Real People in the News: ACC Basketball’s most loyal fan: Christine Abernethy

ACC Basketball's most loyal fan: Christine Abernethy - graphic bannerThis year, the ACC held its 60th basketball tournament in Greensboro, NC. One of our company’s major shareholders, Christine Abernethy, has been to every one of those events. A reporter from the Charlotte Observer features Mrs. Abernethy’s story in a recent article.

The 2013 ACC tournament caught a lot of media attention this year, more so than in the past. This year is thought to be the end of a chapter in its history. The conference, which began in Greensboro in 1953, is rumored to be moving in 2014 to accommodate the increased number of schools, length of tournament schedule and fan base. This speculation has led to “real people stories” about ACC long-timers and fans like Mrs. Abernethy. You can read the Charlotte Observer stories on the newspaper’s website.

Mrs. Abernethy is more than an important member of the banking community; she’s an especially enthusiastic supporter of ACC college basketball, NC State’s Wolfpack, in particular. With her support, more than the ACC has expanded. She and her family have played a large part in the economic growth and stability of North Carolina.

Most college basketball fans have an opinion about the recent ACC expansion and addition of the new schools “not from around here.” Tell us what you think. Comment below. Few have been as active of a supporter of the ACC tournament as Mrs. Abernethy, and if you’d like to get her take on the upcoming changes, read her article in the Charlotte Observer.

For our part, we are thankful to be the bank for real people in North Carolina, and we’re grateful to have the association of people such as Christine Abernethy who have worked hard – with team spirit – to build something special that continues to grow. Who knows where that growth will take us?

Interesting reading:

5 Tax Season Security Tips

Tax season is often hunting season for the bad guys. Protect yourself by taking some basic precautions.

Fraudulent claims to tax refunds is a major issue these days. Fraudsters are looking for ways and means to file your tax return before you do in order to collect a refund. A pretty bold move, and one that you can defend against by following these steps, as provided by AARP.

  • File early!
  • If filing online, don’t do so in a public place over a wireless signal that may not be encrypted.
  • If filing at home with a computer, make sure your computer has up-to-date virus software and is protected by a firewall. Your home network, if wireless, should be protected with a network key.
  • Don’t leave your tax returns unprotected on your computer. Protect them with a good password or transfer them to a portable drive that can be securely stored.
  • Don’t click on email attachments or links from people you do not know. You may be inadvertently installing software that can get your private information.
  • If you get a call or letter from someone claiming to be from the IRS, verify it by calling 1-800-829-1040. Unsolicited emails from the IRS are scams. Browse the IRS website for more information.

Peoples Bank makes serious effort to protect your financial information. You can do much, too, by following basic security protocols. Get more information about what you can do to protect and secure your personal information on The Real Peoples Bank online security blog posts.

Shopping for a new car?
 Test drive the financing first.

For most of us, an auto loan is the biggest monthly expense after the mortgage or rent payment. That’s why, when you’re thinking about buying a car, it’s as important to research the auto’s loan as it is to check out sales prices and gas mileage. Here are some auto loan shopping strategies to consider before going to the dealership.

Think carefully about how much you can afford to pay for a car. Your monthly payment will depend on the term (length) of your loan, the interest rate and the amount you borrow. In most cases, what you borrow will be the price you pay for the car plus any options you select minus your down payment and the value of any trade-in. In addition, consider the charges for car insurance, property and sales taxes, as well as registration, inspection and title fees. Some of these are one time expenses, but others, such as insurance are continued and should be figured into the monthly (or quarterly, annual) cost. Don’t forget maintenance.

An alternative to buying a car is leasing one for a few years. Monthly lease payments can be lower than monthly loan payments, but at the end of the lease you won’t own the car.

Shop for a loan at your bank and several other lenders. Find out about the types of loans and the Annual Percentage Rate (APR) for which you qualify. The APR is generally included as part of the required disclosure showing the total cost of the loan, including interest charges and many fees, expressed as a yearly rate. Your banker may be greater options for you. At Peoples Bank, we can probably tailor a loan to suit your circumstances. We’d be happy to work with you. You can stop by any of our business centers or call our Customer Service Center at 877.802.1212, 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Mon. – Fri. to locate a loan officer near to you.

If you are trading in a vehicle, research how much your car is worth. The more you know about the car’s current value before you go into the dealership, the more likely you will be to get a good deal on the trade-in.

There are more ways to make yourself a better-informed car buyer. Go to the FDIC Consumer News to get more information.

Peoples Bank is an Equal Opportunity Lender.