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It’s hot out there in the housing market. New construction and current inventory are low. Demand is high following the safer-at-home orders of 2020, due in part to the transition of many jobs to a virtual office environment. Buyers outnumber sellers, and many are making cash offers, sometimes even above the asking price--and prices are skyrocketing. The National Association of Realtors (NAR) data shows house prices are rising at the fastest pace since 2006. As a prospective buyer, how can you keep a cool head and succeed in this harried housing pursuit?

The recent low-rate environment and tighter housing supply have created a strong sellers’ market, which can be a good thing for your home equity. Third quarter 2020 data shows that about one in every four homes is considered “equity rich,” according to ATTOM Data Solutions, a real-estate data firm. Home equity is the difference between your mortgage balance and the value of your home. Owners of homes that fit the “equity rich” definition hold 50% or more equity in their properties.

A mortgage is likely to be the largest and longest loan of your life. As a home buyer, you’ll want to be in the best financial shape possible to qualify for a good rate and get the right loan for your needs. It can be hard to know where to get started, but we’ve got you covered. Here are three ways to make sure you get the best possible mortgage.

It doesn’t matter where your money comes from: hourly wages, salary, commission, pension, Social Security or trust fund. If you don’t have a plan for your money, you won’t get the maximum benefit. And you’ll spend too much time and energy worrying about it. A good financial plan puts structure and intention into your financial life. It helps you pace your spending, saving and borrowing through the tight years as well as the prosperous ones to avoid the chaos of a feast-or-famine existence.

Whether you earned wealth or inherited it, chances are you want to spend some, save some, give some and leave some for your loved ones. If you’re still working, you likely have plans to retire someday, with many goals and life events in between. How can you put your wealth to work for you throughout your life and beyond? First and foremost, find a trusted, experienced and certified professional to help you put an active plan in place and revisit it annually to adjust for market conditions, evolving goals and unexpected curveballs.

As credit card rewards get more popular, the volume of credit card transactions is rising sharply, along with opportunities for fraud. According to the Nilson Report, 131 billion credit card transactions were processed in the U.S. in 2021. Luckily, rewards aren’t the only appeal. Unlike debit cards, most credit cards offer cardholder protection against fraud loss. But to take advantage of that protection, either the cardholder or their bank has to catch the errant transaction. Banks and cardholders both have strong incentives to ward off fraud. Here's how to keep your cards safe.

Open enrollment season for employer benefits can be stressful. It only happens once a year, and with changing options and plans plus the time pressure of the deadline, it can feel overwhelming. You’re choosing plans for the entire upcoming year, and features vary widely, so how do you make the best choice when it feels like you’re comparing apples to oranges?

If you’ve ever been asked to submit documentation for expenses on your flexible spending account (FSA), health reimbursement account (HRA) or dependent care account (DCA), you may have wondered, “Why do I need to provide a receipt when it’s my money in the first place? And why do they ask some times but not others?” Some very good reasons are behind this.

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) both help you reduce your taxable income by putting money away for healthcare expenses. However, there are some major differences between the two.

No matter what business you’re in, equipment is likely one of your major capital expenses. Planning for a purchase takes careful planning and strategy, as do any maintenance and upgrades it needs. To get started, this is what to talk over with a trusted equipment finance advisor.

Is your business ready to compete for the biggest customer in the world? The U.S. federal government allocates hundreds of billions of dollars every year for government contractors. If you've ever considered being one, whether as a subcontractor or prime, here are a few things to keep in mind.

Get up to speed on the landscape for federal procurement in 2022 and a closer look at three upcoming procurements for technology contracts with the U.S. Department of State, the Department of Homeland Security and the General Services Administration. Pinnacle’s National Capital Region team hosted Jeff Shen and Joe Salgado, the president and general manager of Red Team Consulting, for a webinar on what businesses should know going into 2022. Watch the replay to learn more about bidding for contracts with the single largest customer in the world.

Holiday shopping isn’t quite ready to go back to normal. While you try to navigate crowded spaces safely, manage delivery delays and prepare for possible toy shortages, you can take one concern off your plate. Debit card controls and alerts can help keep your bank accounts secure by proactively protecting you from unauthorized transactions and disallowing any transactions if your card is stolen or compromised.

Beyond the security of all Pinnacle systems and technologies, there are some very simple ways that Pinnacle clients can monitor their accounts to be sure they are free of fraud.

Pinnacle places the highest importance on protecting our clients’ funds and information. Read this for information on how we accomplish that.

Are you prepared for a cyberattack? You may have tech protection, but what about the losses and expenses caused by an attack? Most policies lack the coverage you would need to cover damages to yourself and your customers, not to mention the ransom you might have to pay for data recovery. Here’s what to look for when you’re shopping for coverage against cyberattacks.

What are the real chances your data could get held for ransom? Better than you think. According to the CyberSecurity Alliance, ransomware attacks nearly doubled from 2020 to 2021, and 70 percent of all attacks target small to mid-size companies. So what can business owners do?

Financial fraud has surged, with crooks working banks and their clients. According to Banking Journal, fraud attempts have as much as tripled since early 2020, with an ever-widening variety of new scams. Human vigilance is your front-line protection, but it's not perfect. Better to have some block-and-tackle services to help tighten security and prevent fraudulent transactions. Here are five to consider.

Through both state-sponsored and independent actors, Russia is one of the world’s biggest sources of cyberattacks. Cybersecurity experts are on heightened alert for attacks on government entities, infrastructure targets and private citizens and businesses. What does that mean for you? Do you need to hit the panic button and disconnect entirely? No. Heightened alert is good. Panic is not. Here is what you can do right now.

Between Feb. 28 and March 9, 2022, Pinnacle clients with a consumer or small business checking account might receive an email asking them to take part in a survey from JD Power to assess your opinions of Pinnacle’s service levels. Because we know you’re cautious, we want to assure you that this email that is legitimate and safe to click.

Several Pinnacle clients have recently reported attempted fraud on their debit cards from people claiming to represent Pinnacle. Here is how it seems to work.