Blog

What makes a password strong? First, let’s talk about what’s not a strong password. The word “password.” Yes, people still use “password” as their password and it’s the worst possible option. Also, any words in the dictionary make weak passwords and should not be used because they’re easily decrypted and not complex.  For example, the[…]  Read more

The Millennial generation (often defined as those in the 18 – 34 age bracket) is forcing rapid changes in the mortgage industry. According to a 2016 Pew Research Center report, as the first generation of home buyers consisting of “digital natives,” Millennials are far less trusting of traditional institutions like big banks. And if lenders[…]  Read more

Financial exploitation is one of the most common forms of abuse committed against older Americans. According to a Metlife study, an estimated $2.9 billion is lost annually to scams explicitly targeting seniors. The American Bankers Association Foundation is urging older Americans and their caregivers to join the fight against financial abuse and take active steps[…]  Read more

As a nonprofit organization located in nearly 1,800 communities throughout the world, the United Way’s focus has remained the same for more than 125 years: “creating community-based and community-led solutions that strengthen the cornerstones for a good quality of life, education, financial stability and health.” For 70 of those years, the United Way of Midland[…]  Read more

Software updates are becoming even more important as software vendors patch vulnerabilities “threat actors” are using to infect computers and devices. Not patching is the equivalent of leaving the key to your front door in the keyhole. It’s like saying, “Please, bad guy! Come on in!” “Software vulnerability” is a fancy word for an inadvertent[…]  Read more

As millennials face unprecedented financial burdens such as student debt, the American Bankers Association is highlighting seven money tips to help them plan for a financially sound future. “With student debt and high housing costs creating challenges for many millennials, now is a better time than ever for them to map out their finances and[…]  Read more

In my last blog piece, I discussed the importance of your credit score, what it means and how it can help you. Now that you know what is considered a good score, let’s learn how your credit score is calculated. How is it calculated? There are five major categories that are considered when a FICO®[…]  Read more

You often you see advertisements, whether online or on TV, that advertise low interest rates with national lenders. In these ads, the national lenders appear to be the best route for homebuyers to take. However, what the ads don’t tell you about are the downsides of working with people you don’t know or people that[…]  Read more

Over my years as a banker, I have come to understand how credit scores affect several aspects of our everyday life. But for something that matters so much, there are still plenty of myths and misconceptions out there.  Here are some helpful points to understand the credit score world: What the score means … Your credit score[…]  Read more

School’s out for summer and it’s that time of year that students all over have been waiting for. In fact, there are some parents that have been anxiously waiting as well. Now that summer is here, the question is what to do? Camp, childcare, vacation? Summer is a great opportunity for families to spend quality[…]  Read more