$OMETHING ofINTERE$T Volume 4 No. 2
A Publication of State Bank of Belle Plaine
President’s Corner...
Where Do We Go From Here? T
he Presidential election is finally over and our televisions are finally free from all of the annoying campaign ads. As we sigh relief, one has to wonder where we go from here. Are we really headed for a fiscal cliff or will our investments and retirement plans be safe in the future. How will we be affected if the tax cuts expire and Government spending continues on its present pace? We all have to search within ourselves and determine what course of action we want to take. No matter which course you select, the State Bank of Belle Plaine will be here for you. As a small business, we have been burdened by numerous banking regulations and are expecting more to come. Our goal is to not let this
December 2012
Small Business Loans Dave VanDien, Senior Loan Officer
regulatory burden get in the way of providing you with exceptional service and value that you expect from us. If you are in need of some financial assistance, please come in and see one of our experienced New Account Representatives or one of our experienced Loan Officers. If you are in need of a loan to purchase a home or refinance your current home, we are here to assist you. We also have funds available to help our agricultural customers in the form of operating loans and land purchases. We offer competitive rates and terms, so check us out. You will be glad you did. The Directors and Staff here at the State Bank of Belle Plaine want to thank you for your loyal patronage and wish you safe travel as the holidays approach. We have a lot to be thankful for and wish to share our thankfulness with you for being our customers.
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ecession, declining dema nd, higher ta xes, natural disasters, increased competition … seems like business owners can’t find any good news t he se d ays. Ever y where you turn there is some new tax or regulation making it harder and more expensive to do business. The old adage “I’m from the government and I’m here to help” seems to be loud and real!
Paul D. Gatz, President, State Bank of Belle Plaine P
While this is often the case with our state and federal “brethren”, one government agency is truly helping small businesses not only exist, but also expand and thrive. The Small Business Administration (SBA) has a number of loan programs available to assist small and medium sized businesses. In fact, since the current recession began, they have expanded programs to make it easier for businesses to qualify and
Small Business • Page 3
We’re your Hometown, Independent Community Bank
State Bank of Belle Plaine
201 W. Main St., PO Box 87 Belle Plaine, MN 56011 Ph: 952-873-2296 • Fax: 952-873-2877 website: www.statebankbp.com
Kingsway Branch Location 815 W. Main St. Belle Plaine, MN 56011
State Bank of Belle Plaine
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December 2012
How to Avoid a Holiday Check is Not in Hangover the Mail State Bank of Belle Plaine provides consumer spending tips for the holiday season Janel Schmidt, VP Operations
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it h c o n s u me r sentiment the highest it’s been since the recession, shoppers are expected to open their wallets a bit wider this year. Will holiday spending leave shoppers in the red? Not if they plan wisely and use some common sense tips from State Bank of Belle Plaine. This is the most festive time of year, but consumers don’t have to end up with a holiday hangover when the bills arrive. Simple planning can make the season more care-free and enjoyable when you know you’re in control of your budget. To help consumers spend within their means and enjoy a financially happy New Year, State Bank of Belle Plaine offers the following tips: Develop a budget. Before you start shopping, develop a realistic budget. If you need to use your credit card, think about what you can afford to pay back in January. Make a list and check it twice. Keep your gift list limited to family and close friends, noting how much you want to spend on each. Spend carefully. Avoid shopping while rushed or under pressure, which can lead to overspending. Make sure to comparison shop prices first before you buy anything. Before you checkout make sure your purchase is within the budget you set.
Janel Schmidt, VP Operations
Avoid traps. Finding a sale on something you’ve been wanting can easily throw you off course. Stay strong and stick to your budget. And don’t apply for store credit cards you don’t need just to get a one-time discount. Use credit wisely. Limit the use of credit for holiday spending. If you must use credit use the one card with the lowest interest rate. Pick a date and commit to paying off your holiday credit card balance by that time. Be sure to check statements for unauthorized charges and report them immediately. Save your receipts. Not only will you need them for possible returns, but also to compare them to your credit card statement. Be creative. Consider simple, hand-made gifts instead of store-bought ones. Send greeting cards or handwritten notes of appreciation for those outside of your list. Home-baked goods, crafts or hand-made gift certificates for your time or talents are often less expensive and more appreciated. State Bank of Belle Plaine is committed to helping consumers responsibly handle credit and save for the future. If you don’t have one already, make it a New Year’s resolution to open a Christmas Club Savings Account for next year! Portions of this article are courtesy of ABA
We welcome new employees W Becky Johnston, a junior at Belle Plaine High School, works part time in the teller department. She enjoys spending time with her friends and family and traveling. Her family includes Mother Pat, Father Randy and her two dogs!
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f you get Social Security or other federal benefit payments by paper check, you are required by the U.S. Department of the Treasury to switch to an electronic payment method by March 1, 2013.
What You Need to Do You can switch from paper checks to a direct deposit at www.GoDirect. org, by calling the U.S. Treasury Electronic Payment Solution Center’s toll-free helpline at (800) 333-1795, or by speaking with one of our State Bank of Belle Plaine’s Retail Bankers. To ma ke t he switch, check recipients will need the following information:
Photo courtesy of Belle Plaine Herald
12-digit federal benefit check number Amount of most recent federal benefit check Financial institution’s routing transit number – often available on a personal check Account number and type (checking or saving) Don’t wait till March. Direct deposit is safe and convenient and you don’t have to worry about your check being lost or stolen. Your money is available immediately on your payment date so there is no need to wait for the mail to arrive.
Turkey Drawing Winners! Pauline Fahey Kayla Alves Alexandra Brooks
Angela Schneider joined the teller in September. She graduated from Minnesota School of Business with a Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, softball, golf, and spending time at the cabin. Angie and her husband Greg live in Belle Plaine, their blended family includes eight children.
Social Security number or claim number
Janis Buesgens ns Ruth Effertz
December 2012
State Bank of Belle Plaine
What happens to my account when I die?
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Online Banking Wendy Koepp VP/Chief Information Officer
Lynn Lambrecht, Retail Banking Are you doing your bankking after business hours?
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q u e s t io n we d o n ’t o f t e n wa nt to a sk. The answer is that it depend s on t he account ownership type. When we receive notice that an account holder passed away, an alert is placed on the account and the funds are restricted until the family contacts us. Here are the most common ownership types. Individual Ownership: W hen t he ac c ou nt holder dies, the funds become part of the deceased person’s estate. This also applies if the account has an Authorized Signer or Power of Attorney, as their authority ends upon the death of the account holder. Joint Ownership: When one account owner dies, the remaining funds belong to the surviving account owner. Upon their death, the funds become part of last surviving owner’s estate.
Then Online Banking is for you! Sign up today at www. statebankbp.com
COMING SOON … Electronic Online Banking Sign gn up! Stay tuned for more details …
Are your y paper files overflowing? ov Get eStatements with the State Bank of Belle Plaine!
Stop by and visit with one of our Retail Bankers to review your account ownerships options.
obtain lower rate, longer-term loans than ever before.
State Bank of Belle Plaine isn’t an arm of the government; but we will help you make good use of
1. Click on the “Accept eStatement” button at the bottom of the Online B Banking screen that appears w when you sign into Online Ban Banking. 2. Continue through the next screen to verify that you will be able to view the eStatements. After these steps are completed, you are now ready to begin receiving your bank statements electronically. The eStatements ments are cycled on the third d Thursday or the last business ss day ou will of each month. You receive an email notifying otifying you that your eStatement atement is available.
Small Business • from Page 1
We have experienced a noticeable spike in demand for SBA loans locally and demand appears to be growing in other markets. Refinancing current debt is a popular SBA loan purpose due to the current low interest rate environment. Various types of operating lines of credit and real estate acquisition/expansion are also available. Further, the SBA has streamlined documentation and application programs (which our bank qualifies for) to make your application process smoother and faster than ever before; in some cases requiring as little as 2 -3 pages to complete!
Sign up for eStatements in two easy steps:
Payable On Death Ownerships: When the individual or last surviving joint owner dies, the funds transfer to the person or entity named as beneficiary. Utilizing the payable on death option is an efficient way to avoid probate, the process of administering the estate of a deceased person.
What is an eStatement?
Dave VanDien ‘Big Brother’s’ loan programs. Stop by and discuss your specific situation to see what we can do for you.
An eStatement is an electronic version of your bank statement with images available online via our secure Online Banking. It is a safe, secure way to view, search, save or print your account statements and eliminate clutter and reduce paper waste.
Go Green with the State Bank of Belle Plaine!
State Bank of Belle Plaine
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BANK HOURS Lobby: 9 a.m.-4 p.m. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. 9 a.m.-noon
Monday-Thursday Friday Saturday
Drive-up: 8 a.m.-6 p.m. 8 a.m.-noon
Monday-Friday Saturday
Kingsway: 8:30-11:30 a.m.
December 2012
Happy Holidays
Tuesday & Thursday
ATMs: Kingsway Branch Main Branch Fourth lane of drive-up Telebanking: (952) 873-4617 www.statebankbp.com
Holiday Hours
Management (left to right) Dave Van Dien, Wendy Koepp, Janel Schmidt, Paul Gatz Photo courtesy of Belle Plaine Herald
Christmas Eve – Monday, December 24 Drive Up 8 am-noon Lobby 9 am-noon
Loan Department (standing left to right) Dick Coleman, Paul Gatz, Dave Van Dien, Wendy Hagen, Terry Pederson, Bill Gatz (sitting left to right) Mary Bigaouette, Lori Thaemert Photo courtesy of Belle Plaine Herald
Data Processing (left to right) Sarah Vizecky, Wendy Koepp, Amanda Schmidt
Christmas Day – Tuesday, December 25 – CLOSED
Retail Banking (left to right) Lynn Lambrecht, Rose Youngdahl, Angie Otto, Norma Kessler
New Year’s Eve – Monday, December 31 Drive Up 8 am- 6 pm Lobby 9 am-4 pm New Years Day – Tuesday, January 1 – CLOSED
Please bring in your used or old eyeglasses for donation to the Belle Plaine Lions Club and your cell phones for the Belle Plaine Rotary Club. We have two drop boxes in our lobby for these items.
Teller Department (left to right) Angie Schneider, Zulmita Kennicott, Becky Johnston, Mike Winterfeldt Photo courtesy of Belle Plaine Herald.
(left to right) Gerry Sons, Lorraine Borneman
Not Pictured: Dominica Johnson, Kyeanna Pickar and Linda Soller.
We appreciate you! From all of us at the State Bank of Belle Plaine: Your business is greatly appreciated and we look forward to growing with you in 2013. We are your local partner with a local commitment.
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