The Home Buyers’ Process: Why Prequalify?

September is National Mortgage Professionals Month* The first step you should take before even looking at homes is to get prequalified with a mortgage lender. It will help you, as a buyer, better understand your target home price range and what that will mean for your monthly and overall budget. In addition, your realtor will […]
Good Credit, Bad Credit or Just Limited Credit?

While teaching a credit class recently at All Community Outreach, which provides free comprehensive human services in Allen, Texas, Daniel Cahill came away with the following insights from an engaged audience. Often there is focus on trying to “fix bad credit” and sometimes we fail to focus on stimulating a credit profile that is simply […]
What is a CD and How Can it Benefit Me?

Financial Literacy – CD’s Explained Have you ever wondered what a CD is? For some of you who might remember, we’re not referring to the musical compact disc, which has mostly been replaced by streaming media. A Certificate of Deposit (CD), in bank terms, is a savings tool that allows you to typically earn a […]
Elder Fraud Abuse Prevention

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day FactoidRoughly 20 percent of older Americans fall prey to financial exploitation losing on average $120,000, or a collective $3 billion every year, according to a study from the AARP Public Policy Institute. Be on the Lookout for Elder Financial Abuse Scams It’s an all too unfortunate reality that older adults […]
Staying Engaged With Your Bank

Best Practices to Keep Your Accounts Active You did your research. You learned about FDIC insurance. You found a bank that meets your needs, and you decide to open an account. Next, you meet with your banker, complete the account paperwork, and make an initial deposit. All is going to plan until one day you […]
National Teach Children to Save Day

The 25th annual National Teach Children to Save Day, sponsored by the American Bankers Association, falls on April 27th and it’s a whole day dedicated to encouraging children to develop good money-saving habits. With an early start to saving and an understanding of budgeting their money, children will build life skills as they head into […]
5 Ways to Use Your Tax Refund Wisely

If you have a tax refund coming your way this tax season, it‘s important to put that money to good use. However, there are a lot of options when it comes to spending it or saving it. It may be tempting to blow the extra paycheck all at once, but a tax refund is a […]
Credit Education Video Series

Be Credit Aware! March is Credit Education Month and NDBT’s Director of Credit Operations, Allie Wadley, has prepared a series of videos with topics aimed to help you protect your credit. The four-part series will be released with an episode each week covering topics including how to maintain a healthy credit score, learn how to […]
Creative Banking for Market Conditions

Managing through current rates A small business owner recently approached with the question of whether the business could use the current market conditions to its’ advantage. As we explored options, refinancing their current debt made little sense, as rates are appreciably higher than when the debt was acquired. However, the time period following the debt […]
Financial Wellness Video Series

New Year’s resolutions are typically created to help us focus on areas of our own personal improvement. It’s no wonder January is National Financial Wellness Month! Our financial experts share a variety of tips and steps you can take to help with that focus – from estate planning to personal financial statements and more – […]