Bank News & Financial Literacy

For the past few years, many potential homebuyers have found themselves in a holding pattern. You might have watched from the sidelines as interest rates fluctuated and inventory vanished, wondering when the right moment to jump in would finally arrive. If you have been waiting for the clouds to part, we have good news: the forecast for 2026 looks significantly brighter.

Every business looks for opportunities to streamline the way it does business, whether that be reviewing its product options, examining how its staff works, or re-evaluating how it connects with its customers. Manufacturing firms which engineer and refine highly technical products depend on having the latest and greatest equipment so they can produce state-of-the-art products for business consumers who demand nothing but the very best for their own enterprises.

Your credit score is one of the most important numbers in your financial life. It can affect your ability to get a loan, secure the best interest rates, and even influence job opportunities. Despite its importance, credit is often misunderstood—leading to myths that can hurt your financial wellness.

On February 3rd, FNC Bank proudly hosted our 4th Annual FNC Bank Reality Fair at Osceola School District, welcoming Juniors from both Osceola and St. Croix Falls High Schools. This interactive event gave students a hands-on experience of managing real-world finances.

As temperatures drop, heating bills tend to rise. With a few smart adjustments, you can lower energy use and save throughout the winter months. This article covers simple habits and low-cost projects to keep your home cozy without breaking the bank.

Life has a way of throwing unexpected expenses your way. Your car breaks down, the furnace stops working in the middle of winter, or a medical bill arrives that's larger than expected. Without an emergency fund, these surprises force you to rely on credit cards or loans, creating debt that takes months or years to pay off. Building an emergency fund gives you a financial cushion that protects you from these surprise costs. You don't need a complicated strategy or a huge income to start. What you need is a straightforward plan and the commitment to stick with it.

Any good marketing professional knows that the first rule in advertising is to capture the customer’s attention. Using a catchphrase that appears to offer great value for an affordable price (see above headline) is a time-tested strategy. If you’re still reading, it worked, right? Businesses spend tons of time and resources figuring out how to up their customer service game.

Struggling with a "financial hangover" after the holidays? You're not alone. January can feel daunting, but sheer willpower may not be the answer. The secret to achieving your 2026 financial goals is automation. By automating savings, you can build wealth effortlessly.

How did your 2025 financial goals turn out? The new year is the perfect opportunity to take a step back, evaluate your progress, and map out a clear plan for a successful year ahead. Reflecting on your financial journey now is not just about looking back—it’s about using those reflections to stay on track for the long term and set yourself up for an even brighter future.

We are happy to share that our annual winter clothing drive has wrapped up with incredible results! Thanks to the amazing generosity of our community, we didn’t just meet our goal—we surpassed it.

I’m sure many of you reading this have merrily (or otherwise) begun your annual holiday shopping adventure. By the time you read this, Black Friday will have come but not gone, as of course it’s no longer one day and is not limited to showing up with a mob of shoppers at a bricks and mortar store. You now can conveniently become cyber-frustrated as well, especially when what shows up on your doorstep isn’t remotely what you thought you ordered.

Don't let scammers steal your holiday cheer! As we dive into the festive season, it's important to stay vigilant against scams that tend to increase during this time of year. Here’s what to watch for this holiday season.

The holiday season is a wonderful time to embrace the spirit of giving, and Giving Tuesday (December 2) offers the perfect opportunity to do just that. This special day is dedicated to generosity, collaboration, and celebrating acts of kindness. It’s a heartfelt reminder that the true essence of the holidays lies in fostering community, building connections, and making a meaningful impact.

The penny has been in our pockets for more than 100 years. Now, the little copper coin is rolling out of production. Earlier this year, the U.S. Treasury announced that it will halt the making of new pennies once the current supply runs out, which is expected by early 2026. The main reason for the directive is cost. It currently costs nearly four cents to mint a single penny, far more than its face value. Countries like Canada, Australia, and New Zealand have already eliminated their lowest-denomination coins with little disruption, and the U.S. is preparing to follow suit.

Presenting a vision of what the future might look like has been an obsession for creative minds in science, literature, and popular culture for centuries. In recent years, an endless string of movies has been produced by Hollywood depicting various forms of the apocalypse, whether in the form of a natural disaster, an alien invasion, worldwide epidemic, or just about anything else you can imagine. My personal favorite is the classic “The Terminator”. In the highly unlikely event you haven’t seen it, the plot centers on the premise that an artificial intelligence (AI) system named Skynet becomes “self-aware” and on its own initiates a nuclear holocaust.

Thanksgiving is a time for gratitude, family, and of course, a delicious meal. However, with food costs on the rise, hosting a traditional feast can put a strain on your wallet. The good news is you don't have to sacrifice tradition to stick to a budget. With some smart planning, you can create a memorable dinner that everyone will love without overspending.

October 16 is Get Smart About Credit Day—a perfect time to learn how credit works and why it matters for your financial well-being. Here’s what goes into your score, why it’s important, and how you can build healthy credit. While the exact formulas are unknown, credit scoring models like FICO and VantageScore generally focus on five main areas: payment history, amounts owed, length of credit history, credit mix, and new credit.

Presenting a vision of what the future might look like has been an obsession for creative minds in science, literature, and popular culture for centuries. In recent years, an endless string of movies has been produced by Hollywood depicting various forms of the apocalypse, whether in the form of a natural disaster, an alien invasion, worldwide epidemic, or just about anything else you can imagine. My personal favorite is the classic “The Terminator”. In the highly unlikely event you haven’t seen it, the plot centers on the premise that an artificial intelligence (AI) system named Skynet becomes “self-aware” and on its own initiates a nuclear holocaust.

A Home Equity Line of Credit, or HELOC, lets you borrow money using the equity in your home as collateral. Unlike a traditional loan with a lump sum, a HELOC works like a credit card: you’re approved for a set limit, and you can draw funds as needed during a “draw period,” such as 10 years. During this time, you often only pay the interest.

Bank-related scams are on the rise in Wisconsin, prompting the Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA) to issue a warning to consumers. These fraud schemes, often carried out by criminals pretending to be legitimate banks, are becoming more advanced, employing tactics like phone number spoofing. Phone number spoofing is when fraudsters will try to manipulate Caller ID to make it appear as if the call is coming from a trusted bank.