Building a Basic Financial Model in a Spreadsheet

Financial Model: Your Blueprint for Business Decisions For many small business owners, the term "financial model" sounds like something meant for big banks or high-tech startups. In reality, a financial model is simply a practical tool that helps you see the future of your business before it happens. It’s the bridge between your big ideas…

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ACH Payments Save Your Business Time and Money

ACH Payments: The Powerhouse of your Business Running a business means managing countless moving parts—and how you send and receive money shouldn’t slow you down. Yet many businesses are still dealing with paper checks, manual payroll processes, and high credit card processing fees, all of which quietly drain time, money, and productivity. ACH payments offer…

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How to Detect and Prevent Check Fraud

The Impacts of Check Fraud Check fraud is one of the fastest-growing financial crimes in the country — and criminals are targeting everyday mailboxes. In a single six-month period in 2023, FinCEN received 15,417 reports on mail theft-related check fraud totaling more than $688 million in suspicious activity nationwide. Of those stolen checks, 44% were…

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Wire Transfers: How to Keep your Business’s Money on the Move

Wire Transfers: How to Keep your Business's Money on the Move Running a small business often means making fast decisions—and sometimes that includes moving money quickly and securely. While many everyday payments can wait a day or two to process, some transactions simply can’t. Whether you’re closing a large purchase, paying an overseas vendor, or…

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Are CDs Worth It?

Are CDs Worth It? A Practical Guide to Certificates of Deposit  Saving money today can feel like a balancing act. On one hand, you want your money to stay accessible. On the other, you want it to grow—without taking on unnecessary risk. With high-yield savings accounts, market volatility, and rising interest rates all competing for…

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How to Use a Debt Tracker to Manage Debt

The Power of Seeing Your Debt Clearly Tackling debt can feel overwhelming. You might have credit card statements arriving on different dates, various minimum payments due, and interest rates that fluctuate. This scattered reality can make it easy to feel like you’re simply treading water, paying bills without ever making any real progress. A debt…

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Fraud alert – be aware of new spoofing and social engineering calls

We are seeing multiple recent reports involving callers identifying themselves as “Stephen/Steven Hensley” from Treasury Management, Fraud, or other HomeTrust Bank departments. In each case, the caller spoofed HomeTrust Bank phone numbers and attempted to create urgency around suspicious ACH or wire activity. Common themes observed: Caller ID spoofing using HomeTrust/customer care numbers. Claims of…

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50/30/20 Budget Rule: Simple Math for Smarter Money

Simplifying Your Budgeting Approach You've probably heard it before: budgeting is the key to personal finance success. However, the thought of tracking every single dollar and receipt can feel overwhelming, restrictive, and overly complicated—especially for beginners. This kind of detailed, dollar-by-dollar money management is often why people give up before they even start. The good…

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Business Loan vs. Line of Credit: Which is Right for You?

The Fuel for Business Growth: Navigating the Debt Financing Landscape Choosing the right type of financing is one of the most important decisions a small business owner can make. Whether you’re managing cash flow, investing in growth, or preparing for the unexpected, the type of credit you choose can either support your business—or strain it.…

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Protecting Yourself from New Account Fraud

The Growing Threat of New Account Fraud In 2024, reported losses from new account fraud hit $6.2 billion, more than double compared to a decade ago. New account fraud occurs when criminals use your personal information — or a completely fake identity — to open bank accounts in your name without your knowledge. These schemes…

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