Lending Tips for Home, Business and Agricultural Loans

Buying your first home, financing a business or need a line of credit to finance farm operations? Here are some lending tips to increase your chances of success and reduce your stress. 

Tips for Shopping Online Securely - How to Secure Your Internet Purchases

Shopping online securely lowers the risk of identity theft and fraudulent transactions. The convenience of making purchases via the Internet is one of the main reasons for its growing popularity. You don’t have to wait for store hours or navigate through traffic to go shopping.

Are security concerns holding you back from online shopping? It may help you to know that most credit and debit card companies have built-in protection. Both Visa (Verified by Visa) and MasterCard (MasterCard Secure Code) have an advanced protection facility for online purchase, and it’s free.

This doesn’t mean that you should throw caution to the wind while e-Shopping. Here are some simple ways for shopping online securely.

• Ensure your computer is “clean” by using an up-to-date security or anti-virus program. You can even elect to encrypt sensitive files that contain personal information or passwords to prevent unauthorized access.
  
  
• Only shop through recognized and reliable merchants. Research the company before you make the purchase. It is also preferable to make purchases with services within the US. Check to see if they have a phone number or some other way they provide customer service so that you know you can contact them if something goes wrong.
  
  
• Beware of fake sites by ensuring your browser has the padlock or key symbol and that the site address includes https:// every time you decide to make an online purchase. This ensures that your transaction is secure and the information you are sending along is protected.
  
  
• Choose a strong password that uses eight or more characters if you store your information at an online shopping site. Check out some of the recommendations in our prior blog post on Online Security.
  
  
• Check the delivery, return and refund policy for any discrepancies and also in case you’re not satisfied with the purchase.
  
  
• Do not provide card details until you have selected items for purchase and only offer the mandatory information requested. Again, double check that you see https:// to know the page is secure.
  
  
• Read the privacy policy to determine who will have access to your personal and financial information.
  
  
• Always print out a copy of your order with postal address, phone number, and legal terms, including return policy. Keep it for your own records for at least the period covered by the return/warranty policy.
  
  
• Don’t respond to any request for financial information that comes to you in an email. Banks and legitimate businesses do not ask for sensitive information via email. Most importantly, don’t click on any link embedded within a suspicious email, and always call the retailer or financial institution to verify your account status before divulging any information.

Astra Bank offers the MasterCard Secure Code service for shopping online securely and your protection.

Contact us for details about setting up an account with us.

Is Your Big Bank Charging Excessive Fees for Checking Accounts?

You Can Still Enjoy ‘Free Service’ at Your Local Community Bank

It’s hard to believe, but some banks are charging excessive fees for checking accounts. The recent Wells Fargo move to cut free checking for new customers made headlines in the media including CNN Money Magazine and Reuters. Reuters even revealed that Bank of America and many other major banks are considering reinstituting account fees and other service charges. So if your big brand financial institution hasn’t already sent a notification of the change, enjoy the reprieve while you can… it may be round the corner!

Banks do offer options to waive these fees (and downgrading your account), however the change has put pressure on their customers. Wells Fargo, for instance, asks that you maintain a $1,500 minimum daily balance or make direct deposits of $500 or more each month. You can also get a $2 discount on the fee by opting to only receive online statements.

While some individuals and families find it difficult to meet the new minimum balance requirement in this struggling economy, others may take a while to adjust to changes and have to pay the monthly penalty. Is it fair to charge fees for checking accounts that were once free? Customers certainly don’t think so and many are shopping around for banks that still offer the ‘free service’.

Switch to a Local Community Bank to Avoid Fees on Checking Accounts

There are still some banks that aren’t charging excessive fees for checking accounts and it might be worth your while to check them out. American Banker has a smart suggestion—talk with your local community bank (like Astra Bank), where you’ll get personal attention, all the online conveniences of the big banks… but avoid many of the high fees you may be fed up with!

Astra Bank is one of the few financial institutions still offering ‘free checking’. While we encourage our customers to switch to green banking practices and online transactions to save time and effort, we don’t charge fees on checking accounts when you come into our bank. Plus, the great part about community banking is we’re here to help in all the other banking needs you may have down the road.

Whether you're looking to open your first checking account, put money aside in an IRA or CD to plan for retirement or want to buy a new home, we can help with creative solutions suited to your needs.

Stop by any of our banking locations in Kansas and Nebraska and speak with a representative about your free checking account and other services we offer. We’re looking forward to seeing you soon!

Astra Bank’s 10th Annual Customer Appreciation Golf Event

Agricultural, Business and Insurance Clients Enjoy Golfing and Luncheon

As a local bank, we are very respectful of the community in which we operate. Our customers and members of the local community are the reason we exist. In the day to day frenzy of business and operational tasks, however, we do not always have the chance to show our appreciation. Community events like the Astra Bank Annual Golf Tournament are a great opportunity to show we care. We do this event in association with our affiliate, Nuss/Ackerman Insurance Agency. Dedicated to our agricultural, business and insurance customers, the golf event not only provides a great outing but also gives us all the opportunity to interact with others and build connections outside our work environment.

Like the previous times, this year’s community golf tournament at Fox Hollow Golf Course, Sutton, NE on June 13, 2012 had a great turnout. Roughly 30 people participated in the friendly golf tournament with about 100 attending the luncheon.

The 9-hole team scramble event was held in the morning followed by a scrumptious luncheon where clients could sit back and relax for a couple of hours. Flag prizes for the golfers and door prize drawings for lunch attendees filled the day with excitement and a competitive spirit. We also organized a putting contest where our golfers could win balls, cash or a new golf bag.

Our staff planned and executed the entire event, including run the golf outing (with the help of Tom from Fox Hollow) cooking the burgers and serving the food. Fresh salads and delicious desserts from local caterers delighted our guests.

Merlyn Haight, VP/Location Manager of the Fox Hollow Golf Course in Sutton, NE says, “Astra Bank is our community bank too. We enjoy hosting their annual golf tournament here. Many of the attendees are also our patrons from the local community. When it comes to pampering their guests at this event, Astra Bank pulls out all the stops, so it is always a fun and cherished event.”

Astra Bank values each and every one of our clients. Contact us today and see for yourself just how you can become one of our valued customers.

Internet Banking and Online Security - What Can You Do to Protect Your Account?

Even as banks promote e-Statements and the convenience of Internet transactions, concern about online security has some customers still holding off from e-Banking. Protecting your information and transactions is high priority for most financial institutions and they have implemented advanced security measures to reduce the risk of fraudulent activities. However, as a customer you have an equal role to play in ensuring safe banking.

Let’s take a look at some important but simple ways to prevent your online bank account from being compromised.

1. Identify theft—Don’t give out your personal information: Identity thieves are looking for personal information to access your accounts or create new ones in your name. Make sure you never log into your account from a public computer, as it might have malware (a “virus” like program that can track your activity) to gather this information. Only surf and download information from well-known and trusted websites. And don’t click on any links or believe emails that suggest there is a problem with your accounts. Your bank will always notify you by phone.
   
   
2. Password protection—Never share it with anyone: Don’t share your online banking password or pin number with anyone. Especially online. Your bank will never ask you to provide this information via email or through a link. When selecting a password, it’s best to choose an alpha-numeric combination more than six characters long. Also avoid using birthdays, family names, street name, etc. as they are easy for others to guess. If you can, also include a special character like #@$%^& for even greater complexity.
   
   
3. Password reset process—Change it to deter ‘phishing’: Resetting your password (experts suggest once every quarter) deters hackers and Internet prowlers from gaining easy access. One thing is for sure, if you have accessed your account at a public computer, e.g. library or Internet café it is imperative that you change your password to keep the “bad guys” away.
   
   
4. Personal verification question—Keep it unique: Often times you will be asked to answer the personal verification when resetting your password (or because you forgot it). Your question should be unique (think of information that no one else knows) and not shared with anyone. Mother’s maiden name is no longer enough, especially if your mom is on Facebook and has this as part of her personal profile!
   
   
5. Logging off securely—Prevent easy access: Always remember to log off once you have completed your transaction or finished looking at your account information. You can go one step further by closing your browser. This will prevent anyone who uses your computer from looking at your information.

Astra Bank offers easy and convenient e-Banking services with advanced online security. Set up an online bank account today.

What’s the “E” in E-Statements?

Easy, Enhanced View, Effortless, Eco-Friendly, Email Updates…!

There’s much more to e-statements than being “electronic”. Think about it—it makes life Easy for you, you have an Enhanced view of your account activity, monitoring your account becomes Effortless, you receive Email updates each time your e-statements are available for viewing and it is an Eco-friendly way to conduct your money matters. Have you switched to e-statements yet? Enroll for Internet banking and switch today! 

The electronic version of your account activity is extremely user-friendly to access and easy to understand. You can have all the information you need at the press of a button. What’s more, you can get it anytime you need. No papers to go through and no files to maintain. Save time, effort and storage space as well as paper (trees and mailing costs).

Setting up your Astra Bank account for e-statements is simple.

It’s Green, It’s Clean, It’s What We All Love…And It’s Not Money It’s Our PLANET!

As a bank, we can’t help think about it... we are in the money business. Yes, green is indeed the color of money and don’t we all crave to see more of it? BUT, there is a bigger, more worthy and universally beneficial “green” that we need to strive for; and that is contributing to save the environment and our beautiful planet. 

At Astra Bank, we encourage you to be an eco-friendly customer and try to make it easy to be one. We want you to go paperless and switch to electronic and online banking. Let’s save the trees! E-banking is quick, convenient and safe. Rest assured that your transactions are secure and your identity is safe.

From e-statements to automatic bill payments there are some easy ways for you to play an active role in promoting a cleaner and greener community. Green banking will save you time and effort in addition to having a positive impact on the environment.

Green Banking—E-Statements to Online Banking and more...

• E-Statements—Your account details at the press of a button: Say goodbye to that pile of paper on your table. Two clicks allow you access into your account anytime, anywhere.
  
  
• Automatic bill payments—Eliminate late fees and collection calls: Even the most organized among us have at some point forgotten to send a check to the utility services or the cable company, misplaced bills (or return envelopes) or delayed payments because we are out of postage stamps. Automatic bill payments can make sure this never happens again. No more late fees or collection calls to worry about. And yes, no running to the post office for stamps either!
  
  
• Online banking—Your bank is always open…even after-hours: Whether it’s transferring money to an account or making a payment you don’t need to wait for banking hours or make your way to the bank through traffic. Online banking is available 24/7. We chat online, read online and shop online; so why not enjoy the convenience of Internet banking?
  
  
• Debit card—Your quick and convenient e-check book: Ever been told “debit card please, no checks”? Be prepared; it’s a growing trend. Besides you don’t really need to use checks because your debit card is like an e-check. Money comes out of your account and you have a record of the transaction in one simple swipe. No check book or pen required and it’s faster, safer and more convenient.

Create a ‘green’ account. Reduce your carbon footprint through green banking practices like e-statements, automatic bill payments and debit cards.

Switch to e-Statements and online banking with Astra Bank.

Astra Bank's Third Annual Shred Fest - Helping to Keep Your Information Safe

Account numbers. Social Security numbers. Don't give identity thieves a chance to steal valuable information from your personal documents and files. Let Astra Bank help keep keep your information secure by visiting one of our branch offices for our SHRED FEST!

If your documents are past their usefulness, bring them by one of our branch offices and we'll be shredding them for you - absolutely FREE. Shredding will be performed by a AAA-Certified shredding company, or if you prefer you can even watch your documents be shredded. You can bring up to three boxes or bags of paper to shred.

What Should You Consider Shredding?

While the decision is ultimately up to you, below are some examples of what Astra Bank recommends:

• Bank Statements - Shred after your account is reconciled
• Credit Card Statements - Keep 1 tax year
• Monthly Bills - Shred if 1 year or older
• Tax Records - Keep last 7 tax years

Shred Fest is Saturday, March 31st

• Abilene 8:00 am - 10:00 am
  
  
• Belleville 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
  (FREE BBQ Lunch)
  
  
• Chapman 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
  (FREE Dessert)
  
  
• Scandia 8:00 am - 10:00 am
  (FREE Breakfast)
  
  
• Sutton 9:00 am - 11:00 am

The Tradition Continues...

This year marks the third consecutive year that Astra Bank has held the SHRED FEST and offering ways for our customers and the community to keep their identity safe and secure. Even if you're not a customer (yet) of Astra Bank's we encourage you to stop by. We'll be happy to securely shred your confidential documents. Who knows, maybe you'd even be interested in learning more about Astra Bank and giving us a try. 

What If???

Because I'm a banker, I'm often asked about my opinions about the monetary policies that are being utilized in the United States and abroad.  The question is generally summarized as, "With the Federal Reserve stimulating the money supply as they currently are, don't you think inflation is inevitable?  And, given coming inflation, what do you think I should do with my savings?"  Talk about some heavy-hitting questions ...

Before I continue, I must confess that just because I'm a banker doesn't mean that I receive a standard-issue crystal ball from Mr. Bernanke, so I really don't have any more concrete idea than you do about what the future holds.  Sure, I may be exposed to some financial information that you don't see, but all that gives me is more data (which is not the same as information) off of which to form an opinion.

First, when people talk about interest rates rising, they are thinking of the rate cycles that have been common over their  adult lifetimes.  For most folks, this covers the portion of the chart (courtesy of Crestmont Research {www.crestmontresearch.com}) circled in red.

However, when you look at the part of the chart prior to the red circle, you will find that for the majority of the 20th century, interest rates were very close to where they are today - sometimes slightly higher, sometimes slightly lower.  In fact, when you look at the 1920's (also known as the Roaring Twenties), you will find that rates were only slightly higher than today ... even in a time of significant economic growth and expansion.

So, what if rates are really returning to normal levels after an abberation in the late 70's and early 80's?  What should you do if you're wanting to maximize your return on dollars that you have in Astra Bank?  I'd make two suggestions.  The first is what I believe to be our best paying deposit in the bank - a 48-month Trade-a-Rate certificate of deposit (CD).  With this CD, you earn a rate just slightly lower than our 48-month CD, but you have an option to adjust the CD rate once during the term of the CD.  Accordingly, if rates go up, you still have a feature in the CD that allows you to take advantage of rising rates.  Just so you know, we also have 24-month and 36-month Trade-a-Rate CD's.

The second suggestion is to build a "ladder" of CD's.  What do I mean by that?  Instead of having one large CD, you have several CD's that mature over the investment period.  As an example, instead of one CD of $40,000 that matures every four years, you have 4 CD's of $10,000 with one maturing each year over the four-year period.  This strategy positions you to better take advantage of rate changes - especially when you anticipate that rates may rise.  For the best of all possible worlds, you can build a ladder of Trade-a-Rate CD's!

Does this answer the question about inflation?  No, but it provides a solution for how to maximize earnings on your deposits in a rate environment that hasnt been seen since the 1950's.  If you need assistance with maximizing earnings on your deposits, please come see us.  We look forward to helping you turn your deposit dollars into fulfilled dreams!

Welcome to 2012 – Time to Set Your Goals

The arrival of the New Year brings with it many things. Sure, you have to remember to start using “12” instead of “11” when writing the date and that calendar needs replacing. But one of the things that many people include with the New Year is setting goals… also called “resolutions”.

It doesn’t matter what you resolve to accomplish in the next 12 months, if you don’t have some sort of a plan to ensure you carry out your plan, you’ll most likely fall short and come May or June look back and wonder what happened. Here are some tips on ways to ensure that you keep on track and accomplish all that you want in the year ahead.

1. Be Specific – Make sure that you are clear in what you want to accomplish, otherwise it will be difficult for you to determine if you’re being successful.
2. Write it Down – There’s something about the power of putting a thought into writing that helps to increase the chances of making it become reality. Even if you think this is silly, write down your resolution(s) and come back to them often.
3. Share It – Tell your friends what you’re trying to accomplish. This will help to create a support network to help you along the way, and create little bit of “peer pressure” to stay on track.
4. Measure It – Depending on what you’re trying to accomplish, check your progress on a regular basis. That may be daily, weekly, monthly or some other interval. Consider creating a chart that can help you keep track of your progress so you can see when you are making improvements (or when you may need to “pick it up a bit”).
5. Have Fun – Life’s too short not to have fun along the way, so try and enjoy yourself. Look for positive ways to reward yourself for meeting milestones and don’t be afraid to treat yourself to keep motivated.
6. Think Big Picture – While the temptation to come start quickly and get the biggest impact early on may be great, keep in mind that you’re looking at the entire year (or maybe even a lifetime), so it’s alright to gradually ease into it. For example, if you’ve resolved to “get fit” (#5 below), don’t feel that you need to go to the gym every day if you’ve not worked out much before. That will only risk burning you out and then you’ll stop. Getting fit is a life-long goal and think about where you’ll be 6 months, 12 months or longer if you do a little each week.
7. Adjust – Sometimes life gets in the way, and that’s fine. If you get sidetracked for whatever reason, don’t let that discourage you. Simply adjust your routine and get back on track as quickly as you can. Just because you slipped for one day (or even a week), doesn’t mean that you should quit and consider your efforts a failure.

Wondering what some of the more popular resolutions are for people these days? Well, the folks at USA.gov have created a list and below are the top ones. Any of these sound familiar?

1. Drink less alcohol
2. Eat healthy food
3. Get a better education
4. Get a better job
5. Get fit
6. Lose weight
7. Manage debt
8. Manage stress
9. Quit smoking
10. Reduce, reuse and recycle
11. Save Money
12. Take a trip
13. Volunteer to help others

Astra Bank would love to help with some of the financial-related resolutions above. Items like #7 (manage debt), #8 (manage stress) and #11 (save money) are all ones that can come with having a sound financial partner. With our helpful staff, convenient electronic banking access and great product lineup, if these are on your list for 2012 stop in and see us. We’ll be happy to help. Feel free to let us know what your resolutions are for the coming year in the comments of this post (#3 - Share It!).

Welcome to 2102!
Kyle A. Campbell, President & CFO