Your dream kitchen, bathroom, patio, or basement could be within reach if you’re sitting on home equity. Whether you’re looking to add an addition, finish a room, or enclose a patio, a remodel can add value to your house over time. Not sure where to start? There are numerous ways to add value to...

Between costs like rent, inventory, and payroll, it can be hard for businesses to cover expenses. Even if you have enough cash on hand to fulfill your obligations, an unexpected cost could derail your operation. Could a business credit card help? High interest rates might make you hesitant to open...

Weighing the pros and cons of cash vs. credit can help you strategize your spending habits and get the most out of your money. If you’re wondering if you should carry cash or rely on plastic, consider your financial goals first. Here’s a guide to getting started. You have plenty of ways to spend...

Don’t let fraud prevention fall by the wayside. To survive in a world full of scammers and thieves, small businesses must take cybersecurity and check fraud seriously. Never trust a suspicious check, and don’t hesitate to request an alternative payment. Utilizing check payments to pay your vendors...

Fraudsters Continue to Target Check Payments A large majority of organizations are still using checks for outgoing payments and checks continue to be the primary target of payments fraud. Without preventative measures in place, every check payment could be exposing an organization to fraud. AFP...

Your HTLF fraud partners, Director John Fick, and Fraud Risk Manager Tracy Swaim, along with their teams, work daily to help prevent and mitigate fraud loss for our clients. Now more than ever, small businesses are at an increased risk of fraud. Due to Covid-19, inflation, and rising interest rates...

Building and sticking to a robust financial wellness checklist is the best way to assess your situation. Are you looking to review where you are with your finances? Wary of your financial fitness and how you stack up? Use this list to check your financial health today. The start of a new year is the...

Home improvement projects can be sizable undertakings. Whether trying to sell or just looking to spruce things up, the financial commitment can get as steep as the project itself. Have you considered using your Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) to tackle your next home improvement project? Your...

If you’re finding it difficult to manage multiple payments and feeling overwhelmed, consolidating your debts into a single loan with one monthly payment might be the solution. Debt consolidation is a strategy to streamline your finances and alleviate the burden on your bank account. What Is Debt...

Every business owner’s story is unique, yet many will reach a point where they ask the same question – how can I help my business grow? Sometimes the answer to that question is a loan, and knowing ahead of time what lenders will look for can help you simplify the process and secure financing faster...

Consumers are demanding streamlined, hassle-free payment solutions both online and in person. As consumers increasingly pay less with cash, businesses are turning to an increasing mix of emerging payment solutions to maintain growth. For the most part, consumer preferences are shifting toward mobile...

Even as Covid-19 infections caused by the delta variant continue to rise in some areas of the country, economic activity continues to increase. Consumer spending rose at an annualized rate of 11.8 percent in the second quarter, according to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Payroll employment...