Our Two Cents
| At The Stephenson National Bank & Trust, we consider ourselves experts in the field of finance. Why not share our financial knowledge with the rest of the community? That is exactly what we are going to do. ' Our Two Cents ' will allow you to learn useful techniques for saving or protecting your money. Every Monday we will share our lessons that make cents. Make sure to check back with us regularly! Have a comment or suggestion? Contact Us and let us know what you think! |  |
 | 6 Financial Traps New College Graduates Should Avoid 6.19.17 | Personal Tips|   ABA has highlighted six traps new college graduates should avoid to position themselves for financial success as they transition from the dorm room to the office. |
 | Summer Fun that won't Break the Bank 6.12.17 | Personal Tips| The weather's hot and humid, school is out and you need to plan something fun for the whole family! Here are a few ideas to keep your budget from exploding this summer! |
 | 5 Questions When Choosing Your First Home 6.5.17 | Personal Tips | Moving into your own place can be exciting and frightening at the same time. SNBT suggests considering the following questions when choosing your own home. |
 | Jargon Cheat Sheet for Your Mortgage Loans 5.22.17 | Personal Tips | The home buying process is stressful enough on its own. Not being able to understand your loan officer’s jargon shouldn’t part of it. Here is a list of common terms and what they mean. |
 | Planning for Student Loans After Graduation 5.15.17 | Personal Tips | Student loan debt has become a hot topic, and with good reason. In 2006, U.S. student loan debt hovered around $600 billion; today, that number has skyrocketed to $1.3 trillion. |
 | 5 Money Tips to Help You Care for Your Loved One 5.8.17 | Personal Tips | Financial caregivers play a major role in ensuring that their loved ones maintain the best quality of life possible and that all finances are managed wisely. |
 | 6 Ways to Use Your Debit Card Safely 5.1.17 | Security Tips | Despite the convenience of debit cards, there is a risk of fraud or theft.To avoid becoming a victim of debit card fraud, consider these tips. |
 | 4 Things to Know About Construction Loans 4.3.17 | Personal Tips | There are many reasons why people decide to build their home, instead of buy. It meets your every want and need in a home, and the resell value can earn you some bang for your buck. |
 | 6 Ways to Travel Safely with a Debit Card 4.18.17 | Personal Tips | It is possible to enjoyably travel with a debit card as your primary method of payment; however, you should make appropriate plans to compensate for the above concerns. |
 | 6 Tips to Save for the House of Your Dreams 4.10.17 | Personal Tips | Saving for a down payment, typically between 5 to 20 percent of the home’s value, is one of the biggest challenges for those aspiring homebuyers. Here are 6 tips to start saving. |
 | Tips for First-Time Homebuyers 4.3.17 | Personal Tips | If you're looking to take advantage of great rates and buy your first home, make sure you prepare with today's real estate market in mind. Here are a few tips to get you started. |
 | What Do Rising Interest Rates Mean For You? 3.27.17 | Personal Tips | You may have heard that the"Fed" has been raising rates, and is likely to do so more often in the future. What does this mean, and how will it impact the average consumer? |
 | 7 Ways to Protect Your Data Online 3.20.17 | Personal Tips | Cyber thieves are using social media profiles to gather personal information and use it to commit fraud. Follow these tips to safeguard your information online. |
 | Spring Cleaning for Your Finances |
 | Wise Ways to Spend Your Refund 3.6.17 | Personal Tips | Many Americans have recently received, or will receive soon, a refund from Uncle Sam. If you're one of the millions of these consumers, here are a few smart ways to use that money. |
| | 5 Ways to Get Involved in Your Community |
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4 Tips to Clear the Clutter |
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Busting the Myths of Online & Mobile Banking
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| | 7 Tips to Avoid Tax ID Fraud |
 | eStatements Provide Solutions |
 | How to Talk to Your Kids About Money 1.23.17 | Personal Tips |   How soon is too soon to talk to your kids or grand kids about money? If they are old enough to ask for a toy or a bike, they are old enough to start learning financial lessons that will last a lifetime. |
 | Understanding Your Role as a Financial Caregiver 1.16.17 | Personal Tips | According to the Caregiver Action Network, more than 90 million Americans care for a loved one living with disability or experiencing reduced financial capability as a result of aging. |
 | How to Create a Budget |
| | Resolutions for Your Wallet
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 | 5 Ways to Protect Your Small Business from Account Fraud 12.19.16 | Business Security Tips | Corporate account takeover is a type of fraud where thieves gain access to a business’ finances to make unauthorized transactions. Here are tips to keep your business safe. |
 | 4 Easy Ways to Avoid Overdraft Charges 12.12.16 | Personal Tips | Sometimes mistakes happen. It is easy to lose track of your expenses when you aren’t constantly monitoring your account. Read these 4 easy ways to avoid overdraft fees. |
 | Holiday Budgeting Tools You Need to Know 12.5.16 | Personal Tips | 'Tis the season for holiday shopping. We understand that the gifts, family meals and decorations all put a strain on your wallet. Create a holiday budget and sticking to it. |
 | Bi-weekly or Monthly Payments, Which Best Fits You? 11.28.16 | Personal Tips | Everyone is familiar with monthly mortgage payments. But what if there was a way to shorten the years of your loan payments, would you be interested? |
 | Money Safety Tips for the Holiday Shopping Season 11.21.16 | Security Tips | Scams, fraud and data hacks abound during peak shopping season. However, you can fight back against the criminals who may try to steal your identity with these tips. |
 | 3 Tips to Raise Your Credit Score & Keep it High 11.14.16 | Personal Tips | Your credit score affects many aspects of your life, including making large purchases, obtaining loans, renting an apartment and even applying for a job! |
 | Is a Joint Bank Account Right for You? 11.7.16 | Personal Tips | Joint bank accounts are often viewed as an easy way to give financial caregivers the ability to manage money on behalf of older adults. Find out if a join account is right for you. |
 | 5 Ways to Use Your Requity 10.31.16 | Personal Tips | Using your secondary home as collateral is a convenient way to access a large sum of money. Choosing how to spend that extra cash is the difficult part. |
 | 8 Banking Tips Millennials Need to Know 10.24 | Personal Tips | Millennials are connected to social media, but are they connected to their bank? Today's technology and innovation makes it easy to for consumers to stay connected to their bank. |
 | 4 Security Tips for Mobile Check Deposits 10.17.16 | Security Tips | Start by taking photos - and taking precautions. At an increasing number of banks, consumers can use a smartphone to deposit a check into their account from anywhere. |
 | 7 Tips for Protecting Yourself Online 10.3.16 | Security Tips | Though the internet has many advantages, it can also make users vulnerable to fraud, identity theft and other scams. Read these seven tips to protect yourself online. |
 | Which Method of Banking is Most Popular? 9.26.16 | Personal Tips | More than half of Americans manage their bank accounts online more often then any other method, according to a recent survey done by the American Bankers Association. |
 | 12 Tips to Secure Your Mobile Device 9.19.16 | Security Tips | As consumer use of mobile devices continues to climb, cyber criminals are targeting those gadgets more frequently. Here are 12 things you can do to protect your mobile device. |
 | ATM Skimming - Tips to Avoid Becoming a Victim 9.12.16 | Consumer Alerts | Many consumers know how to protect themselves from identity theft. But, many consumers are unaware of another financial scam that can impact their bank accounts: ATM skimming. |
 | 3 Ways to Secure Your Online Information 9.2.16 | Security Tips | There's no question that the Internet makes life easier in many ways. Shopping, communicating and storing information are just a few of the ways we all use the web. |
 | Are College Students Risking Their Parents' Identity 8.29.16 | Security Tips | Students attending college have a lot on their mind, and let’s face it, identity theft probably isn’t one of them. Preparing your kids with precautions is vital to preventing identity theft. |
 | Ways to Make Financial Dieting a Habit 8.22.16 | Personal Tips | Consumers can get blue over their lack of green, especially when bills arrive. A budget, or financial diet, can help improve your financial health. Read these tips to get you started. |
 | Savings ABC 8.15.16 | Personal Tips | It's no secret that many households are pinching pennies these days. There are two ways to save: ‘spend less’ and ‘save first.’ |
 | Use Your CD to Stretch Your Dollars 8.8.16 | Personal Tips | Did you know that you can use your Certificate of Deposit (CD) as collateral to secure a loan? This is a little-known, and under-utilized option that can be used to make a purchase. |
 | Business Account Security 8.1.16 | Business Tips | Protecting your business is the most effective way of controlling corporate account takeover, which is a type of business ID theft where a criminal steals a business’s banking credentials. |
 | Don't Be a Target For Holiday Hoaxes 11.9.15 | Security Tips | The hustle and bustle of the holidays are upon, that means shopping, spending and traveling for many of us. These increased transactions are a golden opportunity for scammers. |
 | When is the Best Time to Start Saving? 9.21.15 | Retirement Tips | There is no better time to start saving than now – Don’t Wait! It’s so easy to let other financial obligations take priority over funding your retirement. It seems so far away, yet it’s critical. |
 | Resolve to Save for Retirement 9.7.15 | Retirement Tips | Make a complimentary appointment with a Retirement Expert. The sooner you develop a comprehensive retirement plan, the sooner you relax knowing you have a trusted investor. |
 | All About IRAs 8.21.15 | Retirement Tips | An individual retirement arrangement (IRA) is a personal retirement savings plan that offers specific tax benefits. IRAs are one of the most powerful retirement savings tools available. |
 | What can the Retirement Experts do for me? 5.5.15 | Retirement Tips | What’s your vision of retirement? Our goal is to help you achieve that vision, whether you plan to travel more or to relax more, you’ll need guidance from a retirement professional. |
