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Family Financial Planning Bring the family together to talk about a financial plan. 7 Topics

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Starting Out Take smarter first steps into personal banking. 5 Topics

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Read These Articles on Personal Financing Knowing your finances is the first step to properly managing them and to ensuring you are in good financial standing. But how do you get started? Reading personal financing articles can be a huge help when it comes to understanding financial management. That is why First Bank offers a Financial Education Center full of articles with advice on everything from buying your first home to making your first investment. Personal Financing Articles Check out the following articles on managing your personal finances: Articles on Buying a Home Simplifying the Homebuying Process: This infographic offers tips and tricks on how to make the homebuying process as easy as possible. Should I Buy an Older Home?: This article weighs the pros and cons of buying an older home. How to Shop Bank-Owned Homes: This article provides insight into buying a bank-owned home and how to get the process started. The Right Age to Buy a House: Is it in your 20s, your 30s, or is age only a number? Saving Money 10 Easy Ways to Save On Home Energy Costs: Learn 10 quick and easy ways to cut down your energy bill and save money each month. Planning the Right Mix for Retirement: This article offers help with choosing the retirement savings plans that work best for you. 10 “Life Hacks” That Will Save You Money: The little things can add up! Use these life hacks to cut costs and get the most out of your purchases. How to Get Help Paying for College: Check out this list of student aid programs that can help you pay for college. Investing 5 Tips for Safely Managing Your Finances Online: Keep your finances safe and secure with these tips on online security. 5 Things You Need to Know Before You Become a Landlord: Take these considerations in mind before diving headfirst into property management. When browsing personal financing articles, remember that your financial situation is unique. You should always discuss your financial and investment opportunities with an experienced banking professional before making significant financial decisions. First Bank* is a local community bank with banking professionals who can help you make sound decisions. Contact your local branch for personal financing advice today. 2 min read

5 Money Saving Tips for Young Adults When you’re young, saving money can seem like an impossible task. It’s easy to see your paycheck as a way to get by month to month and not a way to prepare for the future and save for financial difficulties. But putting just a little money aside each month can make a world of difference. These five money saving tips for young adults can help you get started on the path to future financial success. Five Ways to Save Money as a Young Adult 1. Make a budget. You’ve heard it before. Creating and sticking to a budget is one of the best ways you can save money. Making a budget doesn’t mean you have to give up fun for the rest of your life. By creating a budget, you’ll be able to see where your money is going each month and allocate funds to saving, bills and entertainment. Try using MyMoney within online and mobile banking to get started. 2. Don’t wait to save and invest. Saving and investing may seem like a challenge right now, but putting away just a few dollars a week can have a big impact. Use your budget to see how much money you can put into your savings account each month. And as for investing, if your employer offers a 401(k) account, U.S. News recommends deciding how much of your salary to contribute and increasing it as time goes on. 3. Save one-third of your income. If you aren’t sure how much you should save, U.S. News also recommends saving one-third of your income if you can. By saving $1 out of every $3 you earn, you are making it easier on yourself to survive future financial difficulties, such as layoffs, car repairs, home repairs, and other surprise expenses. 4. Start an emergency fund. Another good way to save for financial hardship is to start an emergency fund. Investopedia recommends putting some money into a high-interest savings account, CD or money market account. 5. Pay off your debt. While putting money into savings is a good way to prepare for your future, you should also be concerned about paying off your debt. You should be aggressive about paying off your debt and careful not to let your credit cards spiral out of control. For 3 min read

What Is a Child Savings Account? “What is a child savings account?” In a child savings account, you can deposit spare change, birthday money and other loose funds to accrue some interest throughout their childhood. This teaches children the lesson of “a penny saved, is a penny earned.” Read on to learn more about a child savings account and how you can set one up with First Bank. What Is a Child Savings Account? A gateway to education. Research suggests that a child savings account greatly increases the odds that a child from lower to middle income will attend—and even graduate—from college. The research, conducted by Prosperity Now in Washington, DC, shows that children with savings accounts are more likely to start planning for college early and consider themselves college bound. A pathway to financial independence. Additional research conducted by the University of Kansas finds that children with savings accounts are four times more likely to invest in the stock market in adulthood. So, while the return on a child savings account might seem minimal on the surface, the benefits can pay big dividends in the long run. A child savings account is a great way to teach your son or daughter financial literacy and responsibility. Open a Child Savings Account with First Bank With just a $10 initial deposit, customers under the age of 18 can open a MyFirst Savings account and get started on a lesson with a lifelong payoff. A MyFirst Savings account comes with no monthly maintenance charge and no minimum balance needed. Interest is earned as long as certain requirements are met. Our account also comes with eStatements or paper statements, online and mobile banking* and two withdrawals per month free of First Bank fees. Learn more about our child savings account and guide your child to a brighter future with First Bank. *While First Bank does not charge for mobile banking, your mobile carrier’s message and data rates may apply. 2. Withdrawal fee of $2 each after the first two during the month. Federal regulations limit withdrawals of preauthorized transfers to two (2) per month, including checks, drafts, online transfers, telephone transfers and debit card purchases. ——— Prosperity Now: https://prosperitynow.org/blog/empirical-evidence-support-childrens-savings-accounts 2 min read

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Considering Long-Term Care Insurance? Read This First If you’ve worked hard, invested wisely and had some luck, you should have enough income after retirement to live comfortably. But what happens if you develop a chronic illness or disability in your golden years? 4 min read

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