Bank News & Financial Literacy

Despite the fact that check use has declined by 25%, reports of check fraud have soared. In fact, they’ve nearly doubled since 2021. Criminals are becoming more sophisticated and finding new ways to steal your financial information to gain access to and take off with your money. FNC Bank is committed to helping our customers use checks safely.

Don’t worry, the misleadingly negative title is only to catch your eye—I believe it’s known as “click bait” in modern digital terminology. Here comes the positivity…

In today's increasingly digital landscape, understanding and prioritizing cybersecurity has become essential. October marks Cybersecurity Month, a time to reflect on the importance of protecting your online presence and taking proactive steps to safeguard your personal and professional data.

Readers' Choice Best of the Valley is a tribute to the area's best—including Arts & Entertainment, Eating & Drinking, Health & Fitness, Local, Services, Shopping, and Sports & Recreation—as voted on by readers of The Sun publications.

Planning for retirement isn't just about saving money—it's about ensuring the lifestyle you envision for your golden years.

When it comes to buying a home, timing can be everything. While spring and summer are often seen as the peak seasons for real estate activity, savvy buyers know that fall can offer unique opportunities that are hard to find during other times of the year. Here’s why fall might just be the ideal season to find your dream home.

It’s September, and another summer has flown by, to the dismay of kids everywhere. Grown-ups will miss summer too, but some of them view the start of the school year as the beginning of better living through AI—yes, that’s right—Adult Independence.

September is National Preparedness Month—a reminder of the importance of being prepared for emergencies. Whether it’s natural disasters, power outages, or unexpected events, taking time to plan ahead can make all the difference. But let’s not forget to also prepare for unforeseen financial emergencies. One of the best ways to do this is to set up an emergency fund.

A quick guide to understanding Beneficial Ownership Information (BOI) Reporting

A new law enables financial institutions to offer a vulnerable adult the opportunity to submit and update a list of persons who are authorized to be contacted by the financial institution when it reasonably suspects the customer may be a victim of financial exploitation.

Thanks to our amazing community, we've exceeded our goal and collected a total of 538 school supply items for local students in need. Each notebook, pencil, and backpack will make a difference in a child's education.

While technology brings new innovations and changes to how society operates every day, some long-standing practices remain essential, such as using the U.S. Postal Service for mailing. Many businesses and consumers still rely on postal mail to send payments via written checks and convey other confidential information. Although this method has been a standard for decades, it makes individuals susceptible to a type of fraud known as check washing.

"Pig butchering" is a scam named in reference to the practice of fattening a pig before slaughter. It is a type of confidence and investment fraud in which the victim is gradually lured into making increasing monetary contributions, generally in the form of cryptocurrency, to a seemingly sound investment before the scammer disappears with the contributed monies.

As many of you are aware, our New Richmond branch is undergoing a major remodel, the biggest since 1987. Our primary goal is to bring all of our New Richmond staff, along with everything we offer, into one space for the convenience of our customers. Along with that, it is crucial that we modernize to meet the needs of new generations. Underlying all of this is the commitment to remain an anchor resident of downtown New Richmond, which we believe is an important factor in the necessary revitalization of this wonderful city’s main street.

I’ve always maintained that we here in the Upper Midwest have a climate advantage over the rest of the country. Sure, winters (apart from this year) are usually too cold, sometimes too snowy, and always too long. Even so, most of us enjoy enough winter activities to make it quite tolerable. But there is a lesser-known advantage to living here, which I find to be very powerful.

We are honored to have organized our second annual FNC Bank Reality Fair, held on May 14th at Osceola High School for the Junior classes from both Osceola and St. Croix Falls High Schools. Building on the success of last year's event with Osceola students, we extended the opportunity to St. Croix Falls students to have an even stronger impact.

We frequently hear others talk about places to go or things to do as being items on their “bucket list”. This means, of course, that they want to take the coveted trip or participate in the favored activity while they are still able to enjoy it. At or near the top of my list is travelling to the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial in France.

Instilling fundamental savings habits in our youth can pave the way to a secure financial future. Teach Children to Save Day is celebrated in April each year with a goal of educating and empowering the younger generation with financial knowledge and savings skills.

With the arrival of spring, it's the perfect time to rejuvenate not just your home but also your finances. Here’s a quick guide to putting your finances on track for the rest of the year.

I am programmed to perk up whenever I hear or see another bank or financial institution say or print “community” in their ads. In fact, I notice when any other type of business advertises using that word.