How to Cut Down Your Monthly Subscription Costs

The New Year is upon us, and you have plans to build on your savings in 2023. Maybe you have a wedding to plan, or are looking to move into a larger home, or want to start a college fund. The problem is recurring payments and subscriptions are taking up too much of your monthly […]

Winter is Here, Connecticut: Prepare to Counter Higher Energy Rates

The weather is colder. Days are shorter. Nights are longer. That only means one thing – winter is here. You turned off the air conditioning and hopefully have made sure your heating system is working well. That comes with a rub this year, and you may want to rethink your energy usage strategy in the […]

Year End is the Perfect Time to Create a Financial Plan for the Future

We have all been through a wild ride these past couple of years, with prices skyrocketing on many – perhaps even most – of the items we purchase regularly.  It’s put a strain on budgets and forced us to reevaluate our finances. But, it doesn’t change the fact that many of us have things we […]

Should you wait to start saving while you’re still paying off your student loan debt?

To pay it off or to save? If you have student loan debt, you’ve probably wondered whether you should finish paying it off before you prioritize putting away money for retirement, building a rainy day fund, and focusing on other financial goals. The answer: both! While there’s no one-size-fits-all solution, building savings while you pay […]

Parent PLUS loans: an overview

With the average cost for a year of college in the US up to $35,720, it’s no wonder so many students take out loans. But the average undergraduate borrower receives just $11,836 in student loans each year — a significant gap for most. That’s where Parent PLUS loans come in. The Department of Education allows […]

Student Loan Servicer Changes: What You Need to Know

There’s been a lot of news about student debt lately. And one of the biggest recent developments: the impending changes to federal student loan servicers. Three major federal student loan servicers — FedLoan, Granite State, and Navient — are all in the process of ending their contracts with the Department of Education (DoEd) and transferring […]

Six Tips for Using P2P Payment Apps

By Dave Wall In today’s digital world, most of what we do is somehow attached to our smartphones.  From our communication and social media to shopping and dining, you probably use a mobile app to get things done.  That includes banking.  Most of your banking features are available on right in the palm of your […]

Are You a Renter Looking to Become a Homeowner?

By Paul Mulligan, SVP, Retail Lending Last year, while many businesses and industries suffered, the real estate market in Connecticut had a phenomenal year, with a 17% increase in home purchases.  The 38,641 single-family homes bought was the highest in the state in 15 years.  One factor certainly was the fact that the number of […]

Business Customers – Learn about Clover on October 22nd

Come meet us on Oct. 22 Get up to $750 back when you open a new merchant services account* Power your business possibilities. Explore our wide range of solutions designed to meet the needs of your business so you may finish the year strong. We’re bringing Clover merchant services solutions and expertise to you! Hands-on demos […]

What the Federal Student Loan Payment Freeze Extension Means For You

By Jorge Santiago If you have federal student loans, you probably already know that emergency payment suspension has been extended to January 31, 2022. Between recent student loan servicer shakeups, the Covid-19 surge, and 90 percent of affected borrowers saying they’re not prepared to resume payments, the decision to extend the payment freeze beyond September […]