Fort Financial blog

Are you ready to stretch those financial fitness muscles? We hope so, because it’s time to get financially fit!

Being financially fit means living a life of complete financial responsibility. There are four basic components of financial health: Spend, Save, Borrow and Plan. These components reference everyday financial activities. Like physical fitness, you can beef up those fitness muscles a little bit more each day.

Being financially fit is crucial for a well-balanced, stress-free life.

Fort Financial Wealth Management is excited to invite you to a special seminar on Thursday, November 14 at 6:00 PM. This informative event will be held at our corporate office on Lima Road in Fort Wayne and is designed to help you make the most of your Social Security retirement benefits.

Experts from Ash Brokerage and Fort Financial Wealth Management will share their insights on optimizing your retirement strategy. 

Fort Financial invites you to join us on Wednesday, September 11 at 6:00 p.m. for an informative and engaging seminar with renowned speaker Tom Hegna, as seen on CNN, Fox Business News, Forbes and other publications, who will present his popular seminar, Don't Worry, Retire Happy. This is a free, in-person event at our corporate office in Fort Wayne and seating is limited, so RSVP today!

Summer is winding down and while that usually conjures up images of back-to-school shopping, there are still plenty of opportunities to take that last-minute summer trip or start thinking about that fall getaway. But you don’t have to rely on your credit card and take on unnecessary debt to have an enjoyable trip! Consider these 5 money-saving tips as you start planning your next travel adventure.

Summer is here and that mean's that baseball is on center stage. But, believe it or not, America’s national pastime can actually teach you valuable money management lessons. Let’s take a look at six money takeaways you can learn from baseball.

For many, the mere mention of the word “money” sparks feelings of stressed anxiety. At the same time, living a financially responsible life can help one maintain optimal mental health. With May being Mental Health Awareness Month, this is the perfect time to take a look at the connection between money and mental health.

In today's fast-paced world, convenience and security are paramount when it comes to managing your finances. Direct deposit stands as a prime example of how you can leverage technology to simplify your financial transactions while bolstering your peace of mind. At Fort Financial, you’re empowered with the tools you need to streamline your banking experience, including direct deposit.

In our ongoing commitment to your financial safety, Fort Financial is dedicated to providing you with valuable insights on how to protect yourself from potential financial fraud. While fraud is a year-round challenge, being informed and vigilant can significantly reduce the risk to your financial well-being.

It’s that time of year again! When your mailbox is stuffed with official-looking forms of all kinds, and the countdown toward April 15th starts ticking. Yeah, that’s right … it’s tax time! The good news is, tax prep doesn’t need to be confusing or stressful. Here are our top 10 do’s and don'ts to help make tax season this year smooth and efficient.

If you’re heavily in debt, betting on a horse or a round of blackjack might appear to be your last hope for staying afloat. But, statistically speaking, it’s a bad bet. One look at the Las Vegas strip proves it's not the casinos that are losing. Most gamblers  can walk away after losing a moderate amount of money. But for problem gamblers, the result can be financial and family ruin.

It's more important than ever to develop and maintain good financial habits with the high, and continually rising, cost of living. But figuring out where to start can be a daunting task—especially if you feel like you're already struggling with your finances. The thing to remember is that it's never too late to ask for help from your financial institution, and it’s never something you should be ashamed to do.

The holidays are just around the corner, and there’s a whole heap of things that are going to appear on your to-do list soon! It probably seems like your stress level keeps rising while the money in your wallet keeps dwindling. It doesn’t have to be this way. With a bit of planning, you can enjoy a stress-free and affordable holiday season. Don’t believe us? Well, continue reading to find out how.

Happy National Online Bank Day! Wouldn’t it be nice to be able to safely access your credit union accounts or transfer money anytime from your computer or smartphone? Guess what? You can with our mobile and digital banking tools.

Your credit score is a crucial component and indicator of your financial health. When you apply for a large loan, like a mortgage or an auto loan, or for a new line of credit, lenders look at your credit score to help determine whether you can afford the requested loan. These three little numbers indicate whether you will be able to repay the loan based on your past behaviors.

Certificate laddering is a great way to save and take advantage of higher dividend rates. Certificates, also known as share certificates or certificates of deposit, are like a savings account where you can’t withdraw the money for a certain period of time. In return for agreeing to keep your money in a certificate for a longer period of time, you get rewarded with a higher rate of return.

Many people have realized how inconvenient it is to carry cash and are carrying just debit cards in their wallets. Debit cards are great, but there's another option--show your wallet some love! Compared with debit cards, credit cards are:

• Accepted in more places
• Have fraud liability protection built in
• A great way to build your credit score, if used responsibly

With inflation soaring and prices for everyday necessities rising, it can be overwhelming keeping your finances in order while making sure you’re putting enough money into your savings. Now is a great time to review your personal financial situation with the tips below.

Buying your first house is an exciting time, but it can be a little scary as well. To minimize your anxiety, we've collected some tips, tricks and resources to help you prepare for your fist meeting with a mortgage loan officer. Our mortgage department would love to walk alongside you in your home buying journey and can guide you through the process, no matter how long it takes.

How do you define wealth? Is it “a large amount of money and possessions"? But consider this definition: wealth is the financial security that comes from managing your money wisely. Most of us want to be rich because we think it'll make our financial problems will go away. Sadly, research shows that people who suddenly come into large sums of money, like lottery winners, are more likely than average Americans to declare bankruptcy within 3 to 5 years.

February 27 – March 3 is America Saves Week and while we don’t have Danny Zuko and the T-Birds to serenade you, we wanted to share some tips for getting you and your savings transformed from a clunker to an automatic, systematic (not really hydromatic) machine. Systematic savings is the process of automatically setting aside a specific amount of your income on a regular basis, whether that’s weekly, biweekly or monthly. Rather than waiting to put money away when you have extra cash, with systematic savings you pay yourself first and make building your savings a priority.

Are you looking for a place where you can set funds aside for long-term savings? A certificate of deposit, or CD, might be the answer you’re looking for. What is a CD? A CD is a deposit account that pays a higher interest rate than a standard savings account and requires a higher opening balance. Unlike a standard savings account though, the access to your funds is restricted until the certificate reaches maturity, which is often between 90 days and five years. If you have funds you don’t need access to and want to earn a higher rate, than a CD is a great solution.

Fort Financial is offering two limited-time specials on CDs. View our rates here.

A business loan can help you grow your small business—it can get you the funds to invest in equipment, more retail space, new employee talent, additional goods for sale, and much more. Before you rush into your local lender to fill out a loan application, you need to make sure the loan makes good business sense for your company and for the lender. After all, lenders want to ensure they’ll be repaid! Fort Financial's business banking team has more than 50 years of combined experience and is committed to strengthening the communities where our members live, work and serve. We offer term, real estate, construction, business vehicle and agricultural loans along with lines of credit. Learn more about how Fort Financial can help fortify your business here.

Are you buying your vehicles backward? Most people seem to. What do we mean? This: most people, when shopping for a new vehicle, go to the dealer, pick out their car, and then figure out financing. How is that backward? You might think they don’t know their budget until they start talking numbers, but the result is almost always spending more than they intended to. How can you avoid this costly mistake? Keep reading for a few tips and a few things you should keep your eye out for when starting your journey to buy a new vehicle. In the market for a new vehicle? Check out Fort Financial's auto loans and apply for your loan today.

What is a credit union and why should you consider joining one? Simple answer – ownership. Credit unions are community-focused financial institutions owned by their members. Why does this matter? Because as an owner, your membership gives you a share in the organization’s profits, driving cost savings directly to you. Credit unions typically offer lower fees, higher savings rates and a more personalized member-service experience. They operate to promote the well-being of their members, improve the financial well-being of their membership base and add value to their communities.

As important as business credit is to the life and future of small businesses, a shocking number of small business owners don’t know about this important financial asset and instead turn to personal credit cards when they need to pay for advance purchases. Even before the pandemic, surveys by the National Small Business Association revealed that up to 27 percent of businesses said they were unable to obtain the funding they needed. This means a lack of funding was the primary reason they were unable to grow their business.