This article was written by Jean Chatzky from SavvyMoney Hub. Goodwill deletions and other tips for boosting your credit score.  Do one thing: Make sure you are reviewing your credit reports regularly to ensure that the information is accurate. After all, you can’t fix what you don’t know about. When it comes to our credit scores, it pays to know where you stand at all times. After all, the higher your score, the more you can potentially save on mortgage rates, car
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This blog post was published by Jean Chatzky from SavvyMoney Hub, with reporting by Casandra Andrews. Discover where you are on the road to financial wellness with these tips and tools. Improving Your Financial Health is Possible. How we handle our finances can be seriously stressful.  Stress Over Finances. This truth applies not just to you — it impacts millions of Americans daily. A March 2024 survey found that nearly half of U.S. adults (47%) admitted that money harms
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For more in depth information regarding this article, download the entire report here. What is the Beige Book? The Beige Book is a Federal Reserve System publication about current economic conditions across the 12 Federal Reserve Districts. It characterizes regional economic conditions and prospects based on a variety of mostly qualitative information, gathered directly from each District’s sources. Reports are published eight times per year. What is the purpose of the Beige Book? The
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Happy New Year all! We hope you enjoyed the holiday season with family and friends. In our previous commercial blog post, we discussed how to apply for a small business loan and what the application process involves. Today, given that it is the beginning of a new year, we will discuss how to develop a budget. The budgeting process varies depending on the size and needs of your business. For larger entities, you will likely work within your accounting software and with your accountant. For smaller
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For more in depth information regarding this article, download the entire report here. This article was written by Brodie Oldham, Vice President of Commercial Data Sciences from Experian Business Information Services. Beyond the Trends is a quarterly report written by Experian Business Information Services. The report offers a unique view of the small business economy based on what we see in the data. With up to date information on over 33 million active businesses and how they perform from a
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It is likely at some point a business owner will need an outside financing source to purchase a new or used piece of equipment or even to supplement working capital needs. In times like this, the resources of your community bank are essential to helping you maintain smooth business operations. First Community Bank and Trust provides personalized support and flexible financing solutions to address your commercial loan needs.   As a business owner, you may ask “how do I start the process
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This blog post was published by Chis O’Shea from SavvyMoney Hub with commenting by Wendy Hoekstra, Vice President – Retail Lending from First Community Bank and Trust. What you should know about title insurance companies. People buy and sell houses all the time. Yet how many of those people understand what the title is and what a title insurance company does? Titles are a big part of buying or selling a home. Here’s what you should know. Title Company Basics A title
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This blog post was published by Chis O’Shea from SavvyMoney Hub. How hard inquiries impact your credit score When you apply for a mortgage, a personal loan, a credit card, or an auto loan, the lender checks your credit report to determine your creditworthiness. When that happens, it’s called an “inquiry.” And there is such a thing as too many inquiries. Here’s what you need to know. Hard Inquiry vs. Soft Inquiry There is a difference between hard inquiries
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This blog post was published by Chris O’Shea from SavvyMoney Hub. What you should know about soft credit pulls. A soft pull, or soft inquiry, happens when someone checks your credit report, like in the case of a pre-approved credit card offer. Unlike a hard pull, a soft pull does not impact your credit score. Here’s everything you should know about soft pulls and who can do them. The Basics A soft inquiry occurs when someone, or a company, checks your credit report. These
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This blog post was published by Jean Chatzky from SavvyMoney Hub, with reporting by Casandra Andrews. Follow these fraud prevention tips to help protect seniors from losing their savings It seems like scammers never sleep. Criminals are constantly coming up with creative ways to steal money from unsuspecting people, especially older Americans. Each year, millions of elderly adults in the United States fall victim to financial frauds, suffering $3 billion or more in losses, according to the
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