Financial Wellness & Education

Planters First Bank Announces Commitment to Respecting Data by Becoming a 2023 Data Privacy Week Champion This year’s initiative emphasizes educating businesses on data collection best practices that respect data privacy and promoting transparency As a Champion, Planters First Bank recognizes and supports the principle that all organizations share the responsibility of being conscientious stewards of personal information. Data Privacy Week is an annual expanded effort from...

Planters First Bank wants to help you protect your hard-earned cash from the scammers and hackers that pop up every year. It's like they don't care about the naughty list! Now that holiday shopping is in full swing, we wanted to let you know about a few online shopping trends we've noticed and give a few tips about how to stay safe online while buying gifts for everyone on your list. Here is what we think is cheerful and what we think is coal-worthy for shopping online this...

Every day, thousands of people fall victim to fraudulent emails, texts and calls from scammers pretending to be their bank. And in this time of expanded use of online and mobile banking, the problem is only growing worse. In fact, the Federal Trade Commission’s report on fraud estimates that American consumers lost a staggering $5.8 billion to phishing scams and other fraud in 2021—an increase of more than 70 percent over 2020. It’s time to put scammers in their place. Online...

Here are 6 simple tips to help plan for the unexpected and regain your financial footing after a crisis. Prepare backup communications plans if both cellular and landline services falter. Store digital and paper copies of critical documents in a safe deposit box. These include a driver’s license, passport, military ID, bank and investment account information, proof of occupancy, a mortgage deed, insurance policies, and three years of tax returns. Make copies of personal documents...

In honor of this special month, here are five easy tips to help you manage your finances. One of the most effective tools for preventing a large-scale financial disaster is an emergency fund. To create your emergency fund, multiply your monthly take-home pay times six to find the amount you should ideally save. Planters First Bank offers Personal Savings Account options for your long and short-term goals. Click here to learn more. One significant way to maintain and/or increase your...

It’s well known that people online aren’t always as they appear. However, tens of thousands of internet users fall victim to online romance scams each year, and it can happen to anyone. These scams can be incredibly convincing and are increasingly found across dating sites and social media platforms. Bad actors are very good at appealing to victims’ emotions and feigning personal connections, with the intention of stealing large sums of money and personal information. Luckily, there...

Planters First Bank announced its commitment to Data Privacy Week by registering as a Champion. As a Champion, Planters First Bank recognizes and supports the principle that all organizations share the responsibility of being conscientious stewards of personal information. Data Privacy Week is an expanded effort from Data Privacy Day -- taking place annually from January 24 - 28 -- that generates awareness about the importance of privacy, highlights easy ways to protect personal...

Since 1840, each February legendary weather forecasting groundhog Punxsutawney Phil emerges from his winter burrow in Pennsylvania. If it's a sunny day and he sees his shadow, there will be six more weeks of winter weather. But, if it's a cloudy day and Phil does not see his shadow, an early spring is on the way. This strange holiday inspired a 1993 rom-com film about a TV weather reporter named Phil (played by actor Bill Murray) who gets trapped in a time warp and has to unbearably...

Planters Bank announced its commitment to Cybersecurity Awareness Month, held annually in October, by signing up as a Champion and joining a growing global effort to promote the awareness of online safety and privacy. The Cybersecurity Awareness Month Champions Program is a collaborative effort among businesses, government agencies, colleges and universities, associations, nonprofit organizations, and individuals committed to this year’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month theme of ‘Do Your...

A compilation of tips and recommendations from Planters First Bank and its partners on ways to stay safe online, as well as how to avoid cyber threats and scams during this pandemic. Avoiding Cyber Threats and Scams: FTC: Coronavirus: Scammers follow the headlines FTC & FDA: Tips for Avoiding Coronavirus Scams FTC & FDA: Coronavirus Scams, Part 2 FTC: Beware of Census 2020 Scams! ESET: Beware Scams Exploiting Coronavirus Fears Security Tips for Remote Workers:...

It can be a bit overwhelming to understand all of the terms you’ll hear tossed about regarding cybersecurity. Just a few include malware, ransomware, phishing, worm, and many more. So while we can’t explain all things cybersecurity in this article, our goal here is to give you an overview of many of the more common terms. Malware – This includes viruses, worms, and Trojan Horses. These are software programs that infect your machine and carry malicious codes to destroy the data on...

Personal finance is as important as ever these days! We’d like to share the three top tips for dealing with taxes, loans, and credit cards. Taxes: Plan. Find a really good accountant or when you file with a tax preparer, they should have great info for how to best manage your taxes for the next year. Conduct personal finance planning meetings to evaluate changes in your life. (baby, college, retirement) Loans: Pay it off! Simple, but true. Debt is only good if you’re looking to...