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Money Mentor vs. Financial Planner vs. Financial Advisor: Which is Best?

The new year brings a unique chance to change your future and financial situation. According to a recent survey by intelliflo, a cloud-based technology platform for financial advisors, 71% of Gen Z (ages 18-25) and 72% of Millennials (ages 26-41) say they want financial advice but don't know how to get it.

Bill Pay And Voice Pay

Bill Pay is an online service which allows you to pay a person and/or a company through your online bank account. You determine who you want to pay, when you want to make the payment, how often you want to send the payment, and which account you want the payment to come from. It's safe, secure and easy to use.

How Entrepreneurs Can Get a Business Scholarship Award

Are you an entrepreneur looking to further your education? If so, you might be eligible for a business scholarship award! These awards help business owners finance their education and continue their business ventures. We'll go over how to start your search, standard eligibility requirements, and the types of scholarships available. We'll also provide you with some success tips for completing your applications. So, if you are ready to level up your business skills, read on.

Can You Spot a Phishing Scam? 🕵️‍♀️

Every day, scammers trick people into giving away personal information through emails, texts, and phone calls disguised as their bank. With more of us relying on online and mobile banking, these scams are on the rise. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission reported that Americans lost a shocking $10 billion to phishing scams and fraud in 2023—a 13.6% increase over 2022.

Home Budget Analysis

Managing your monthly budget can be difficult and frustrating. One of the most important aspects of controlling your budget is to determine where your money is going.

Credit Card Debt: How to Know When You’re in Over Your Head

It’s best to avoid going too deep into credit card debt, and the way to do that is with careful planning and by creating a solid budget that you can live with. Knowing what you can reasonably afford and when you’ve reached that point is half the battle to preventing debt.

ICYMI– Bank & Brews Waco | A Deep Dive into Google Analytics

After wrapping up a three-part series around the Startup Waco and Public Improvement District Marketing Skills Toolkit, we thought it was time to take a deep dive into some of the essential tools that all businesses should be utilizing. For our June Bank & Brews workshop, Extraco’s own Digital Marketing Specialist, Carina Yebra, walked attendees through what she considers to be an essential, and often underutilized, tool for all businesses– Google Analytics. 

Business Insurance You’ll Need

If you’ve been procrastinating on business insurance, consider this: small businesses are much more likely than larger companies to be devastated in the event of an unforeseen loss, and business insurance needn’t be costly. Read more to learn about the business insurance you need.

Insurance Premium Changes

Your premium is likely to change each time you renew your insurance. This is because premiums are affected by many factors, including the cost of doing business and changes to the way risk is assessed. Sometimes premiums increase across the board because your level of risk has increased.

Tax Refunds: Frequently Asked Questions

At the beginning of each year, you’ll start to receive tax information in the mail. After using these forms to file your taxes, you might expect a tax refund. While you can choose to have it deposited to your bank account, the IRS controls the entire processing and transaction process.

The New Normal: How the Gig Economy Highlights the Need for Emergency Savings

As a gig worker, you must wear many hats and take on more responsibilities than you might as a traditional employee. This kind of work provides several advantages, including more freedom and flexibility to structure your work in a way that aligns with your preferences. However, there are a few caveats, mainly regarding financial stability.

How to Ban Scams from Fake Checks to Online Shopping and More  

Robocalls are one of the most common scams Americans face today, and scam artists use many approaches to trick you. It might be an auto warranty renewal, a hotel reservation, an award you won – even if you never entered a drawing for it – and more. Still, robocalls are only one of the many avenues scam artists use to trick you. 

Tips to Keep Your Business Secure Online

Consider Yahoo, Marriott International, Adult Friend Finder, Anthem, and Target. What do these companies have in common? They’ve all experienced some of the largest data breaches in history. The scary thing is that you can’t protect all your data all the time, but there are many things you can do to guard against a cyber-attack.

How Can You Save Money With Home Insurance?

Need home insurance but could use some help figuring out where to start? We can help! Homeowner's insurance is essential to protecting your home and property. Your home is your biggest investment. So, you'll want to ensure it is well-protected should something happen that causes damage or liability concerns. And homeowner's insurance protects your home against loss or damage.

Understanding Escrow Accounts and Escrow Analysis

An escrow account helps simplify homeownership by spreading out property tax and insurance costs through your monthly mortgage payment. Each year, an escrow analysis reviews these expenses to ensure enough funds are available, which may result in a shortage or surplus and cause your payment to change. Understanding how escrow works can help you plan ahead and avoid surprises.

The Difference Between Cash Flow and Profit

Cash coming into your business and the actual profit you make are two very different things, and almost always never total up as identical amounts. Read more to learn the difference between cash flow and profit.

Homebase

Homebase is a leading workforce management platform designed to simplify employee scheduling, time tracking, and team communication for small businesses. Read more about how Extraco Banks is committed to building businesses.

Boost Your Savings Strategy with Extraco

Are you ready to accelerate your savings growth? At Extraco Banks, we understand the importance of making your money work for you and offer powerful financial tools designed to maximize your money. From Certificates of Deposit (CDs) to Money Market accounts, we have the solutions you need to achieve your financial goals.

5 Tips for Maximizing Your New Year’s Resolutions

With inflation beginning to cool, this year might be an excellent time to set your resolutions for meeting your financial goals. After all, we could all use more money in our pockets and bank accounts. To maximize your chances for success, we have some tips to get you started, and you can begin by creating smart goals.

How to Help Your Teenager Build Credit

Credit is the ultimate catch-22. To get credit, you must have a credit history. Young people wanting to establish themselves financially often find themselves in this conundrum. They've never had a credit card, haven't purchased their own vehicle and are not a home-owner. In other words, they're invisible to the credit bureaus. 

Five Ways to Ring in National Financial Planning Month

October marks the beginning of a financial journey towards the holiday season. As we celebrate National Financial Planning Month, it's the perfect time to embrace the spirit of saving and planning for the festive months ahead.

Dorm Room on a Dime: How to Get the Look for Less

When you are budget-savvy and looking for stylish living solutions, finding the look for less is top of the to-do list. That’s why we’re digging in to offer hacks and solutions that won’t break the bank.

Reviewing Loan Applications

When you apply for a loan at Extraco, we review your application information to help determine your credit worthiness. Key considerations: 1. Your credit score tells us your past performance in meeting your financial obligations. 2. Your credit report shows stability as well as borrowing behaviors.

To Build or Not to Build: Get the Home That’s Right for You

Times are tough for buyers in today’s seller’s market. There is low inventory and incredibly tough competition for homes all over the country. Many buyers in the market have decided to build a new home to ensure they get the home that is right for them.

Whole Life vs. Term Life: Which Life Insurance is Better?

Choosing a life insurance policy can feel like walking through a labyrinth. Different types of policies, costs, benefits, and the fine print can be confusing.  Which insurance is best for you: whole life insurance or term insurance? Let’s look at the differences between each so you can decide.

Why Hiring an Investment Professional is a Good Idea

Like most people, you probably think hiring an investment professional is a waste of money. You might believe using a pocket investor or investment app is just as good — or better — than working with an investment professional. However, this isn't always the case. There are many reasons why hiring an investment professional is a good idea and can maximize your return beyond what fractional investing can achieve.

Our commitment to the Gatesville community

Extraco's long-standing presence in the Gatesville community has allowed us to build meaningful relationships with our customers and become a trusted partner in their financial journeys. We are excited to open our new branch in fall 2023.

7 Festive Ways to Save Money Christmas Shopping

It’s that time of year again, and if you haven’t started your Christmas shopping yet, now is the time to do it. However, shopping for gifts can be challenging during economic uncertainty, especially when you’re looking to save money. Budgets are tighter, and the things you want and need cost more. Yet, this doesn’t mean you can’t have a great holiday. We devised a plan to make your holiday shopping and gift-giving easier. Here are 7 festive ways to save money while Christmas shopping.

ICYMI– Bank & Brews Temple | Business Plans

A solid business plan is essential for all businesses. Jason Ehler of the Small Business Development Center and Brian Reinhardt of Extraco hosted a great session on what to include in your business plan (as well as what NOT to include), how often to revisit your plan after the COVID-19 pandemic, and resources that all business-owners should be utilizing.