Helpful Articles

In an effort to celebrate the strong bond and relationship between local businesses, schools, and families, BLC Community Bank is recognizing the Power of Community Week April 19-24 during National Community Banking Month and National Financial Literacy and Capability Month.

April is Community Banking Month! Due to the Safer at Home order we're going to celebrate a little differently this year. We'll be posting tips, crafts, giveaways, and more.

The Internal Revenue Service and the Treasury Department began delivering a second round of Economic Impact Payments on March 17, 2021. Here is what you need to know...

No matter what you may or may not be celebrating this holiday gift giving season, chances are high that you’ll enter 2021 with a new gadget or smart toy. While technology gifts and gadgets are useful tools (or just plain fun!), they may take a little more setup to ensure they’re as safe as possible to use. Any time an electronic can connect to the Internet, it becomes vulnerable to outside threats.

November 18th, is Housing Day, which was established in 1998 as part of a movement to combat homelessness all over the world. On this day BLC celebrates the donation made to LEAVEN, an organization whose mission is to stabilize and empower people in crisis by providing emergency financial assistance (including rent, mortgage payments, security deposits, and utilities) to help those struggling to get back on their feet.

Being a Secret Shopper sounds like fun, until you find out it's a scam and you're left on the hook for the funds. While legitimate mystery shopping opportunities exist, so do plenty of scams. If an opportunity is on the up and up, you won't have to pay them or deposit a check and wire money, send money orders or send gift cards on to someone else.

During Octoberfest Reimagined, BLC Community Bank will match donations made to St. Paul Elder Services through the end of October up to $10,000. Octoberfest Reimagined is the response to the cancellation of the Fox Cities 2020 Octoberfest event. While it will not be held in the traditional manner due to concerns about large gatherings amid the COVID-19 pandemic, the mission remains the same – supporting nonprofits and businesses in the local community.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month - observed every October since 2004 - was created to help educate consumers in an effort to help you stay safer and more secure online. It's a great time to prepare yourself to avoid end-of-year scams. The fast approaching Black Friday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and other holiday and shopping-related occasions always bring an increase in cyber-criminal activity along with them.

If you've recently received an "Official Check" from BLC Community Bank, for a large dollar amount you weren't expecting... you can bet it's a scam. The check may look real and be signed by a BLC employee, but these checks are nonetheless fake. According to the FTC, check scams are on the rise. Before you deposit a check you weren't expecting or wire funds to an unknown recipient, do a little digging.

Changes have been made to Federal Regulation CC, changing the amount of funds that must be made available to you, effective July 1, 2020. Depending on the type of check deposited or certain circumstances, funds may not be available to you until the second business day after the day the deposit is received.

As customers, businesses and members of our community struggle in the current status of our economy BLC Community Bank is finding ways to support them during these unprecedented times. “Due to the extraordinary circumstances our communities are facing, BLC, along with numerous other community banks, have decided to step up and assist our customers in any way possible,” said BLC Community Bank President, Steve Tramp.

Congress recently signed into law the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which included nearly $350 billion to help aid small businesses affected by the pandemic. These funds were provided to the Small Business Association for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) which will help by assisting businesses in the payment of certain operational costs.

The current pandemic situation has begun to cause financial hardship throughout for our customers, employees and community. Many state governments, including Wisconsin, have now closed down numerous “non-essential” businesses, to slow the spread of the virus. BLC wants to do its part to help with COVID-19 Payment Relief.

By now, all of you have been impacted in some manner by the CORONA or COVID-19 virus. This message is to provide you with some additional information and let you know what BLC is doing in response to the situation.

Preparation for tax season has begun, which means criminals and fraudsters are already busy deploying their next scam. Tax season typically brings about an influx of phishing scams with the intent of siphoning personal and financial data from unsuspecting victims.

With holiday travel and spring vacations just around the corner, we want to provide you with some safety tips to help you keep your money safe. It’s a good idea to carry VISA TravelMoney® Cards or credit cards, and leave your debit and ATM cards at home.

Over time, your valuables change, and so do your options to protect them. Here are a few choices, including safe deposit boxes and home safes, along with suggestions on how to assess each option for your specific needs.

At BLC Community Bank we have tips and resources to empower you in the fight against fraud. And the more you understand about fraud, the better prepared you are to help us fight fraud and keep your financial accounts safe.

Consumers and small business owners are fortunate to have a variety of retirement savings opportunities available to them — from IRAs and SEPs to 401(k)s and 403(b)s — that can be used to save for retirement and save on some taxes. Determining which retirement savings vehicles may be right for you is especially important as traditional pensions and other employer-funded retirement plans have become increasingly rare.

Your credit score is a three-digit number used by lenders to help them determine how likely they are to be repaid on time if they loan you money or you open a credit card. A good credit score helps you qualify for the best rates and terms when you borrow money or even pay for insurance.