Check out these actionable strategies to coordinate your estate and tax planning documents—and minimize your 2022 tax liability. Let’s dive into some actionable strategies to consider over the next several weeks to coordinate your documents and minimize your 2022 tax liability. File Your Taxes...

If you get an SMS message supposedly from your bank about a fraud alert, be wary. The scheme tries to scare you into believing the scammers are representatives of your bank. An automated SMS message will appear on your phone, claiming to be a fraud alert from a banking institution. It’ll then ask if...

Home improvement projects can be sizable undertakings. Whether trying to sell or just looking to spruce things up, the financial commitment can get as steep as the project itself. Have you considered using your Home Equity Line of Credit (HELOC) to tackle your next home improvement project? Your...

If you’re finding it difficult to manage multiple payments and feeling overwhelmed, consolidating your debts into a single loan with one monthly payment might be the solution. Debt consolidation is a strategy to streamline your finances and alleviate the burden on your bank account. What Is Debt...

While planning your short-term goals, it is always a good idea to take stock of how these shorter-term plans align with your long-term financial goals. Read more here on how to keep things on track with your short-term financial goals. Like most people, you probably have some short-term financial...

What type of investor are you? Do you prefer to play it safe? Are you looking to take more risks? Do you dive into market research, or do you trust your gut? Let’s find out... What if we told you your investment strategy likely parallels your personality? Your day-to-day decision-making is a great...

Nurturing your investments has never been more important than what it is today. After the turbulence of the past few years, ensuring some stability and finding an adequate growth path is essential. One aspect that can play havoc with your investments is inflation. Read more here on how to navigate...

Deposit Your Next Check With Your Phone Making a deposit with your phone is an easy process and will save you a trip to the bank. But, if you have never done this before it may be a bit intimidating. At Bank of Blue Valley, a division of HTLF Bank, we want to make this process as easy as possible for you - it's as simple as...

Spending Money Now to Benefit Your Future No matter what your plans are for your life, you don’t want money to get in the way of achieving your goals. As such, you may want to consider investing your money during each stage of your life to make your aspirations are more attainable. Going to School...

Avoid Using Your Savings For the Unneeded Things Sometimes there’s not enough room in the budget for extras. Perhaps you have your eye on a new pair of shoes, are eager to upgrade your living room with a new couch or you have to be the first in your friend group to possess the latest gadget. If you...

Does a Home’s Value Go Up With a Bathroom Renovation? Deciding what home improvement projects to invest in can be tricky. You don’t want to pour money into a renovation or remodel that won’t pay off when you go to sell. If you’re eager to increase your home’s value, consider starting in a small, but...

Practices that reduce your spending and save you money The foundation of successfully managing your finances is budgeting, and a pillar of budgeting is learning to distinguish your needs from your wants. If you can’t differentiate those, you could wind up overspending on luxuries that you can’t...