Money Matters Blog

Soon it will be the season for spending time with family, making hot chocolate, building snowmen and, of course, buying presents! With the wonderful power of technology, we can surround the Christmas tree with gifts in just a few clicks. Keep reading to learn all about cyber safety while you shop this holiday season. 

It’s common to come across pop-up ads or...

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As joyful and exciting as the holiday season is, getting memorable gifts for your loved ones can bring about some financial stress. It’s always good to remind yourself that the price doesn’t always determine the quality of the gift you give. Rather than spending a fortune on big gifts that your loved ones might not even use, try one of these special gifts which are affordable and meaningful at the same time. 

If you are a homeowner, refinancing is always a good topic to discuss and consider. While refinancing can reap many benefits, knowing when to pull the trigger is the key to success. Keep reading to find out the refinancing basics along with right (and wrong) times to do so.

A simple explanation of refinancing is getting a new mortgage to replace the original. There are many reasons why a homeowner would consider refinancing, some of which include:

Whether you’re getting married in the next few weeks or in the coming years, this exciting time of your life comes with serious things to think about and discuss. How you manage money will change once you get married, so planning it out beforehand is a must. Here are some tips for you and your partner before you say “I Do”. 

Honesty is key in a relationship, which means it’s time to be honest about what...

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Welcome to your 30s! This time of life is exciting, eventful and often comes with many financial decisions. These decisions have a big impact on your future as well as the future of your family. We hope you can learn from others’ mistakes and make smart money choices for a bright and less stressful future. 

No matter what age you are, retirement often seems too far off to even imagine. In reality, it will...

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Whether you’re currently a college student or have graduated and are ready to tackle your debt, there’s no better time than now to start paying off your loans. It’s not an easy job, but the feeling of being debt-free is unlike any other. Keep reading to learn the five steps to take towards getting rid of your student loans. 

No matter how small the amount of added...

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Entering parenthood can be one of the most exciting – and scary – times in life. The financial aspect of raising children is just one small piece to the parenting puzzle, but it’s an important piece. We’re here to help you make smart money choices you might not have thought to make. 

Budgeting for two is completely different than budgeting for a family of three. The list of supplies needed for...

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Whether you’ve had children who have already headed off to college or this is your first child to take that step, these financial tips are a great refresher for everyone. College students are notorious for living off of very little money, but there are ways to change that. Going into college with a financial plan will help your child avoid worrying about money while in school and can lower the amount of debt he or she might have in the future.  

Tom Maxwell, Vice President and former longtime President of Farmers & Merchants Bank & Trust, is the latest recipient of the Marinette School District’s monthly Community Propel Award. Mr. Maxwell accepted the award to a first-ever standing ovation at the Marinette School Board meeting on Tuesday, June 16. Mr. Maxwell and Farmers & Merchants Bank & Trust were recognized for their sponsorship of the Hi-Q program, the oldest continuing academic quiz competition in the United States, as well...

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Farmers & Merchants Bank & Trust recently donated $20,000 to ten area community organizations. The funds were the proceeds of a COVID-19 Relief Grant from the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago which was made available to its member institutions to support nonprofit organizations in their local communities.

Recipients of the donations include: