Personal Banking

Tax time is upon us, a sign that phishing season has begun.

The IRS states that scams may differ in themes, but generally, they have two traits:

Criminals continue to make aggressive...

You’ve likely seen the FDIC logo and heard of it but what is it actually and how does it work?

FDIC stands for Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. The FDIC is an independent agency of the U.S. government that protects depositors (that’s you) against loss if an FDIC-insured bank should fail or close. While it is not common, it can happen. Understanding how FDIC insurance works is important.

It’s an added security for your money should something happen to...

Cyber attackers are opportunistic, and with Valentine's Day right around the corner, you can expect to see an increase in threats related to socially engineered relationships.

Virtual lunch dates, wine tastings, and chat rooms have created an easy way to put ourselves into a space where we cannot truly see the person on the other end of the keyboard. In addition, many people now use online dating applications and social networking sites to meet people with common interests.

In...

Thinking Outside the Box

As shippers forecast another record year of holiday deliveries, scammers are ramping up their efforts to take advantage.

As the holiday's approach and deliveries adorn your porch, remain diligent in protecting yourself against package delivery scams. It’s become all too common to receive a text message from a contact alleged to be a carrier that says they were unable to deliver a package. The message might claim the package is from a friend...

It's hard to imagine light at the end of the tunnel when you are stuck in a bad place financially. I was in a place in my life where money didn't have meaning. You spent it the way you needed to and if you didn't have it, you charged it. When medical bills would roll in, I would toss them to the side because they were at the bottom of my priority list. They were turned over to collections time and time again, dropping my credit score more and more each time. 

Now,...

When it comes to texting scams, the key is knowing how to respond - and when not to.

Scammers are always trying to find a way into your life. Just when anti-spam technology started to limit the number of robocalls we get (cut down by almost half over the past year), fraudsters started sneaking into our phones through another window — our text messages.

The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) recently reported that consumer complaints about unwanted texts...

Scams have always been around. But with all our technological advances and less face-to-face interactions, it’s been easier for criminals to target those who may feel they are in vulnerable situations to take advantage of them.

And we don’t see scams going away. In fact, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s 2021 Internet Crime Report both cybercrime and the amount of money lost to cybercrime rose.

Scammers will take advantage in any...

Tax time is stressful enough without having to worry about fake-IRS phishing schemes. The first day of spring may technically be in March, but those of us in the world of banking and finance can’t truly enjoy the sunshine, blooms, longer days, and warmer weather until Tax Day is squarely in the rearview. Whether you’re an early filer, procrastinator, or someone in between who’s been gradually gathering documents, compiling receipts, and crunching the numbers for three months,...

How would it feel to not be strapped for cash for the holiday season?

How would it feel to take a fun family vacation without the worry of piling on credit card debt?

Home State Bank has the answers to both! Join our Vacation and/or Christmas Club and you can start saving today to avoid the worry of missing out or overspending.

The concept behind both these clubs is the simple savings rule: Out of sight, out of mind.

When you join both or either...

Effective January 1, 2022, Home State Bank will no longer have business hours on Saturdays.

This decision has been the result of a community-wide banking decision that all banks in Jefferson will be closed on Saturdays. While this is effective January 1, because of bank holiday dates, this will really go into effect December 18.

But don’t worry! This doesn’t mean you can’t still accomplish all your banking needs. All Saturday services can be completed through...