Words From The Efficiency Experts

Consumer behavior is an important economic driving force. Although holidays are never about gift-giving or spending money, these cultural norms are still major factors for the economy. V Day is a staple day for retail industries like floral, candy, and jewelry. To get a deeper look at just how much we are spending, who is spending it, and what we are spending it on, we turned to NRF (National Retail Federation), who has surveyed consumers about Valentine’s Day plans annually for almost 20 years. 

While the economic effects of coronavirus have led to business closures, job losses, and a drop in GDP, some are taking this as an opportunity to pursue passions and take risks. That’s right, entrepreneurship is on the rise. Americans are starting businesses at the fastest rate in more than a decade. As of September 2020, applications for EIN numbers had surpassed 3.2 million for the year¹, with over 500,000 of said applications occurring from mid-Mach to the end of May alone². This number is, unironically, up 500,000 compared to the year prior¹.

Have you heard the buzz about how your Netflix bill can help boost you credit score? Experian Boost is a free service that first launched in early 2019 and is helping those who are looking to increase their credit scores. Unlike Credit Management Services or other “quick” methods of credit building, Experian is a trusted and established company in the credit score world and this free service will boost FICO scores instantly.

Teslar Software, a provider of automated workflow and portfolio management tools designed to help community financial institutions thrive, today shined a light on predictions and opportunities for community bankers to develop their business relationships in 2021.

While the number still remains small, the amount of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) fraud cases continues to rise.

PPP loans have provided a much-needed lifeline to many small businesses, non-profits, and sole proprietors during the Coronavirus pandemic, however the rushed creation of this program is starting to show its negative side effects. Just this week, we’ve seen two new arrests in relation to PPP fraud.

The coverage of the Paycheck Protection Program and PPP forgiveness has been so vast that many of the additional loans, grants, and other aid given since Coronavirus shutdowns began in March have been brushed to the side. With such a focus on the forgiveness of PPP loans, many loan recipients who received additional government aid may be in for a shock when they determine their forgiveness amount.

The COVID-19 pandemic has radically changed nearly every facet of American day-to-day life to where most citizens do not see our daily routines ever returning to what we once considered “normal.” When we say every facet, we mean every facet. Mental, physical, familial, financial, personal, and professional. A lot of the effects we’ve felt from the pandemic have been less than savory, but this pandemic is also changing some things for the better. Below are just a few life lessons many Americans have learned from this pandemic (so far) regarding banking and finances.

Big bankruptcies have been trickling in this year as the US continues to navigate through the coronavirus pandemic. Many of these companies filing for bankruptcy have been, unsurprisingly, airline and travel companies, and now we are seeing more and more big names like J. Crew and J.C. Penney added the list. “In May alone, some 27 companies reporting at least $50 million in liabilities sought court protection from creditors -- the highest number since the Great Recession,” reports Bloomberg.

The largest banks in the United States have recently reported exceptional growth in the past months. The ten largest U.S. banks grew in asset size by more than $1.2 trillion in Q1 of 2020. 20 percent of this growth alone ($273 billion in new deposits) came from JPMorgan, placing it as the first bank in the U.S. with $3 trillion in assets.¹ 

Many organizations have feared a work-from-home model for years, worrying about the risks that come with more distractions, less accountability, and less productivity for employees, but the COVID-19 pandemic has forced many organizations to adopt work-from-home procedures despite their apprehension. However, many have found their fears put at ease—this actually works. Not only do employees have more free time, lending way to better quality of life, and get to work in sweatpants, but they’re doing it with just as much, if not more, productivity. Many predict that working from home is here to stay.