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Empowering Financial Futures: FCBT and ICBA Highlight the Importance of Financial Literacy
April 1, 2025
Categories: Community Banking, Community Banking Advocacy, Community Events, Community News, General
Press Release: Beecher, IL. (April 1, 2025)—First Community Bank and Trust (FCBT) and the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) are celebrating Financial Literacy Month in April by encouraging Americans to take control of their financial future and learn fiscally responsible habits that can benefit them at every age and stage of their financial journey. 27% of Americans report that “just getting by financially or finding it hard to get by” describes them completely or
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Protecting Yourself from Romance Scams
March 24, 2025
Categories: Community Banking, Community Banking Advocacy, Community News, Electronic Banking, General
This blog post was written by Beauceron Security. Romance scams are among the most psychologically manipulative forms of cyber fraud. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Americans reported over $1 billion in losses to romance scams in 2023, making it one of the costliest types of consumer fraud. Given the right circumstances, any person can fall prey to these scams as they tap into powerful aspects of what it is to be human. Being vigilant to these scams can protect
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U.S. Regional Economic Outlook on Tariff Troubles: Which regional economies could be affected?
March 18, 2025
Categories: Community Events, Community News, General
This is an excerpt from the Visa Business and Economic Insights for February 2025. For more in depth information regarding this article, download the entire report here. Our regional forecasts indicate that all U.S. regions outperformed our economic growth expectations for Q4-2024. The pace of job creation accelerated in the final two months of the year, leading us to upwardly revise our employment growth estimates for the South and West. As a result of stronger hiring and two additional rate
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A Resource Team…Every Business Owner Should Have One!
March 18, 2025
Categories: Commercial Loans, Community Banking, Community Banking Advocacy, Community Events, General
In the course of daily operations for every small business owner, there will likely come a time when a trusted professional resource is needed to provide sound advice that ultimately benefits the business. These benefits may come in the form of cost savings, generating sales growth, investment solutions, minimizing tax liabilities or potential liability issues. That’s why every business, from sole proprietorships to corporations, should have a trusted Resource Team in place. Probably
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Protecting Your Kids from Identity Theft
March 18, 2025
Categories: Community News, Electronic Banking, General
This blog post was published by Chis O’Shea from SavvyMoney Hub. What to know about child identity theft. Believe it or not, child identity theft is a big deal. According to a study, from 2021 to 2022, 900,000 children were the victims of identity fraud, with kids under seven the most likely targets. Let’s take a look at this issue and find ways to prevent it from ever happening. Signs of ID Theft There are some ways you can tell if your child has been the victim of identity
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Scammers Continue to Steal Billions From Elderly Adults
March 5, 2025
Categories: Community Banking, Community Banking Advocacy, Community Events, Community News, General
This blog post was published by Jean Chatzky from SavvyMoney, 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 FBI. A
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What to do If You're a Victim of Identity Theft
March 5, 2025
Categories: Community Events, Community News, General
This guide was published by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau. By contacting the nationwide credit reporting companies, you can place a fraud alert or security freeze on your credit report. You can also request that they block or remove fraudulent debts. You can contact the three nationwide credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion: Equifax (800) 685-1111 Equifax Consumer Fraud Division P.O. Box 740256 Atlanta, GA 30374 Experian (888)
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Should I Save for Retirement or Emergencies?
February 24, 2025
Categories: Community Banking, Community Banking Advocacy, Electronic Banking, General
This article was written by Chris O’Shea from SavvyMoney. How to prioritize an emergency fund or retirement savings. Having a well-stocked emergency fund is important. But so is saving for retirement. How do you know which one to focus on? Well, we’ve got you covered. Here’s what you should know. An Emergency Fund is Important An emergency fund is extremely important. If something unexpected happens, you don’t want to be completely unprepared. When deciding on
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Getting That Little Negative Mark Off Your Credit Report
January 15, 2025
Categories: Community Banking, Community Banking Advocacy, Electronic Banking, General
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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What is Financial Wellness?
January 10, 2025
Categories: Community Banking, Community Banking Advocacy, General
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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