Financial Articles

Financial education is key to a strong financial future. Are you looking to buy a new vehicle, refinance your home, review your insurance options, or focus on retirement planning? These financial articles can help you make smart decisions.

How Setting Up Automatic Payments Can Save You Money

According to a recent survey, 30 percent of American adults say they don’t pay all their bills on time, causing them to pay extra interest and lofty late payment fees. Autopay and bill pay tools allow you to set up automatic payments for your recurring monthly bills. Understanding the details of how to make these systems do their best for you can help to save you money!  

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Start The Year Off Right

Now is a great time to conduct a financial checkup!  Here are some things to review to help you start the new year on the right foot.

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Helping Young Adults Become More Financially Literate

Encouraging financial education for young learners may be a way a good way to build a foundation of sound financial principles. Parents, caregivers, mentors, grandparents – anyone who has a positive influence over teens and young adults – can help them learn solid money lessons before they go off to college or get their first job.

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Start Your Financial Plan With a Budget

Having a plan is the best start to financial success, with the first step being to create a budget! The key is to include as much information as you can, so that you can adequately prepare and plan. Include income, expenses, and how much you should be spending before putting it in writing and evaluating how well you're doing. Use the following guidelines from the American Bankers' Association Foundation to get started! 

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Money Talks: Borrowing Money

What is is credit and why is it important? What does it mean to be in debt?  In what instances should you use credit? Find answers to these important questions, key words, conversation starters, and real world applications to start talking to your family about borrowing money and credit cards. 

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Navigating the Mortgage Process when Purchasing your First Home

Searching for your first home can be an exhilarating, yet overwhelming time in your life. If you are having trouble with where to start, you are not alone.  With some guidance and organization, German American can help you be on your way to owning your first home. Here are some simple steps to get you started.

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Tips to Help You Save More This Year

If you’ve had trouble saving in the past, don’t sweat it. Now is a great time to resolve to save more in the months ahead. Here are some proven strategies to set yourself up for consistently spending less while stashing more of your hard-earned money aside for a more financially healthy future.

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Five mistakes to avoid as a first-time home buyer

Searching for your first home can be exciting and sometimes a little scary. It’s generally the largest expense most people will ever make, so it really pays to do your homework, and arm yourself with knowledge and a team of professionals who can help you avoid the pitfalls some first-time homebuyers find themselves making. Read on for some other missteps to avoid on the path to homeownership.

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Money Talks: How to Protect Your Money

What is identity theft? What might someone do with stolen personal data? How do you protect your identity online?  Find answers to these important questions, key words, conversation starters, and real world applications to start talking to your family about protecting themselves and their finances from scammers. 

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Money Talks: Where To Keep Your Money

What’s the difference between a checking and savings account?  Which type of account should you pick? How do you open an account? Find answers to these important questions, key words, conversation starters, and real world applications to start talking to your famiily about saving and spending. 

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10 Tips to Help Seniors Outsmart Financial Scams

When it comes to financial scams, education is the first line of defense.  Scam artists prey on the elderly, especially in times of crisis, in order to get them to divulge confidential information or to exploit them financially.  The American Bankers Association has provided 10 important tips inspire savvy seniors.  

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Insuring Your College Student

When your child leaves for college, it is a big event. One thing that you should think about is your insurance coverage and how it could change with your son or daughter away at school.  Be proactive about your student’s coverage by taking several factors into consideration.

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German American Financial Literacy Bee Winning Essays

During Financial Literacy Month, German American Bank partnered with leading education technology company EVERFI to host the second annual Financial Literacy Bee.  Four regional winner were named, each to receive a $500 savings account from German American Bank.  Read the capstone essays of the winners who shared a short-term or long-term savings goal and outlined a plan for how to get there.

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Start Saving In The New Year

With the new year upon us, you may be thinking about your resolutions.  Give the current-and-future versions of yourself a gift and add “Build My Savings” to your list. The FDIC Consumer News compiled the below top five savings ideas that will help you to get started!

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Common Holiday Phishing Attacks

The holiday season brings with it festivities and all kinds of electronic communications related to holiday greetings, shopping, travel, shipping, and parties. Unfortunately, it also brings opportunities for malicious actors to send spam and phishing emails.

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Setting Financial Goals

Deciding how much money to spend or save takes some planning for what you would like to buy and when. When it comes to setting financial goals it helps to make a list of what you would like to have now and in the future along with how much it costs. To figure out how long it will take to get what you want, it helps to consider how much money you make.

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Needs vs. Wants

The American dream is to work hard and have a plentiful, peaceful life for our family. What that looks like and how we get there is different for each person. When faced with a spending decision, knowing if what you are buying is a need or a nice to have can help.  We have to spend money on needs, but wants are important to spend money on too. Some responsible things to consider are when to spend and how much.

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Romance Fraud (Or Online Dating Scams)

As online dating has become more common, there has also been an increase in scams targeting users of online dating sites. A romance scam is a trick where someone pretends to have romantic feelings for a victim, gains their trust, and then uses that relationship to commit fraud. Usually, the crook misleads a victim online and then talks the victim into sending money, sharing personal and financial information, or laundering money for the crook.

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Ways to Create Extra Money for Savings

Without an emergency fund, there is no money to cover unexpected expenses like car repairs or medical bills. However, by taking a look at your current spending habits and setting a saving goal, building a nest egg is a real possibility. Here are some ideas to help free up your money for savings.

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Distracted Driving | Tips to Keep you Safe on the Road

April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. When looking at the staggering statistics of distracted driving traffic accidents and deaths, one realizes distracted driving is deadly. To promote safe driving and raise awareness, our German American Insurance team came up with a few safe driving tips!

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4 Fraud Prevention Tips for Email

When using e-mail for personal or business use, always exercise caution. The following 4 tips are from German American’s Security Team experts to help you detect, and avoid, fraudulent e-mails.

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Tips for the Season of Holiday Spending

The holidays can be a wonderful time of year, surrounded by family and friends, yet the season of giving can often mean the season of spending…and maybe even overspending. Here are three tips to help you navigate the holiday season within your budget.

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How to Safeguard Your Home from Water Damage

Rain, rain, go away...

We can't control the weather, yet we can prepare for it, which is key to prevent potential water damage to your home. Follow the suggestions below to ensure your home is rain ready.

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Coverage For Renting Out Your Home

There are many reasons you might want to rent out your home on either a short- or long-term basis. Depending on the rental scenario, your standard homeowners policy may not cover losses incurred while your home is rented out, and you may require a more specialized insurance policy.

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Oh Dear | Tips to Remember for Deer-Car Collisions

With harvest season among us, the risk of hitting a deer increases in the fall and winter. Unfortunately, I have recently fell victim to hitting a deer of my own. Many of us don't expect to be hit with this situation, yet it is always good to be prepared with what you would do. 

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Managing Your Money Through College

Prior to becoming a college student, I didn’t really do much of my own banking besides a deposit or withdrawal here or there. However, when I went to college, I knew that I was going to be on my own with managing my money.

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What to do with Your Graduation Money?

Graduates: Congratulations! You have officially graduated which means that you may be sitting on a stack of cash that was given to you from your parents, grandparents, family, and friends. Check out the link for 3 Ideas of what to do with that extra graduation cash before it burns a hole in your pocket.

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Auto Insurance Savings Tips for Students

If you own a vehicle, insurance coverage is a must – even for students. Purchasing an insurance plan that gives you the best protection, yet is affordable, may seem a daunting task especially for students on a tight budget. Most insurance carriers offer cost advantages for students. Here are a few tips to consider.

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