Every morning at the branches of the privately-owned Bell Bank in North Dakota, customers smell freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. For patrons of the bank, it’s both a warm welcome and a reminder of the level of in-person service they’ve come to expect at this regional bank. “We start by focusing on making sure that this is a place that employees love to work at, that they’re proud of where they work,” says Michael Solberg, president and CEO of Bell Bank. “We know that if we get that part of the equation right, that they’ll take great care of our…

Texas has a modern but non-uniform Anti-SLAPP law known as the Texas Citizens Participation Act (“TCPA”) which operates to protect free speech and related rights from the perils of abusive litigation brought to silence or retaliate against the speaker. In fact, the TCPA was one of two Anti-SLAPP laws (the other was California’s) that were primarily relied upon in the drafting of the Uniform Public Expression Protection Act (“UPEPA”) which has proven to be popular among state legislatures. There have been, however, criticisms of the TCPA arising not so much from the text of the statute itself but rather from…

According to a 2024 report from the Aspen Institute Financial Security Program, “Renters possess less than 3 percent of the wealth of homeowners, with a median net worth of $10,400 compared to $400,000 for homeowners.” The report, which primarily utilizes data from two separate Federal Reserve surveys, reflects a widely held belief among Americans seeking to accumulate wealth over time. That is, owning a home is a noble and perhaps even critical goal for upward mobility. With today’s soaring home prices and challenging interest rates, it’s worth reassessing this piece of the American dream. In other words, is buying a…

Roth IRAs have been around for more than 20 years, and many people may have forgotten or never learned about how valuable they can be. Even small contributions over time can translate into a substantial amount of tax-free income throughout your retirement. Ultra-high-net-worth individuals may wish for more tax-free income potential, but they often earn too much income to be able to contribute directly to a Roth IRA. For the rest of you, don’t miss out on the valuable tax-planning opportunities available with a Roth IRA. The Basics You Need To Know About A Roth IRA The Roth IRA is…

Bitdefender is a trusted cybersecurity and anti-virus software company that provides a variety of products to protect your computer and digital devices from malware and other online threats which is why it is particularly disturbing when scammers were recently discovered to have set up a counterfeit Bitdefender website where if you go to download what you think is protective security software from the website, you actually are downloading malware that can steal your passwords and sensitive personal information from your computer or cell phone that will result in your becoming a victim of identity theft and your accounts, such as…

I didn’t read for pleasure until after college—when I could, for the first time, choose what I read. Even then, the work of financial planning required so much compulsory reading, and time is so limited, that for many (many) years, I read no fiction. Why would I spend time with a made-up story when the world offers so many true ones that are informative, instructive, and, well, real? It was an immature thought, I know. I’ve since concluded that much of what’s presented as fact ought to be questioned, while fiction can offer answers we once believed were beyond our…

A recent series of studies has analyzed and identified the richest cities in various states. The U.S. South has been a region recently evaluated, including the wealthiest places in Mississippi and Alabama. Here. It is Louisiana’s turn to be investigated. The analysis covered 489 cities in the state in order to identify the richest cities in Louisiana. The way in which each city was evaluated and scored in the ranking is detailed below. Read on to find out what the richest city in Louisiana is, plus the top 15 wealthiest cities in the state overall. What Are the Richest Cities…

Senate Republicans released draft reconciliation legislation this week that builds on efforts by their House counterparts to reshape the federal student loan system. The Senate version of the bill is identical in many ways to the House legislation, which passed the chamber last month on a largely party-line vote. But there’s a critical difference between the two versions. If the Senate version of the bill ultimately becomes law, it could cause monthly student loan payments to dramatically increase for many households, particularly for married borrowers. The changes center on income-driven repayment. IDR plans are a type of federal student loan…

Mapping out your finances for the long haul can help you grow wealth, build a reliable safety net, and weather life’s twists and turns. As financial markets become more volatile and retirement planning seems increasingly out of reach, especially for millennials, it’s imperative to start as early as possible, securing your financial future. Whether it’s not having the right amount of insurance in place, neglecting to contribute to the correct retirement accounts, or not ensuring a seamless estate plan, many people have holes in their long-term financial planning. Learn about six key components you can include in your plan and…

Every startup pitch sounds the same. Every sales email feels like it came from the same script. Every product demo promises to be “AI-powered,” “blazing fast,” and “revolutionary.” That’s because, in many cases, they were- thanks to generative AI tools like ChatGPT. AI was supposed to give companies a competitive edge. Instead, it triggered a conformity crisis—flattening differentiation and flooding the market with lookalike messaging. And that sameness is expensive. According to Rakuten Marketing, companies waste 26% of their marketing budgets—about $130 billion annually—on efforts that don’t drive results. Sales teams aren’t faring much better. Bloated prospect lists, recycled messaging,…