Banknotes Blog

As a business owner, the security of your operation is likely never far from your mind. Trouble is, when it comes to safeguarding your business against fraudsters, scammers, and other external threats, it can be difficult to know where to start. To that end, we’re sharing a blog published by the Federal Trade Commission that provides some foundational support for any business owner looking to stay safe and keep their enterprise running smoothly.

Your credit score is an important part of your financial health. Credit Sense can help you understand your current credit score and provide suggestions for improvement based on the criteria that go into the equation.

As any business owner knows, there are many financial considerations to make when deciding how to run the company. A qualified tax adviser can help.

Trying to time the market is generally not in an investor's best interests. A better strategy is to bucket and diversify.

For those who didn’t purchase or refinance last year, you might be feeling like you missed the boat on low mortgage interest rates. Current rates may be making people experience a bit of sticker shock comparatively. Is it too late to take advantage of the low-rate trend? The answer is no … relatively speaking.

People usually get into farming thanks to family ties, along with a deep love for the land and the lifestyle. We want to support that passion and the rich culture and traditions it upholds. If you hear the call of farming entrepreneurship, we don’t want you to give up your dreams out of fear of lost fortune. Here are a number of ways we're prepared to help you succeed in your farming endeavors.

If you're retired and interested in returning to work for personal reasons or to help ease the burden of a national shortage of workers, then you might be in a position of power to set up your situation so you can enjoy work more than ever before.

We’ve lived for 20+ years – at least – since inflation was a problem. (The reality may be closer to 40 years.) Here’s a quick review of what inflation is, how it affects normal people, and how to adjust your finances accordingly.

In the financial world as everywhere, change is inevitable. It happens both in the blink of an eye and slowly, over time, for reasons obvious and subtle. Recently, investors have seen change spurred on by government policies, corporate profits, economic factors, and geopolitical events. Echoing the title of the Bob Dylan classic, the times they are a-changin’.

Some of the most popular and effective scams being run today center around the practice of phishing, whereby fraudsters trick victims into divulging sensitive personal information that can then be used to exploit their identity and bank account. A while back, the Federal Trade Commission put together an article on the subject that contains information as relevant today as ever. We're sharing it here in its entirety.

The Wisconsin State Senate is currently considering a bill to help modernize some language that no longer applies in today’s financial landscape, and therefore causes some administrative hassles for credit unions, specifically. To be clear, we are in support of the majority of the bill. However, there are four provisions that blur the lines between credit unions and banks that we believe should be removed.

Interest rates have been extraordinarily low for the last 10–20 years, giving a generation of business owners confidence in their ability to repay loans to grow exponentially and operate more efficiently. That may change soon. When making decisions about new equipment, business expansion projects, or modernizing processes, you have several choices.

Given how strongly equity markets have recovered since the 2008–2009 financial crisis, one might easily forget that volatility (i.e., risk) and losses are a normal part of investing life. To help understand why, let’s take a closer at how domestic large company stocks, as defined by the Ibbotson Large Company Stock Index, performed over the longer term, from 1926 through 2021.

Starting or expanding a business can feel overwhelming. Luckily, you don’t have to go it alone. Right here in Dane County, there are a number of resources and experts geared solely to helping entrepreneurs achieve success. Let's take a look at a few.

Is the market on its way to bear territory? Is this just an interlude in a longer growth cycle? Or are the averages just catching up to us? Only time will tell, of course. Let’s take a look at the month that was before turning our gaze to the horizon.

Every year, business credit cards gain functionality and become easier to use, and 2022 is no different. Make sure you're getting the full benefit of your card program this year by taking advantage of these features and tips.

On the heels of last week’s Identity Theft Awareness Week, we thought it timely and appropriate to share the following article, which contains good information on how you can tell whether your identity may have been jeopardized, and what you can do to keep it safe.

Before you get started on plans to expand your business, there are several steps experts recommend to properly prepare for an effective expansion. Your banker or potential investor will want to know you took these steps seriously and may even ask for data supporting your conclusions. Here are five ways to improve your chances of obtaining financing from a bank or investor.

It's hard to believe that we've turned the page on 2021, a year full of ups, downs, and everything in between. But before you look ahead to the possibility that 2022 holds, it may be a good idea to evaluate how you did financially over the previous 12 months. Budget & spending, emergency & other expenses, and savings are good places to start.

You’ve heard the saying: “You have to spend money to make money.” While the underlying concept is true, the real trick is knowing when to spend and when to save to create a stable, thriving business. When it comes to spending, the most important thing is to fully understand your return on investment. Let's take a look at some to rules to guide your saving and spending decisions.

We made it – 2021 is now behind us, and 2022 has arrived! While last year certainly had its challenges (inflation, Covid variants, supply-chain issues), the markets took it all in stride and performed reasonably well ... at least, if you take a 30,000-foot view. This year promises more obstacles, as inflation continues to surge, the Fed shifts from easing to tightening, and Covid concerns remain as prevalent as ever. Hopefully, by planning for the unexpected this year, investors can come out ahead. Let’s assess where we've come from, and contemplate where we may be headed.