Blogs

Banking partners you can count on to help you achieve growth goals Built-in economic advantages in West Texas — and new voter-approved help for Texas Tech University – will help the region weather economic challenges in the coming year as it has in the past, said James Arnold, president and CEO of First Bank & Trust, a division of HTLF Bank. MARKET ADVANTAGES As President and CEO of First Bank & Trust, a division of HTLF Bank, James Arnold brings more than 20 years of West Texas banking experience with a broad knowledge of the economic outlook and local economies. His thoughts on the 2024...

Businesses across the U.S. display a great deal of resilience as many challenges from 2023 have spilled over into 2024 and new obstacles have left some business leaders uneasy. As businesses continue to face economic uncertainty and fraud attacks remain on the rise, having a reliable banking partner on your team to help guide decision-making will allow you to manage with confidence. In compiling survey results from our clients and reviewing reliable sources, we have created the Financial Feed to provide our market with valuable insights on the future of finance. In The Report: Strategies on...

Tax season is right around the corner! With a bit of planning before you start filling out tax forms, you can make the process much easier on yourself this year. So, let’s review important insights, as well as the forms and documents you might need to gather to file your tax return ASAP. Filing Your Taxes: What You Need to Get Started Before you begin the filing process, you should first gather the information and documents that the IRS needs to process your tax return. Tax forms often include a lot of technical terms, but basically, you’ll need: Your Social Security Number (SSN) or Tax...

Questioning the authenticity of your new online relationship? Are the stars aligning or is there something more to the story? If you have doubts about your newfound romance, it could be a warning sign of a potential romance scam. Every year, countless Americans become targets of romance scams, where skilled social engineers use various tactics to deceive their victims. The consequences can be devastating. These scams not only cause severe financial and emotional harm but also emphasize the importance of recognizing and understanding the strategies used by these scammers. Romance scams have had...

The potentially transformative capabilities of advanced AI, automation, and robotics technology are ushering in a new era for manufacturing. Yet, at the same time, extracting value from the digital transformation is more complicated than it might seem. Case in point—an overwhelming 88% of companies report difficulties measuring value from technological investments. The same report found that 85% of companies struggle to simultaneously update operating models to accommodate their new visions and cover the upfront investment costs for new technology. These challenges are further compounded for...