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Who Are the Important People In Your Life?

Who Are the Important People In Your Life? We all have a short list of important people that are on the periphery of our lives. Establishing a relationship with a good family physician is probably a top priority for most of us. Aside from the family doctor, a financial advisor is one of the most important relationships you’ll ever have. It is the one person who can help you establish a stable and secure financial future. All it takes is one life event to change the trajectory of your financial well-being. Getting a good night’s rest might be easier if you had a trusted advisor to keep a good health check on your assets. Which scenario best describes you? You have too many accounts in too many places and you don’t have a clear picture of your total net worth or how it is being managed. You’ve accumulated some assets throughout your life, and you’re concerned about family conflicts that could occur after you’re gone. You don’t know who will run

First Bank & Trust Company Raises Awareness of Elder Abuse

According to the National Council on Aging, almost 90 percent of the financial abuse committed against older Americans is done by someone they know. More than ever, it is imperative for seniors to select a trustworthy person to properly manage their finances and personal affairs. “Fraudsters often prey on seniors experiencing cognitive decline, limited mobility and other disabilities that require them to rely more heavily on others for help,” stated W. Mark Nelson, President and CEO of First Bank & Trust Company. “Appointing someone you trust to handle your financial matters aids tremendously in the fight against these crimes.” In recognition of World Elder Abuse Day on June 15th, First Bank & Trust Company offers seven tips to help choose the right financial caregiver and prevent financial abuse: · When delegating financial decisions, make sure it’s someone you trust . If you are unab

Introducing, My Finances

Seeing the Big Picture on Your Finances What keeps you up at night? For many of us, the concern is finances. “ How am I going to finance my retirement? ” Or, “ How are we going to save the funds for that dream vacation ?” Or maybe the narrative is something like, “ How am I going to get these debts paid ?” The first step to managing your finances is the ability to see the big picture. Managing your finances is not rocket science, but it does take discipline. A good place to start is with an online financial management tool. Online financial management tools are linked to your online banking account, and can provide the necessary insight to help you manage living costs, and identify areas where you can save. Online financial management tools give you the ability to view your investments (like 401k's) and loan balances (like your mortgage) as well as credit card and bank accounts. What most people may not realize is the full potential of online financial management t

3 Banking Mistakes That Could Cost Your Business Money in 2020

1. Choosing the wrong bank to partner with for your business. Banks, just like businesses, have a "niche" and focus their products and services on catering to specific audiences. You wouldn't take your Bentley to Walmart for service, just like you shouldn't let just any bank handle your business's financial needs. Some banks specialize in providing services for consumers with personal banking needs, while others focus on servicing businesses large and small. It's important to know there is no "one-size-fits-all" loan program that works for every business. It's essential to find the right bank that understands your business is your livelihood. A suitable commercial lender will learn your short term and long-term business goals and provide strategic financial guidance for the future of your business. He or she will place the best interest of your business at the forefront of the relationship. Like any great business partner,

How Secure Are Your Debit & Check Cards?

When it comes to using debit cards or check cards, you may worry about security and safety - especially if you are using them online. This is likely because there are many news stories about scam artists who may try to steal access to your checking account via your debit card information. There's also a number of misconceptions out there that lead people to believe that, unlike credit card protection features, you'll simply be out of luck if someone begins making purchases from the checking account linked to your debit card or check card. This is simply not true. Fortunately, there are many security features in modern debit cards and check cards that help prevent theft and unauthorized use. The following are some of the common safety features that most debit cards have, including a few that are unique to our First Bank and Trust debit cards: The MobiMoney App When it comes to our customer's safety and security, First Bank and Trust goes above and beyond b

Commercial Loans and The Community

We’ve all heard them. There is no shortage of cheesy jokes about bankers. By the very nature of their profession, they are easy prey to comedians. What you don’t hear very often is the truly good things community bankers do. Some success stories have enough “feel good” to supply the Hallmark Channel with a line up for six months. For the sake of explaining the impact of community banking, let’s take a look at the fictional town of East Park. East Park was a thriving downtown village in the 50’s, 60’s and the early 70’s. Huge buildings with charming storefronts lined the streets. At the heart of the downtown district was the local drug store where people sat on swivel chairs and caught up with each other over a grilled cheese sandwich and a root beer float. People liked that you could get your prescription, buy a birthday card and have lunch, all right there in downtown East Park. The demise of East Park’s downtown was something that took place over an extended period of time, but