Isn’t That Rich with MyFSB

When it comes to filing your personal taxes, no one wants to pay more than they have to. But how do you make sure you’re taking advantage of all the deductions available to you? To help inform you of all the new tax deduction opportunities available in 2024, we brought in Farmers State Bank’s CFO and CPA, Matt Businaro. If you think you could take advantage of any of the information discussed toda...

Welcome to January 2024, ushering in not just a new year but also a fresh tax season with its accompanying changes in tax laws. Our Chief Financial Officer, Matt Businaro, has recently returned from his annual tax seminar, armed with the latest insights into the tax landscape for 2024. In this week's episode, we are privileged to have Matt as our special guest, ready to impart his newfound knowled...

We are so fortunate to live in one of the fastest growing communities in southern Illinois. With property tax relief, economic development resources, safer school initiatives, city beautification projects, and stronger code enforcement, Marion is slated to be one of the best places in southern Illinois to live, work, play and grow. But how On today’s episode, we had the honor if interviewing the m...

Today we release the last episode of the Isn’t that Rich Podcast for 2023, and although the prospect of the new year is exciting with its promise of new beginnings and a fresh start, we thought it would be the perfect time to reflect back on the incredible journey we’ve had. This episode is a look back at all the major events, milestones, and challenges that defined our 2023. From building a branc...

Hey Illinois business owners and employees, there are a few new laws hitting the scene for our state in 2024 that you need to know about! In this episode, we explore the latest developments in Illinois' business laws for 2024 with lawyer and owner of Legal Advocacy Headquarters, Martin Parsons. Tune in as Parsons provides valuable insights into the newly unveiled laws, offering practical advice fo...

When you hear the term grant funding, does free money instantly flash through your mind? Free money sounds amazing, but there is a whole lot more to receiving a grant than meets the eye. To help us understand the world of grant writing, we invited Tammy Gwaltney to be our guest. Tammy is a seasoned grant writer with years of experience in the world of non-profits. In this episode, Tammy shares her...

It’s the holiday season which means you’re most likely making more online purchases than any other time of the year! This also means there is an increased opportunity for fraudsters to strike and steal your credit or debit card details. Thankfully, we’ve got the inside scoop on a solution for you! This week we invited our Customer Service Representative and Accredited Banking Professional, Lexi Ca...

In this episode, we dive into the world of collaborative strategies that drive economic growth in a small town. Joining us is Marketing Manager for Arthur Agency, Alex Mullins, whose expertise in marketing has led to unique approaches in fostering collaboration for economic growth. Together, we explore the power of strategic partnerships, community engagement, and shared initiatives that not only...

It's no secret that vacation rentals, such as Airbnb, are a hot topic when it comes to passive income and investing. It may seem easy and lucrative, especially when we watch TikToks featuring individuals who've just purchased ten houses in a different state with no money down and have already turned a profit. However, buying property is always a significant investment and carries inherent risks, r...

Have you ever wondered what happens to your loved ones financially when you’re no longer around? Maybe you’re the primary income for your family and they depend on your income to make ends meet and you want to ensure you are able to do so should something happen to you.    In this episode, we’re joined by Eric Witges, COO of FSB Insurance, to explore the vital role of life insurance. Join us as we...

Tomorrow is Halloween, and we're about to delve into a topic that might seem eerie at first, but is incredibly important. While most people associate Halloween with costumes and candy, we're taking a different approach today, shedding light on a topic that often lurks in the shadows - funeral planning. As we explore this often overlooked aspect of personal finance, we'll reveal how meticulous plan...

Every time a customer comes in contact with your business or organization, they have a moment where they decide they either like you more, or less, it is never neutral. This means that having great customer service is one of the most important things to focus on in your business. In this week’s episode we discuss four simple and actionable steps you can implement today to enhance your customer ser...

We are well into the 4th quarter of 2023, which means we are already thinking ahead to 2024. Some may think it’s a little early to start planning for the new year but in the dynamic landscape of entrepreneurship, a well-crafted strategy can be the compass that guides you toward success. If you’ve never taken the time to create a strategic plan for your business, what better time than now to get st...

Looking to make your money work harder for you than your average savings account? Then join us this week as our guest, Kelly Green, helps us unravel the complex world of Certificate Deposits (CDs). CDs are like the responsible cousin of your piggy bank, offering higher interest rates in exchange for locking your money away for a set period of time. But don't worry; we'll show you how to make the m...

On part one of our "Building a Home from the Ground Up" episode, Ashley had just finished up the beginning processes of building her first home. She has officially broken ground and closed on her construction loan! On this episode, we sit down with Polianna Benedict, Ashley's lender and FSB construction loan expert to discuss how to get your construction loan started, how it works, and how importa...

On September 14th, Farmers State Bank put on an event called the Legacy Sessions where we provided our community with valuable insight on how to leave a lasting legacy for generations to come. As a marketing team we’ve thrown some pretty great events and some not so great events, but this one will go down in Farmers State Bank history. But what made this event so remarkable? In this week’s episode...

Is it really possible to set my kids up to be rich by the time they are adults? That’s the question we are asking on this week’s episode. There are 2 different topics we’ve been hearing about lately that we’d like to talk about today. The first is the 529 College Savings Plan and its new changes, and the other is paying your kids as an employee while they are young. There has been a lot of chatter...

There is no hiding from the fact that we all need health insurance! Whether we are young or old, rich or poor, a single person or have a family, healthy or sick, we all need it. But there are times in our lives where a special circumstance might occur, and you lose your insurance. Maybe you lost your job, you’re between jobs, or are finally getting kicked off your parents' plan, however you find y...

On episode 32 of the Isn’t that Rich Podcast we talked about the financial “B” word, otherwise known as budgeting, and one thing we realized was neither one of us knew exactly where our money went each month. In order for us to set up a budget we could stick to, we had to do the leg work ourselves to figure out how much we were spending and whether or not our purchases aligned with our values. So...

Today, we are once again talking about one of our favorite topics of conversation: Fraud! And fraud itself is not our favorite topic. Honestly, we wish it didn’t exist. But rather, we love sharing real stories of fraud happening in our area so, as listeners, you know what to look out for to prevent it from happening to you.     The specific kind of fraud we talk about today is known as Check Fraud...

Today we are talking about the financial “B” word: Budgeting! If we are completely honest, most people hate the concept of budgeting, and for good reason! When people sit down and plan their budget, it starts with good intentions.   They want to save more money, get control over their spending, and plan for their future. But the truth is setting a strict budget can actually set you up for failure....

It’s back-to-school season, parents! And if you have a high school senior in your household, than this episode is for you. Senior year can be stressful! Not only is your student working hard to graduate on time, but they have the added pressure of completing their college applications so they can be accepted to the school of their dreams. We all know how exhausting (and expensive) the college appl...

You’ve seen it on the HGTV shows a million times. A crummy house on the corner goes up for auction and the gorgeous realtor couple puts in an all-cash offer and completely renovates the house in 30 minutes including commercials. This is what most people think of when they hear about the foreclosure process but there is far more to it than “Sold to the person in the back!”. Biding on a foreclosed p...

Fraud is something that we take very seriously at the bank and one thing we continue to learn is that fraud isn’t the same scam over and over again. As technology evolves, fraudsters take advantage of ways to trick people into giving them sensitive information they can sell or use for their own evil purposes like stealing your money. Fraudsters are very smart and are unfortunately better at using...

Estate planning is only for the wealthy, right? Actually, that couldn’t be further from the truth! In this episode, we bring on Evan Taylor, JD, to show us that estate planning is not solely reserved for the wealthy; rather, it is an essential endeavor for everyone. Evan highlights the importance of protecting assets, outlining the significance of estate planning for families, business owners, and...