APY, APR, CD, MMA... Let's face it, there are a lot of acronyms in banking. With most of us entering the real world with little money management training, it can be easy to get confused as to what all these terms mean. One of the most basic terms that you should understand is APY, as it can make the difference of hundreds of dollars a year. So, let's dig in. What is APY (Annual Percentage Yield)? APY stands for Annual Percentage Yield. In non-banker-jargon, APY stands...

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Savings rates are on the rise, it’s a great time to develop a savings growth strategy. We frequently discuss savings rates with our customers.  Through most of the last decade savers were forced to settle for lower yields on deposits, stuck in a low-rate environment.  Even those fortunate to lock in higher returns during the brief market up-ticks grew weary of the feast or famine situation.  There is a simple diversification method to increase your savings returns over the...

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A growing trend in raising funds for a business is something called crowdfunding. You may have heard about this idea before: asking friends, family, and even strangers to invest in a business idea or help raise funds for improvements, expansions, or other business expenses. On paper, it seems easy. A business can start by signing up with a crowdfunding platform, list some information about the business, and simply watch the money roll in! Of course, there is much more to it than that. Even though...

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As the economy begins to recover from the pandemic, mortgage rates are beginning to climb from record lows. The beginning of March saw mortgage rates rise above 3% for the first time in seven months. Even so, lower-than-average mortgage options are driving people to want to buy at a quicker pace or make a commercial investment for the first time. It’s not just home loans that offer investment opportunities. Commercial real estate is a hot topic right now as well. If you are considering...

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An individual retirement account (IRA) allows you to save money for retirement in a tax-friendly way. Most people don’t start thinking about retirement until they’re close to that age. It’s hard to imagine saving for retirement when you’re just trying to get by. Between student loan debt and the cost of living, most Millennials don’t have the luxury to plan for retirement. However, if you are not saving for retirement now, you are missing out on major opportunities to...

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When I was in fourth grade my mother asked me to clean the refrigerator. The fridge was white and instead of just cleaning it, I decided to spray it with a can of white paint! It did not work so well. I remember my father telling my mother, “Well honey, it’s a good thing we have 10 kids. At least one of them should be able to take care of us when we retire!” Relying on your children to take care of you during your retirement years may not be the easiest solution to achieving...

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