Special Report

Numerica moves ahead with downtown branch-Art only

August 15, 2013

Spokane Valley-based Numerica Credit Union plans this fall to open a downtown Spokane branch in a 3,000-square-foot space on the ground floor of the former First National Bank Building, at 502 W. Riverside. The credit union plans to employ six at

Washington Federal eyes Spokane market entrance

After big branch acquisition, Seattle-based bank likely to pursue further expansion

August 15, 2013

Linn Parish

Washington Federal Inc.'s acquisition of 51 Bank of America branches will give the Seattle-based bank a presence in the Inland Northwest for the first time in its 96-year history.After it takes ownership of branches in small markets in Eastern a

Wheatland Bank launches wealth-management division

Spokane-based, 13-branch institution hires adviser to lead newly created unit

August 15, 2013

Wheatland Bank, of Spokane, says it has added wealth management services and has hired veteran financial adviser to lead the launch of the new business line.Newly created Wheatland Wealth Management is an in-house brokerage and financial of Bank

INB parent reports rise in earnings, fewer bad loans

Company finishes quarter in black for sixth straight time; net loans increase

August 15, 2013

Linn Parish

Northwest Bancorporation Inc., the Spokane-based parent of Inland Northwest Bank, has reported second-quarter net income available to common shareholders of $1 million, or 33 cents a diluted share, up from about $120,000, or 4 cents a share, in the

Economists foresee faster improvement

GDP growth is projected to ramp up more quickly during first half of 2014

August 15, 2013

American Banking Association

Although economic growth has been constrained in recent quarters, it will accelerate later this year and into 2014 as external pressures and fiscal drag ease, says the economic advisory committee of the American Bankers Association.According to

Ken Roberts Investment Management set to change hands

Ken Roberts to hand reins to two employees, but will continue working full time

August 15, 2013

Jessica Valencia

Ken Roberts, president of longtime Spokane wealth-management company Ken Roberts Investment Management Inc., says he plans to sell the company to two employees, a process expected to be completed by this fall. Meanwhile, a five-year plan by the

Bank with blue couch looks to grow

Columbia has 13 branches east of Cascades, foresees more in the Spokane area

August 15, 2013

Treva Lind

Two years after gaining a foothold in the Inland Northwest, Tacoma, Wash.-based Columbia Bank is eyeing potential expansion in the next two years with additional branches in the Spokane area and North Idaho, a regional manager here says. "We two

Study suggests disconnect between goals, preparedness

Respondents expect to be happy in retirement, but appear to be ill-prepared

August 1, 2013

Business Wire

More than three-fourths of Americans nearing retirement expect to be extremely happy after they leave the workforce, a survey suggests. And why not? They are looking forward to spending unrestricted time with family, traveling, and pursuing hobbies

Fidelity says average IRA balances hit five-year high

Total contributions have increased by 7.5 percent during four-year period

August 1, 2013

Business Wire

Boston-based Fidelity Investments' analysis of nearly 7 million Individual Retirement Accounts, released last month, shows the average balance reached a five-year high of $81,100 at the end of tax year 2012, a 53 percent increase from the end of to

Handling someone's digital life after death

Social networks, email should be accounted for, estate planners here say

August 1, 2013

Jessica Valencia

With more people frequenting social media networks, using password-protected online services, and moving to paperless bill statements, the issue of what to do with someone's digital life after death has increased in recent years, law professionals