Resources
We're here to help.

Is the bank closed? 

To protect the safety of our staff and customers, Smart Henchman international online bank is open for business, but we’ve altered our branch operations slightly as we’ve re-opened our branch lobbies. We’re doing everything we can to provide the safest, most convenient banking experience possible. For more details on how we are protecting our employees and customers, see below.

Protecting our Employees and Customers

We are taking the following recommended precautions to ensure the safety of our employees and customers and lower the risk of infection:

Increased Cleaning & Disinfecting

We are following strict cleaning and sanitation standards at all of our locations.

Protective Plexiglass Barriers

Plexiglass barriers have been placed at various high contact work stations.

Reduced Staffing

We have adjusted our employee schedules and hours to reduce personnel density in the branch. We apologize for any delays or wait times this may create, and we appreciate your patience.

Required Social Distancing

Please follow branch signage and foot maps when possible

Protective Face Masks: Encouraged

Protective face masks will be available for all employees and customers at our locations.

Have you had employees contract the virus?

Yes; however, we continue to follow the latest guidelines from the CDC in all of our locations to reduce contamination and the potential spread of the virus. This includes expanded cleaning of our public areas and workspaces, expanded use of hand sanitizer, and social distancing. In addition, many staff are working from home to limit their exposure risk, and to further protect our customers.

Which bank services are available?

Our branch locations are open with some minor restrictions and  you still have access to all of our digital channels and banking services.  Minnwest provides online banking, 24-Hour MoneyLine, mobile banking with mobile deposit, person to person, and bank to bank transfers, ATMs, and night drop. If you have not enrolled in our convenience services.

How do I get online access to my account?

If you have not enrolled yet in Smart Henchman international online bank’s Online Banking, please  to get started.

What happens if the U.S. mail service gets disrupted? How else can I receive my statement? 

You can view your current and past statements in your secure online banking account. You can also go paperless by enrolling in online statements. After you log in to online banking, simply enroll by clicking on profile.

My usual ATM is not accessible, where can I go to get cash?

Our ATM network is up and running. Customers may withdraw cash from their checking accounts using their ATM debit cards. Minnwest is on the MoneyPass network, which offers over 24,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide.

Can I make deposits at your ATMs?

Our current ATM network does not provide the ability to make deposits. We continue to welcome customers through our drive-thrus to make deposits, or you can make check deposits using our mobile banking app.

Are the contents of my safety deposit box insured?

Items kept in your safe deposit box are not insured by the bank or the FDIC. You are responsible for insuring the contents of the safe deposit box, for example, through your homeowner’s policy. Contact your local branch to learn more about the condition of your safe deposit box and its contents.

How can I access my safe deposit box?

We encourage our customers to schedule branch appointments to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Please call your local branch to make arrangements, or you can use this . 

I get my social security deposited into my account. What happens if the bank closes?

We are receiving and crediting direct deposits to customer accounts, such as social security and payroll as per usual. You should not experience any issues or delays in this service.

My loan is scheduled to mature in the coming weeks. What should I expect?

Your loan officer will be in contact with you to make arrangements or any necessary appointments. They will coordinate any needed appointments at your convenience to complete any required paperwork. 

I didn’t receive my direct deposit. What should I do?

Contact your employer to ensure that payroll operations are functioning as normal, and to verify that funds were sent to the correct account, and when they are scheduled to be deposited into your account.

Can I still open an account at this time?

Minnwest offers online account opening for many of our personal deposit products.

Click on Open An Account at the top of the Minnwest Bank website, or visit the links below for individual products available to open online. Click OPEN NOW on these pages to begin your applications. Applications can be submitted online for the following account types:

• Classic Checking
• Preferred Checking
• Platinum Checking
• Digital Checking
• Digital Certificates of Deposit (CDs)
• Thrift Savings
• Investment Savings
• Money Max Savings

If you want to open a business account, we encourage you to call your closest branch location or use our contact us form to inquire. Our Customer Care Department is available to support account opening or answer any questions you may have.

Who do I contact if I need help?

If you have any questions during the account opening process, please contact us by phone at 1-844-MINNWEST(646-6937). Our Customer Care Department is available Monday-Friday from 8:00AM – 5:00PM CST. If you have general questions or need assistance outside of our support hours, please complete this short form and a Customer Care Representative will be in touch.

I manage wire processing at my business, and I am now working from home. How will I take the call back verifications?

Our Funds Monitoring Specialists here at Minnwest complete wire transfer call backs to the phone numbers and customer names indicated in the account agreement.  If these phone numbers are not relevant for “at-home workers,” this needs to be communicated to our Cash Management Specialists so we can update our records to ensure access to the appropriate customers for wire verification.

Who can I contact with questions?

The following support lines are available for business customers: 

24-Hour MoneyLine 1-888-616-BANK

Cash Management support  (Mon-Fri: 8AM-5PM)

Get in Touch

If my bank has temporarily reduced branch access or is not open, is my money still insured?

In difficult circumstances, some banks may need to temporarily limit operations to protect the health of their employees and customers. This may include closing a lobby, converting to drive-thru only services, or encouraging customers to use ATMs or digital channels to access their services.

Regardless of the bank’s operating conditions, your money is insured by the FDIC. Deposits with an FDIC-insured bank or savings institution will continue to be protected up to at least $250,000.

Is there anyone I can speak with if I have detailed questions about my FDIC deposit insurance coverage?

Yes. The FDIC has a team of subject matter experts available to answer your questions. Please call 1-877-ASK-FDIC () and ask to speak to a Deposit Insurance Subject Matter Expert between 8:30 AM- 5:00 PM Monday-Friday.

If you prefer, you can also contact the FDIC in writing through our FDIC Deposit Insurance Form via the FDIC Information and Support Center here

Will there be enough cash during a pandemic or other national disaster? Do I need to keep large amounts of cash in my possession to protect myself in case there is not enough cash available in the future?

The Federal Reserve System has and will continue to meet the currency needs of banking customers. Be assured that sufficient resources are available to handle customer needs. Consumers are encouraged to continue to conduct transactions as they normally would. Credit and debit cards and other payment systems will operate as normal.

Keep in mind, the safest place for your money is inside an FDIC-insured bank. Having significant sums of cash to fund more than your normal activities might seem like a good idea, but cash is also subject to loss or could make you a target for theft. Banks will continue to ensure that their customers have access to funds either directly or electronically, and inside an FDIC-insured bank, your funds are protected by the FDIC. Since 1933, no depositor has ever lost a penny of FDIC insured funds.

What is an EIDL?

The U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) provides low-interest, long-term disaster loans to businesses of all sizes, private non-profit organizations, homeowners, and renters to repair or replace uninsured/underinsured disaster-damaged property. SBA disaster loans offer an affordable way for individuals and businesses to recover from declared disasters.

How do I apply?

• Applicants may apply online, receive additional disaster assistance information, and download applications at a>.
• Applicants may also call SBA’s Customer Service Center at (800) 659-2955 or email disastercustomerservice@sba.gov for more information on SBA disaster assistance.
• Individuals who are deaf or hard-of-hearing may call (800) 877-8339. Completed applications should be mailed to U.S. Small Business Administration, Processing and Disbursement Center, 14925 Kingsport Road, FortWorth, TX 76155.
• Link to Disaster Assistance Page: https://www.sba.gov/disaster-assistance/coronavirus-covid-19

What programs does DEED offer to small businesses?

The Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED) has also provided some information to those employers who are affected by the COVID-19 business closures. Employers planning a closure or major layoffs can get help through the Rapid Response Program.

• Information and Resources for Employers through DEED
• Rapid Response Program through DEED

I have an agri-business, what financial assistance is available for farmers?

FSA will consider guaranteed lender requests for:

• Temporary payment deferral consideration when borrowers do not have a feasible plan reflecting that family living expenses, operating expenses and debt can be repaid; and
• Temporary forbearance consideration for borrowers on loan liquidation and foreclosure actions.

To discuss FSA programs and temporary changes to farm loan deadlines and the loan servicing options available, visit farmers.gov/coronavirus.

The CARES Act was passed by congress. What does that mean for businesses?
Congress has passed a $2 trillion The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security, or “CARES Act,” which is a coronavirus relief/economic stimulus bill. Legislation includes the following provisions impacting SBA lenders:

• $17 Billion for SBA payment of borrower principal, interest, and fees for a 6-month period beginning with the next payment due, for 7(a) including Community Advantage, 504, and Microloan borrowers. This is not a deferment but is actual debt forgiveness for the borrower. These SBA payments will be enacted by SBA automatically. There is a provision that states if a borrower is already on deferment, the CARES Act debt forgiveness payments will activate at the end of the deferment period. Loans made today, and within the next 6 months, will also have their principal, interest, and fees paid by SBA for 6 months starting with the first payment.
• Permanent suspension of the interim final rule on the Express Loan Program and Affiliation Standards, thereby suspending the personal resources test.
• $325 Billion for the Payroll Protection Program, a special 100% guaranteed 7(a) program that includes a debt forgiveness provision. This program ends June 30, 2020.
• Increase in maximum loan size for the 7(a) Express Loan Program from $350,000 to $1,000,000.

Here is where can you go to read the full Legislation. We expect more guidance from the SBA over the next month and will continue to provide this information to our customers.

The Economic Impact Payment:

• Many Americans have received their Economic Impact Payments authorized by the CARES Act. The IRS website provides answers to frequently asked questions here. Quick links to more frequently asked questions related to the relief payments below:
  • FAQs: EIP Eligibility and General Information
  • FAQs: Requesting My Economic Impact Payment
  • FAQs: Calculating My Economic Impact Payment
  • FAQs: Receiving My Payment
  • FAQs: More About the Economic Impact Payment

How can I protect against fraud or scams?

Protect your personal and financial information. Understand that some people may take advantage of COVID-19 by using fraudulent websites, phone calls, emails, and text messages claiming to offer “help” but maybe trying to trick people into providing Social Security numbers, bank account numbers, and other valuable details. Do not divulge your bank or credit card numbers or other personal information over the phone unless you initiated the conversation with the other party, and you know that it is a reputable organization. In addition, you should be cautious about online solicitations. Be on guard against imposters who contact you claiming to be government employees or volunteers and who ask for personal financial information or money. Reject offers to cash a check for someone in exchange for a fee, even if the bank makes the funds available to you right away, as it may later turn out that the check was fraudulent. Visit our Security Center for more resources or view our recent blog post on how to stay viligent. 

What should I do? 

• Follow the basics. This includes:

  • Ongoing vigilance with emails and email attachments. It’s a best practice to not click on links in emails, rather, open up your browser and type in the name of the website yourself.
  • Only go to legitimate government sources and authoritative media sites. Avoid the “clickbait” of catchy or scary headlines in social media, search results, or ads.
  • Don’t click on links that come through text messages or Twitter feeds. It’s a common method to lure you to fake sites. Open up a browser and go to the legitimate site.
  • Never, ever, ever, under any circumstances, provide logins or passwords to someone who is requesting them. This includes phone, email, text, etc. Our own IT and security teams will never ask you this information.
  • If something doesn’t seem right – it’s probably wrong. Take the time to look at emails and attachments – alert someone if it seems askew.

What can I do if I suspect someone has stolen my identity?

If you’re concerned with ID theft or have reason to believe you may be a victim of ID theft, you may place a "fraud alert" on your credit file, by contacting the fraud department at one of the three major credit bureaus for which contact information appears below:

Equifax: 1-800-525-6285; www.equifax.com/

P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374- 0241

Experian: 1-888-EXPERIAN or 1-888-397-3742; www.experian.com/

P.O. Box 9554, Allen, TX 75013

TransUnion: 1-888-909-8872; www.transunion.com/

Fraud Victim Assistance Department, P.O. Box 2000, Chester, PA 19016

You only need to notify one credit bureau. The one that processes your fraud alert will notify the other two. Those two then must place fraud alerts in your file.

Placing a “fraud alert” on your credit file can help prevent a thief from opening new accounts or making changes to your existing accounts. Be aware, however, that placing an alert on your credit file also may prevent you from opening an account unless the bank can contact you and positively confirm your identity and that you are applying for credit.

There are unauthorized charges on my credit card. What should I do?

You should contact the bank at 1-844-MINNWEST and provide information regarding the disputed transactions no later than 60 days after the bank sent the first statement containing the disputed charges. The bank has 90 days to investigate and resolve the dispute. For more information about credit card dispute resolution procedures, see https://www.fdic.gov/consumers/assistance/protection/errorresolution.html.

Is Online Banking safe and secure?

Yes! It features password-controlled system entry, a Thawte-issued Digital ID for the bank's server, Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) protocol for data encryption, and a router loaded with a firewall to regulate the inflow and outflow of server traffic.* We require that you use the 128-bit secure versions of Internet Explorer and Netscape.

*You can help safeguard your information and the system by protecting your User ID and Password. Memorize them and keep them secure. Learn more about how to guard against identity theft.

Are there rules and guidelines concerning passwords?

Yes. You select your password and can change it at any time. You are required to change your password the first time you access Online Banking. You should not use passwords associated with commonly known personal identification such as Social Security number, your name, names of children, dates of birth, etc. Except for the temporary password issued when you enroll, your password will never be known to bank personnel.

To establish a password follow these guidelines:

• Your password must be - 8 - 17 characters in length.
• Password must include at least one number, one upper case letter and one lower case letter.
• Your password is case-sensitive; i.e. "A" is not the same as "a".
• When changing your password, the new one cannot be the same as the most recent one.

For more detailed information regarding security, please review our Security Statement.

How can I send a Secure Email or File? 

Need to send us a secure email or file? Click here to use our secure messaging center.

Click here for more information on sending a secure email or file.