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Quarterly Newsletter                       Volume 7                    February 2015
In This Issue

Simplify Your Finances

In this edition of the Guthrie County State Bank e-newsletter, we're focused on ways to make taking care of your personal finances a little easier. We all have enough to worry about, so why not take advantage of tools and services to make your finances more streamlined, easier to access and more secure for the future?

Loan rates are low right now, so if you have a mortgage and would like to know more about refinancing or if you're thinking about purchasing a first or second home or investment property, give us a call to find out more. 

Should you have any questions about the newsletter or any of the information featured, please connect with us at [email protected] and thank you for reading.

Farmers, Now is the Time 

Farm prices continue to cycle and now is the time to make sure you have sufficient financing for your 2015 inputs as well as a lender willing to work with you through the ups and downs of pricing in grain and other commodities.  Also, now is the time to consider estate and succession planning for many farming operations.  Dale Behrends, vice president and agricultural specialist at Guthrie County State Bank, has experience in dealing with pricing cycles and succession planning.  Both short-term and long-term financing and goals need to be considered right now and he can tailor fit a plan to fit your specific operation.

Call or email Dale today - 641-332-2218 or [email protected]

 
The Best Way to Show Your Love

Flowers, greeting cards, candy and a special evening out are the most popular gifts for Valentine's Day, according to a 2014 study by the National Retail Federation.  And those items are definitely a wonderful way to show your love to special people in your life.  

 

But, the petals drop from flowers, greeting cards are tucked in a drawer and the candy will be consumed. What is a lasting gift you can give the people or organizations you love? Create a trust.  


Okay, let's admit it's not the most romantic gift! (Maybe buy some candy, too.) However, a trust protects your assets and provides clear direction to your loved ones as to your wishes for your estate.  

 

A trust is a financial tool established by you (sometimes with the assistance of an attorney) that provides direction of the management of any assets of value you wish to pass on, including real estate, cash, stocks, bonds, and more.  

Barry Monaghan, Dale Behrends, Roger Underwood and Mike Underwood work with GCSB Trust Management Services' customers to ensure assets in trusts are protected and properly managed.

A trust may enable you to reduce estate tax liability, protect your property and assets, help you avoid probate and even produce needed income for you or your beneficiaries. 

 

Once your trust is established,

Guthrie County State Bank can help you manage it to safeguard your property and ensure that it's allocated to your beneficiaries, including charities, exactly according to your wishes.

 

This February, be original and give a Valentine gift that lasts for more than just a few weeks. Need more information? Contact us today and arrange to speak to a representative of our Trust Services Department. (Don't forget the candy!) 


New Bank Location in Guthrie Center

If you've driven through Guthrie Center recently, you probably noticed a big hole being dug and chainlink fencing around the northwest corner at the intersection of highways 44 and 25. By this time next year, that location will be the new home of the Guthrie Center office of Guthrie County State Bank.  

 

We had a need to create more efficient space to continue to provide great service to our customers and looked at many possibilities to renovate our current location, which was built as a bank in the early 1900s. Plans were drawn up and after examining many different renovation scenarios, it was determined that constructing a new building would be much more cost effective. Guthrie County State Bank has owned the lot at the new location for many years.  

 

One of our considerations was to ensure we didn't leave a gap in downtown  Guthrie Center. The great news is that the City of Guthrie Center will take over the current building as the new City Hall.  

 

The new building will incorporate efficient spaces for our customers' banking needs and some new features such as palm-scanned secure safety deposit boxes and a community room that will be available to groups for small meetings.  

 


  

Top Five Tips to Simplify from GCSB  

It seems like you can't pick up a magazine or look at a website that doesn't have a list of top five ways to reduce stress. Along with exercise, laughter and deep breathing, experts suggest finding ways to simplify your life.   

How can Guthrie County State Bank help you simplify? Here's our own top five list! 
  1. Sign up for mobile banking and manage your accounts, including transfers and payments, right from your mobile phone. 
  2. Set up alerts to text or email you to keep you posted on your accounts. Whether it's knowing your daily balance or a notification of a deposit or check clearing, alerts are a convenient way to track you accounts. 
  3. Stop getting extra mail and sign up for e-statements. We'll email you monthly when your statement is available online.
  4. Set up auto-transfers to savings accounts and automatic payments for your monthly bills through online banking.
  5. Consider consolidating your banking relationships so you can take care of all of your financial needs in one spot. 

Remember there are efficient and friendly personal bankers at our two convenient locations to answer your questions about accounts, loans and more. Let Guthrie County State Bank help simplify your banking!  

 


Attend the February Heritage Club Event at
Panora Telco's Solutions Center 
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The next Guthrie County State Bank Heritage Club social event will be held on Thursday, February 12 at 9:30 a.m. at Panora Telco's new Solutions Education Center at 114 E Main Street in Panora. There will be refreshments and door prizes and you will have the opportunity to learn everything there is to know about your TV remote control! Panora Telco technicians will be available to demonstrate some of their new products and answer your technology questions. You are sure to learn something new - these experts know all the answers! Email us with any questions at [email protected] or call either location. 

New Lake Panorama Realty Website Launched! 
Take a look at the new website of our sister company Lake Panorama Realty. It features gorgeous new photography, testimonials from recent buyers and sellers and our current listings of property in the area. 

UPCOMING EVENTS  

 

Please note the following events for Guthrie County State Bank:

 

  • Thursday, February 12 - Heritage Club Event at Panora Telco's Solutions Center at 9:30 a.m.
  • Monday, February 16 - Closed for President's Day - federal holiday

 

DOUBLE STAMP WEEKS FOR PAWS ACCOUNTS 

  • February 16 - 21, 2015
  • March 16 - 21, 2015
  • April 20 - 25, 2015

Contact_info
Guthrie County State Bank - [email protected]  - www.gcsbank.com

P.O. Box 8 / 400 State Street
Guthrie Center, IA 50115
PH 641.332.2218  TF 866.747.2218  FX 641.332.2693

P.O. Box 757 / 505 East Main Street
Panora, IA 50216
PH 641.755.2400  TF 877.755.2400  FX 641.755.2344