This article was published by Freddie Mac and last reviewed on January 13, 2026. As a homeowner, maintaining your home is an important responsibility. Timely maintenance, repairs and improvements help protect your home, provide your family with greater comfort and even enhance your home's value. Maintaining your home can also help you avoid costly problems later on. Once you move in, it's a good idea to set aside part of your monthly budget toward savings that could go to your home
Read More

If you’ve owned your home for several years, you may have built more equity than you realize. That equity can be a valuable financial tool, helping you consolidate debt, improve cash flow, or achieve other important financial goals while making the most of your investment in your home. When many people think about a Home Equity Loan or Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC), they often associate it with remodeling a kitchen or completing a major renovation. While that is one common use, it is
Read More

Agentic AI. Maybe you’ve heard this new buzzword, maybe you haven’t. Either way, it’s a term you’ll likely be hearing more often in the years ahead. What is Agentic AI? Unlike traditional AI that simply answers your questions or generates content, Agentic AI is Artificial Intelligence that is designed to take action on your behalf. It can perform tasks, make decisions (within defined limits), and even complete multi-step processes with little or no human interaction. For
Read More

Most people reuse the same handful of passwords across dozens of accounts. It’s easy to fall into the habit, but it also happens to be one of the most dangerous habits in online security today. Think about how many online accounts you have: email, online banking, social media, shopping sites, streaming services, medical portals, utility providers, and more. Recent studies suggest the average person manages between 75 and 110 online accounts. How Unique are Your Passwords Now consider
Read More

Financial abuse targeting older adults causes significant losses for people over 60 each year. True losses from elder financial abuse could be even more as many go unreported, and of those that are reported, nearly half of adults say they were either victims or intended victims of financial exploitation. Community banks are in a unique position to help shield our elderly customers against such abuses. Through employee training and the use of technology to spot red flags and report suspicious activity
Read More

This article was written by GoodTrust and published on May 6, 2026. When you think of estate planning, you probably think of wills and trusts, first. Maybe you also think of power of attorneys and medical directives. And that’s a great start, but thinking about your estate plan holistically, how all the pieces fit together to make the whole process as easy as possible for your family is the right next step. Whether you’re planning for the first time, already have documents in place,
Read More

This article summarizes key findings from the NFIB Small Business Economic Trends Report for April 2026, released on May 12, 2026. To explore the data and analysis in greater depth, download the entire report here. If you've felt like running your business is harder than usual lately, the numbers back you up. The National Federation of Independent Business (NFIB) — the country's largest small business advocacy organization — released its April 2026 Small Business Economic Trends
Read More

In every community, small and medium-sized businesses are the driving force behind local investment, job creation and economic growth. Businesses that partner with their community bank gain a competitive advantage through access to financing and financial solutions that support expansion, equipment purchases, commercial real estate acquisitions, and seasonal cash flow management. At First Community Bank and Trust, we make every effort to understand your business and the story behind it. That’s
Read More

This article is based on information from multiple sources, including content originally published in Yahoo Finance on March 12, 2026, written by Dina Satore-Bodo with reporting by Lisa Marie Conklin, and material from National Mortgage Professional (March 23, 2026) by Lew Sichelman. All content has been compiled and edited for clarity and relevance. Prospective homebuyers have been dealt a complicated hand in recent years. Though mortgage rates fell below 6% in late February 2026, with the
Read More

For many prospective homebuyers, the biggest perceived challenge to purchasing a home is the down payment. A common belief is that you must put 20% down to qualify, but that’s no longer the reality. Today’s mortgage options provide flexibility, making homeownership more accessible than ever. Low and No Down Payment Loan Options There are several programs designed specifically to help buyers who may not have large savings: Conventional Loans: Some conventional programs also
Read More