Category: General

Due to the recent surge in Coronavirus (COVID-19) infections and hospitalizations along with restrictions provided by federal and state authorities, Ephrata National Bank is closing our Community Banking Office lobbies effective immediately.  During this closure, we will work diligently to continue providing our customers with access to banking services while doing everything we can to reduce the risk of infection to our customers and employees.

Congratulations - your home loan application has been approved! These life-changing words are the hope of many would-be homebuyers. Qualifying for a home mortgage can seem like the biggest hurdle to homeownership. But a mortgage loan approval doesn't mean you can actually afford your dream home. When mortgage lenders approve an application, specific lifestyle expenses are not factored into the decision.

Entering the real world can be overwhelming and confusing, and it’s easy to get behind on expenses if you’re not planning properly. In this article, we’ll show you the warning signs that you’re living above your means and what you can do about it.

COVID-19 has changed every aspect of our lives, including home buying. Like other states, Pennsylvania recently eased social distancing requirements and updated real estate market health and safety best practices. While buyers are eager to come out of hibernation and take advantage of the lowest 30-year fixed mortgage rates in history, taking time to understand current market conditions and updated safety precautions could make the home buying process less stressful.

The Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act has made it easier for businesses to receive loan forgiveness by relaxing some of the requirements that were initially established when the PPP Loan program was created by the CARES Act.  To help maximize the loan forgiveness your business is eligible for, we’ve put together 6 tips. 

With all the paperwork and changes to the Small Business Administration's Paycheck Protection Program, we know it is hard to keep track of dates. To help you prepare, we've put together a list of dates and deadlines to help you maximize your loan forgiveness.

On Friday, June 5, the PPP Flexibility Act (PPPFA) was signed into law.  The primary benefit of this new legislation for Paycheck Protection Program loan borrowers is that it gives them additional time to qualify for loan forgiveness and eases the requirements surrounding the percentage of loan proceeds that must go toward payroll in order to receive forgiveness. Here are a few highlights so you can begin to decide which course of action is best for your business.  

On Friday, May 15, the Small Business Administration (SBA) issued the Loan Forgiveness Application for Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans along with a list of instructions for completing the application.  Last week, we provided a Refresher on Eligible Expenses for PPP Loan Forgiveness.  We now turn our attention to documentation the SBA requires you to provide in order to verify your eligible payroll and non-payroll expenses.

During times of crisis, one of the way scammers attempt to spread malicious software, aka malware, is by sending emails that appear to come from government agencies. Ephrata National Bank has become aware of an email appearing to be from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) that contains malware.  The email is identified by the Subject: SBA/Grant/Testing Centre Vouchers.