Financial Education Center

Are You Ready to File Your Taxes? Here Are Some Tips to Help You Prepare!

Have you filed your taxes yet? The tax season officially started on January 29, 2024, when the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) started accepting and processing returns. Before you submit your 2023 tax return, however, there are some things you’ll need to think about first.

If Rates Go Down, Is Cash Still King?

It’s no secret that we’ve been in an upward trajectory for both inflationary prices and interest rates. A complex question asked by most consumers is, “Is the Fed done raising rates?” And, if they’re done raising rates and decide to lower them, “How will this rate reduction impact my investments and overall wealth building strategy?”

Are CDs a Good Place to Put Money?

If you’re looking for a place to build up emergency savings or lock in higher fixed interest rates for a specific goal, then a Certificate of Deposit (CD) is an ideal choice. Regardless of where you are in your financial journey, it’s wise to set money aside to save for a rainy day or a short-term savings goal.

Handling Market Volatility

Conventional wisdom says that what goes up must come down. But even if you view market volatility as a normal occurrence, it can be tough to handle when your money is at stake. Though there's no foolproof way to handle the ups and downs of the stock market, the following coping strategies may help.

No Matter How You Cookie Cutter It, The Holidays Are Going to Cost More Dough

If Santa season has snuck up on you and you’re not sure how to fund the holiday fun, you’re not alone. First Bank would like to provide a few helpful tips to help you navigate the expense of the holiday merriment.

Understand Investment Return Taxation to Make Well-Informed Financial Decisions

This article is designed to broadly discuss investment return taxation, while covering a range of topics, including the types of income, basis, capital gains and losses, holding periods, taxable income considerations, and the strategic use of capital losses.