals   If you have created new year’s resolutions, you know it can be extremely hard to stick to them if you don’t implement steps to adequately meet them. If you haven’t already, it Read More

If you don’t have a debit card, don’t worry, these top five reasons will convince you! If you’re reaching to make purchases, a debit card is a great asset to your wallet and financial freedom. Keep reading to learn the top ways a debit card makes your purchases simple.  1. Makes Purchases Convenient and Simple  Ever reached in your wallet and are short on cash? Having a debit card on hand makes it incredibly easy to either withdrawal funds from an ATM or simply use Read More

There are so many benefits to having a checking account. Manage your money and day-to-day spending by opening a checking account. Keep reading to learn about the top benefits of owning and operating a checking account! What is a Checking Account?  A checking account is a transactional account which is typically used to make everyday transactions convenient. The funds in your checking account can be accessed by check, cash withdrawal, debit card, deposits made at our branches, or remote Read More

Deposit insurance is one of the biggest pros of having an account at an FDIC-insured bank. An FDIC-insured bank protects your money in the event of an unlikely bank failure. Keep reading to learn the benefits of being covered by an FDIC-insured bank.  What is FDIC Insurance?  FDIC insurance is a significant benefit of putting your money in a bank that is FDIC insured. “The standard insurance amount is $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, for each account ownership category.” Read More

College is a fantastic learning experience for young adults but can often be a very expensive time of life. While many wouldn’t change their college experience for anything, we can all agree there would have been some things we would have done differently financially. Keep reading for some money tips for college students!   Don’t Carry a Balance on Your Credit Card  What may seem like a given, in the time of life where school is your primary focus, is to Read More

As the weather gets cooler and summer becomes fall, it’s important to tighten up your budget, especially before the holidays. Don’t let the busyness of fall and back-to-school lead to overspending or big money mistakes. Maintain your budget this fall by reading up on the 10 most common money mistakes to avoid.   1. Not Setting Your Fall Budget  A huge mistake we all tend to make during the fall is not adequately planning out activities – especially Read More

Are you struggling to get an emergency fund in action? It can be hard to understand the depth of what to start with, monthly contributions and how to build it up. An emergency fund is essential for unforeseen circumstances, a drop in income and all the chaos life can throw at us at any point. Most financial advisors suggest having enough in your emergency fund for 3-6 months’ worth of expenses based on your personal situation. The more you can build your emergency fund, the better!   1. Read More

It’s tax season! The IRS sets the start of tax season as Monday, January 24, 2022, and the deadline as April 18, 2022. Tax planning will help you gather everything you need to promptly and properly file your taxes for 2022. If you’re already pulling at your hair from stress—don't worry! Get a jump on preparing for taxes this year by following the steps we’ve outlined below.  1. Decide How You Will Be Filing  Will you be doing the filing yourself or will Read More