Money Matters: Best Finance Institutions in Colorado
2018 Best of Colorado – From insurance providers to wealth managers
BEST INSURANCE PROVIDER
State Farm, based in Bloomington, Ill., has been around since 1922 and has 18,000 independent contractor agents nationwide. State Farm Insurance offers auto, home, property, life and health insurance, as well as annuities for customers.
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BEST BANK
FirstBank's new tagline is "Banking for Good," which CEO Jim Reuter says encompasses customers, community and employees. For customers, there is a 24/7 call center because sometimes those late-night calls are very significant.
"Usually it's a service member or someone who is traveling," he says. "Something is not working right, or they see an unauthorized transaction, and they're glad we're here."
Also, the bank is one of the first to use Zelle, the person-to-person payment system.
For community, FirstBank partners with Community First Foundation to offer Colorado Gives Day, encouraging people to donate to local nonprofits online on a day in December. For employees, there are benefits such as stock ownership and hiring and promoting from within.
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BEST CREDIT UNION
Bellco has been serving Colorado for more than 80 years. With more than 310,000 members and $4 billion in assets, Bellco is one of the largest credit unions in Colorado. Unlike traditional banks that focus on their shareholders, Bellco exists to serve its members, which means it charges less and gives more by returning profits to the members it serves. It offers complete financial services, from credit cards and mortgages to auto loans and family trusts at its 25 branch locations. Members also enjoy access to no-fee ATMs anywhere in the country.
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BEST MORTGAGE BROKER
8z Mortgage maintains control of the mortgage process by keeping all of its underwriting and closing in-house. The company is so confident in its expertise that it guarantees it will reimburse its clients the full amount of their earnest money if there is a loss resulting from an error made by an 8z Mortgage loan officer or the company. 8z Mortgage believes in supporting organizations that help build a strong community, such as the Fallen Officer Fund of Douglas County Foundation, St. Jude Children's Hospital, Community Food Share and The Nature Conservancy.
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BEST SBA LENDER
Wells Fargo helps small businesses move forward with loans backed by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The SBA 7(a) loan is designed for businesses looking to buy an existing business, expand to another location, buy equipment, acquire land or a building, or a combination. Loans of up to $5 million are available. The SBA 504 loan is designed for businesses looking to expand through land or building acquisition, construction or equipment purchase. Loans of up to $6.5 million are available. Both programs are ideal for longer-term financing for businesses with a net worth less than $15 million and an average net income below $5 million.
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BEST TITLE COMPANY
Land Title builds relationships with everyone involved in real estate transaction, from brokers to lenders, as well as buyers and sellers. The company, which has served Coloradans since 1967, has more than 50 offices statewide. It's closed some of the largest transactions in the state, including Denver International Airport and Mile High Stadium. Land Title pays close attention to detail, performing a careful search on every property to ensure accurate real estate records so taht the transaction can close accurately and on time.
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BEST WEALTH MANAGER + FINANCIAL PLANNER
Brown + Tedstrom Inc. takes time to understand clients' priorities and then customizes its trademarked wealth management process to address their goals and design their financial futures. Through its personalized planning process, the company gets a full financial picture, evaluates clients' current situation and identifies strengths, shortfalls and opportunities, and conducts a risk tolerance evaluation to help with developing a comprehensive wealth plan. Brown & Tedstrom helps with opening new accounts and transferring existing assets. It also monitors and updates programs and rebalances and adjusts plans as needed.
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