Ending America's Retirement Crisis

Risky Business: Leveraged Lending

Leveraged lending offers credit to commercial businesses with high levels of debt, helps companies obtain funding for leveraged buyouts, mergers and acquisitions, and recapitalizing businesses. While many commercial businesses see success from these loans and are able to repay them, the high levels of debt and lower liquidity can reduce a business’ ability to respond to unexpected changes in economic conditions.

The Retirement Problem in America

The statistics surrounding the dire state of retirement in America are abundant. According to a 2019 Bankrate Financial Security Index survey, 21% of Americans aren’t saving any money at all. Forty eight percent of working adults are saving something, but still less than 10% of their annual income.¹

Company Culture: The Difference Between Good and Best

There are good companies to work for, bad companies to work for, and there are great companies to work for. What is it that makes a company the “best”? What is their company culture like? Harvard Business Review (HBR) researched the best places to work in the United States looking for these answers. We’re not just looking for what they do differently, but why the things they do see success.

Education and Success in Community Banks

Training and education are transforming elements of a community bank. Education has cultural, personal, and financial benefits to a bank and can make the difference between a good bank and a great one, says Group Executive Vice President for ICBA’s (Independent Community Bankers of America) Community Banker University, Lindsay LaNore, in a Main Street Banking podcast. In no circumstance is knowledge ever wasted: it’s the foundation of innovation and growth.

Webinar Now Available: Three Things Banks Can Do Today to Improve Efficiencies

Two weeks ago Joe Ehrhardt, CEO and founder of Teslar, hosted a webinar with the ICBA and Independent Banker. The webinar was called Three Things Banks Can Do Today to Improve Efficiencies and Joe discussed how institutions rely on cumbersome processes that hinder the customer experience. However, to best serve your customers it is essential to find balance by incorporating automation without compromising the overall customer relationship.

Pros and Cons of Going Cashless

Many believe we have been moving toward a cashless society in which all financial transactions are digital. Many financiers and government authorities favor bidding adieu to cash-- there’d be lower crime rates with no physical money to steal, financial crimes and money laundering would be much harder to commit if there’s a record of every payment you ever receive, we would save money by not printing bills and coins, people would have ease of use when managing their cash, and it would make international travel so much easier.

Gaining an Edge in the Battle for Deposits

The battle for deposits has become increasingly competitive for community financial institutions. Major retailers and tech companies such Apple, T-Mobile and Google are attempting to enter the financial services landscape, posing new threats to existing players. As a result, money that used to be stored in traditional bank accounts is now scattered across various channels that are typically not secured by the FDIC, such as the Starbucks app.

The Value of the Census

The Census Bureau collects household information in order to understand the nation’s people and economy. The data describes where people live, their living arrangements, ages, income, education level, commuting patterns, and occupations.¹ This information helps all members of the community in different ways. Following the constitutional mandate of equal population representation, the data is used to apportion seats in the House of Representatives and draw district boundaries. Conducting a census every ten years is required by the U.S Constitution.

Millennials and GenZers Are Most Frequent Bank Visitors

The talk of today is all about going digital. In an effort to meet the needs and demands of today’s smartphone-driven world, it only makes sense that some banks are opening less brick and mortar branches and focusing on developing and improving mobile and online services. Interestingly though, new research is saying banks might want to reconsider this direction as many young customers still rely on physical branches for banking.