“Grandma,” the voice on the phone said.  “It’s your grandson.  I’m in trouble.”

“Charlie?”

“Yeah. It’s Charlie.”

With that simple conversation, Edith was on the path toward giving thousands of dollars in cash to a scammer. Her “grandson” told her he ran into trouble with law enforcement in another state, that he had been arrested, and that he needed money for bail.  The scammer was very convincing, and Edith went right to the bank to withdraw the funds. 

The calendar has switched over to a new year, which means – among other things – tax season is here. In 2018, more than 79 million taxpayers received refunds at an average amount of $2,864. While it may be tempting to spend it all, there are many ways to put that kind of financial windfall to work for you.

Your mobile device provides convenient access to your email, bank and social media accounts. Unfortunately, it can potentially provide the same convenient access for criminals.

It's been proven time and again; you don't have to be a business school graduate to run and manage a successful business.

For many people, it is important to take time during the holiday season to give to those who are in need. Donating to your favorite cause can be fulfilling, but it’s important to ensure that your gift reaches the intended source.

Joy and peace. They are the words we see and hear a lot of during the holiday season. However, with the expense and other stresses of the season, the holidays can feel anything but joyous and peaceful for some people.

It's supposed to be the most thankful time of the year. A time to enjoy quality time with friends and family and feast on delicious treats. Yet with the amount of cooking, cleaning, and planning, those in charge of hosting the annual Thanksgiving dinner celebration can feel exhausted, inadequate, stressed ... anything but thankful.

Freedom. It's one of the most attractive benefits of self-employment.

A recent survey conducted by TD Ameritrade found that millennials, on average, expect to retire at the age of 56. While the current average retirement age is 63 – and is expected to rise – this may seem like an unrealistic goal. First Security Bank & Trust recommends millennials put together a savings plan now to work toward their long-term goals.

October is spooky enough with its ghouls and goblins. National Cybersecurity Awareness Month is here to remind us how to stay safe and secure from real (and maybe even scarier) threats – malware and scammers.

There are so many things to love about being in your 20's; you have ample time to explore new and exciting career opportunities, and to build independence. You also have valuable time to do something that will be very important when you get older — build your wealth.

Some people retire on income from an employer-sponsored defined benefit pension plan. Employers that sponsor defined benefit pension plans are responsible for contributing enough to fund promised benefits.

U.S. Department of Labor data show a trend away from defined benefit plans and toward defined contribution plans, though. A key difference is that the employer bears the investment risks of a defined benefit plan. In defined contribution plans, employees bear the investment risks, and there is no guarantee that your defined contribution account balance will be adequate for your retirement. 

There’s never a bad time to teach children financial responsibility, but it may be difficult to find unique ways to help them relate it to the real world. Did you know that you can use back-to-school shopping as a way to give children an interactive financial lesson?

When First Security first introduced Video Banking to customers, many wondered just where the Video Bankers were located. One Video Banker always joked that they were “inside the box” or working directly behind the screen. In reality, the Video Bankers work from Charles City where they remotely interact with customers and assist with their banking needs.

Since Video Banking’s inception at First Security, there have been many misconceptions about the new technology. Customers didn’t know that it was more than an ATM or that the Video Bankers were local people working inside the same building as all the other bankers and tellers in Charles City.

Earlier this month, the Video Bankers celebrated 3 years since Video Banking technology was introduced to customers at First Security.

We’ve had a great kick off to summer events this season! First Security employees have been busy volunteering at many events and parades. A few of the events we have participated in just in the last couple weeks are Party in the Park in Charles City, Gran Festival in Hampton, Tuesday on the Town in Hampton, Floyd Fun Days, and Greene River Days.

Now that you’re settling in to your new home, there are some important things you need to consider. The American Bankers Association recommends the following tips.

Young people and those living outside of Charles City may not realize that May 15^th marks an important anniversary for the Charles City community. 50 years ago, “at 4:50 PM nature shed its robes of spring glory and lashed out at picturesque Charles City with one of its most heinous brainstorms – a devastating tornado apparently unparalleled in Iowa history.

In 2016, the Federal Trade Commission received more than 400,000 complaints from consumers reporting that they’d been exposed to impersonation scams. The “grandparent scam” is one type that deliberately targets older Americans.

First Security Bank & Trust partnered with Central Springs Elementary School to continue the Teach Children to Save Campaign with savings education on May 3. More than 100 Central Springs 4^th and 5^th grade students explored the importance of understanding the difference betweeeeds and wants and how to budget in a lesson presented by First Security employee, Tiara Grady, Retail Banking Supervisor in Nora Springs.

Are you thinking of downsizing and relocating in retirement?

Do you keep a budget or track personal spending? Do you have professional help in managing your finances? These are some of the top things to consider in your personal financial planning. Read on to learn the top 5 personal finance questions you should ask.

First Security Bank & Trust hosted their 5^th Annual Community Development Forum on March 29, 2018 at the Muse Norris Center at North Iowa Area Community College.

After a recent visit to Amy’s Food Pantry in Rockford, our Video Bankers wrapped up their February Banking Outside the Box initiative. Employees at each of First Security’s 13 offices worked together to collect non-perishable food items. With the help of customers, who dropped items in our collection bins in each office, we donated over 700 items (which amounted to more than 2,000 servings of food) to Amy’s Food Pantry in Rockford.

"Free" Trial Offers? 
(Federal Trade Commission Consumer Information)

A chance to try something out for free? What have you got to lose?

According to the Internal Revenue Service, more than 70 percent of the nation’s taxpayers received a tax refund averaging nearly $3,000 in 2017 and will get a similar amount this year.

It’s that time of year — tax time. It’s also a great time to get up to speed on tax-related scams. Here are two ways tax scammers might target you and what you can do about it:

From mid-December until Christmas, our Video Bankers, Jessica Hartwell, Sara Titus, and Kendra Thomas, spent three days delivering poinsettias with their coworkers at our Nora Springs, Riceville, Manly, and Charles City locations. They were able to visit local businesses, care centers, and individuals that give back to their communities with gifts of poinsettias to spread joy and appreciation this holiday season.

December has been a busy month full of shopping, gift giving, and fun for our Video Bankers’ Banking Outside the Box initiative!