First Federal Bank Blog

If money is tight, you may have considered drawing from your 401(k) retirement savings plan. While it’s generally best to leave your investments intact, there are circumstances in which tapping into your account can be a safer move than obtaining other kinds of loans. Here’s a look at a few factors to consider before you commit to borrowing money:

Even though financial transactions today are increasingly paperless, there are still advantages to using a check book. They can help you avoid processing fees, leave behind a useful paper trail for your spending, and give you a means of transferring funds should the internet be unavailable. But are check books safe? How do you secure your check...

Smartphones have revolutionized how you can perform financial transactions, making it easy for you to shop, pay bills, and send money to friends from wherever you are. You can perform these transactions in a variety of ways, such as paying via web browser or app, using near-field communications (NFC) technology to tap your phone at checkout, or...

Refinancing a loan involves replacing an existing loan by paying off the debt with a new one. Ideally, the new loan has better terms or features to make the process worthwhile. This can help save you money in the long term or make your life easier in other ways.

That magical moment when your teenager reaches driving age can be both exciting and stressful. While you’re thrilled your child is now old enough to get behind the wheel, the reality of what that means will quickly begin to affect your wallet. Having a teen driver means extra expenditures, including higher insurance, dealing with potential...

When you want to securely store your money, you can choose to open one or more savings accounts at a financial institution. If you’re unsure how many accounts to open, it’s a good idea to consider the different reasons for having multiple savings accounts in mind before making a decision. 

Diving into the choppy waters of financial planning can feel intimidating, especially when you realize just how many types of accounts there are. Thankfully, many experts agree there are a few accounts everybody should consider holding to keep your money organized, set you up for the future, and even help grow your wealth.

Whether you’re shopping for your first car or a newer model, the first thing you should do before visiting the dealership is establish your financing options. Enlighten yourself with these basic auto financing terms so you know exactly what you’re agreeing to when signing the paperwork to fund your new vehicle:

The fundamental difference between a secured and unsecured loan is the collateral requirement. But what is collateral? Why is it important? And what is a lien? Here’s everything you need to know:

In today’s fast-paced, online-centric world, scammers have more tools than ever to separate you from your hard-earned money. These efforts often ramp up during the holidays season. It is important to know these major warning signs for financial fraud: