Staying Secure
In today’s world, there are risks for your finances and identity. Here are tips and resources to help you recognize those potential hazards and prevent potential loss.

You’ve just discovered fraud. Now what?
As hard as we try to keep ourselves safe, identity fraud is likely to happen to most of us sooner or later. Don’t panic. Here are some steps to take, and some resources that can help. You open your credit card statement, and you see a charge you didn’t make. You apply...
What Does “Local” Really Mean?
What Does "Local" Really Mean? You’ve heard the message a lot in the media lately: Financial institutions in our area claiming to be “local.” Sure, for many consumers who are new to Central Oregon from another region or state, a financial institution that’s...
To Pay Down Debt, First Save
When you want to pay off debt fast, that impulse often means depleting your savings. So how do you pay off debt AND save money? Paying Debt vs. Increasing Savings Mathematically, based on the interest rates of your loans versus your savings account (or other savings...