Why Do I Need a Budget?

At its core, a budget is a plan that tracks your income and expenses. It's a tool to ensure you can cover your monthly expenses and save for future goals. If you have a regular income and want to manage your finances better, creating a budget is a smart choice.

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Managing Debt Wisely: A Step-by-Step Guide

According to Experian, one of the “Big Three” credit reporting agencies, total consumer debt rose more than 4.4% from 2022 to 2023, with the most notable being “credit card debt, which saw a total balance growth of 17.4% in 2023. This increase is largely due to a 4-percentage point rise in the number of credit card borrowers who carry a balance from month to month, as well as additional retail spending.“ Other areas of debt that increased over the same period are mortgages, auto loans/leases, student loans and personal loans.

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Insured Cash Sweep (ICS): Ensuring Your Deposits Beyond $250,000

In the world of banking and finance, safety and security are paramount concerns for individuals and businesses alike. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) has long provided peace of mind by insuring deposits up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank. However, what if you have more than $250,000 to protect? This is where the Insured Cash Sweep (ICS) program comes into play.

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When is the Right Time to Start Talking to Your Children about Money?

When should parents talk to their children about money and how does one go about it? Just as you wouldn't throw a child into a swimming pool without teaching them how to swim or send a successful 6th grader off to university, it's essential to approach financial education with careful consideration and timing.

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Budgeting for Continuing Education

Whether it’s trade school, college, or an advanced degree, continuing education can be an excellent way to further your career or make a career change. It can also be profitable: the most recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics shows that, on average, employees with a four-year college degree can earn $20,000 to $25,000 more than employees with a high school-only education. However, tuition and other expenses can quickly add up, so budgeting for continuing education is essential.

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What’s the Difference Between a Will and a Trust?

Estate planning is an important subject that almost everyone—but especially older people—needs to address. Many believe that estate planning is for those with substantial means. However, estate planning determines how an individual’s assets are preserved, distributed, and managed, so even people with assets limited to a residence, bank accounts, and a retirement plan need to form a plan. 

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Avoid Corporate Account Takeover

Cybercriminals are targeting small businesses with increasingly sophisticated attacks. “Corporate account takeover” is a form of identity theft of a business. Criminals phony emails pretending to be someone you know to trick you into clicking on links or attachments that can lead to malicious software being installed on your computer. Once this happens, they will ask you to enter credentials where they will gain access to your email account. At that point, they will send emails to the bank appearing to be from you to initiate ACH and wire transactions.

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Initial Market in President Biden's First Days

The S&P 500 Index was down 1% in January based on investors’ revised expectations of corporate revenue growth and earnings. First, the COVID-19 vaccine distribution and inoculation process is proceeding slowly while the virus is mutating. The new strains appear to be slightly more virulent and the vaccination timeline will take longer and delay economic normalization.

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Why Should I Use My Debit Card?

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Investment Market Update: Positive Takeaways From 2020

2020 was an unusual and volatile one with the S&P 500 Index’s 34% decline in 30 days in March followed by a retracement and rise of over 16% by year-end. This proved once again that a longer-term outlook is required in successful equity investing.

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Investment Market Update, Q3 2020

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq index had wonderful performance during the third quarter, with returns of 8.5% and 11%, respectively. However, pre-election politics obstructing a new federal stimulus package and an escalation in COVID cases caused both indexes to decline in September.

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How should I spend my stimulus cash?

Back in the day, when your father or mother would give you a dollar, they might offer this cautionary advice: “Don’t spend it all at once,” or “don’t spend it all in one place.”

Well, that certainly can be applied to the stimulus payments the government has promised millions of Americans due to the harsh economic times created by the coronavirus pandemic. The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service announced that the payments will begin in mid-April and will be distributed automatically, with no action required for most people.

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“Be Prepared” for Hiking the Investment Trail

Samuel A. Kiburz, who serves as Scoutmaster for a Boy Scout Troop in Punta Gorda and Chief Financial Officer for Crews Bank & Trust, sees several similarities between the two callings. He described those parallels in a column he wrote after taking his troop to a summer camp in the Ocala National Forest.

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