Source: Consumer Financial Protection Bureau with additions made by First Community Bank and Trust. After a disaster, your priority is your own safety. Organizations in your community can provide help and services. Expect help from the companies you use As you recover from a disaster or emergency, you should contact your lenders and companies where you have accounts and ask for help. You might ask for: A way to refinance your existing debts, or new loans with terms that are more realistic
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Severe storms can happen with little warning. A damaged roof, fallen tree, broken windows or other unexpected repairs can quickly turn into a significant expense. When storm damage occurs, your first step should be to document the damage and contact your homeowner’s insurance provider to understand what may be covered. Review your policy’s coverage limits, deductibles and any exclusions or special deductibles that may apply to storm damage. Keeping photos, receipts and repair estimates
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The U.S. Department of Treasury originally published this article on December 23, 2025. The following recommendations are non-binding guidance. All must comply with otherwise applicable restrictions. Frequently Asked Questions: Businesses Why is penny production being suspended? Over the past 10 years, the total production cost of the penny has risen from 1.3 cents to 3.69 cents per penny. These production costs include materials, facilities, and overhead. The U.S. Mint projects an immediate
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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
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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
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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,
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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
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We are excited to announce the upcoming upgrade to our NEW First eBanc! This transition will bring enhanced features, which you can view now on our web site, and a smoother experience for all users. To help you prepare, here is an overview of what to expect during the upgrade process. June 2nd, 2026 (Tuesday) 8:00 AM: First ePay & Zelle will be unavailable. Access to First ePay & Zelle will be removed from the current First eBanc. Users will not be able to set up or make changes to payments.
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Press Release: Beecher, IL. (May 4, 2026) — First Community Bank and Trust (FCBT) and the Independent Community Bankers of America (ICBA) encourage Americans to reinvest in their local community by shopping with small businesses during National Small Business Week, May 3-9, 2026. Small businesses form the backbone of the U.S. economy, employing more than 62 million Americans, representing nearly half of all private-sector employment. “Behind every small business is a story of hard
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This article was originally published in S&P Global on March 25, 2026 and has been shortened. After a strong start to the year, the U.S. economic picture has grown more complicated. Growth remains positive, but a number of headwinds — most notably the escalating conflict in the Middle East — have tempered earlier optimism. Growth Still Positive, but Slower Ahead S&P now forecasts U.S. GDP growth of 2.2% for 2026, followed by an average of 1.9% annually through 2029. That's
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