‘Financial Help’ Archives
Five Ways to be Smarter with Your Money in 2025
By JEAN CHALIFOUX KIELY, Director of Consumer Banking at Sunrise Banks Illustration: Jake Ryan Welcome to 2025! We are now about one month into the new year, which means you may now be at a crossroads when it comes to any resolutions you have made.Resolutions centered around money and saving tend to rank high in popularity at the start of the year. Even if you have not laid out a plan yet to be wiser with your money, there is no reason to give up one month in. You can commit to changing your money habits at any time and at any level, and hopefully, you will see the benefits, both short-term and long-term, pay off.Our team members at Sunrise Banks work with people who want to improve their financial habits all the time. With the right tools and strategies, you can create smart and easy ways to build your savings.Here are five ways you can start to act now: Track Your Spending and Set Clear LimitsStart by tracking every expense, no matter how small, for one month. Use an app or [...]
How a Federal Tax Credit Can Help Neighborhoods Thrive
By AMANDA THEISEN, Communications Manager at Sunrise Banks Helping communities thrive takes a lot of resources. Innovation and creativity can’t happen without people, ideas and cooperation. And progress can’t happen without time, talent and commitment.Then there’s the money factor. Whether someone wants to start a business, a nonprofit wants to expand its programming, or a community wants to revitalize buildings in their neighborhood, it always takes some form of money to make that happen. That’s where a program like the New Markets Tax Credit comes in. And if you’re a business owner, a nonprofit leader or a community activist working in a low-income neighborhood, low-cost financing options through the New Markets Tax Credit allocation recently awarded to Sunrise Banks may be a good fit for your project. What is the New Markets Tax Credit program?Launched in 2000, the New Markets Tax Credit (NMTC) program is a federal tax credit that is designed to incentivize [...]
Making Critical Choices for Retirement
By AMANDA THEISEN, Sunrise Banks Life in retirement can come with a lot of freedom – the freedom to do what you want, when, where and with whom you want. It could mean trading in those frigid Minnesota winters for someplace warmer, traveling the world with a loved one, volunteering for causes you care about, or fulfilling another long-held dream.While it’s fun to dream about retiring, thinking about the money side of retirement may not be as fun, especially if you’re getting a late start on saving. According to the 2022 Survey of Consumer Finances, almost half of American households had no savings in retirement accounts, such as 401(K), 403(b), IRA, thrift savings accounts or pensions.October is National Retirement Security Month. Whether you’re just beginning your career or nearing its end, it’s never too early to think about what you want retirement to look like. The sooner you make a plan and put it into action, the more choices you’ll have in your golden [...]
