Holiday spending came in at the high end of projected ranges for 2025 despite numerous economic challenges. According to Mastercard, U.S. retail sales (excluding automotive) increased 3.9% year-over-year from Nov. 1 through Dec. 21, 2025. CNBC and the National Retail Federation published a similar increase, reporting holiday sales grew 4.1%…
ljubaphoto/Getty Images: Illustration by Issiah Davis/Bankrate Key takeaways The interest rate on a mortgage indicates how much interest you’ll pay for the amount you borrow. The annual percentage rate (APR) is the interest rate plus additional fees and any points. When comparing loan offers, it’s best to compare APRs to…
Christina Zelow Lundquist/ Getty Images; Illustration by Austin Courregé/Bankrate Key takeaways A cash-out refinance replaces your current mortgage with a new, bigger one. The borrower receives the difference between the two balances in cash. The terms of your refinanced mortgage might differ from your original loan, including a new interest…
Key takeaways Decisions made by the Federal Reserve to increase the benchmark rate do not directly impact auto loans but rather the cost for banks to lend. The higher the Fed sets rates, the higher auto loan rates will likely be. The Fed made its third and last rate cut…
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The nation’s 75 million Social Security recipients will receive a 2.8% cost of living adjustment (COLA) increase in their benefits…
Historically Black colleges and universities are on the frontlines of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act’s new limits on parent…
The big new fees JPMorgan Chase is planning to charge some financial technology companies may well trickle down to consumers,…
With artificial intelligence beginning to eat away at many white-collar entry-level jobs, and the unemployment rate for recent college graduates…
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Key takeaways Mobile banking alerts detect fraud faster than manual monitoring. The sooner you report unauthorized activity, the greater your chance of full reimbursement under federal law. Low balance alerts help you avoid overdraft fees, which average $26.77 per transaction in 2025, according to Bankrate’s…
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2. Coaching and Tutoring Take stock of your areas of expertise – maybe you speak a second language or solving math equations comes…
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These entrepreneurs, traders and investors are making an outsized impact in fintech, crypto and traditional financial services.By Jeff Kauflin, Hank Tucker and Nina…
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Searching for the next big thing in the cryptocurrency world? Be careful — tons of scammers would love to take your money, while others are creating cartoonish websites to sell memecoins, where the only return may be a good laugh. If you’re on the hunt for a winning cryptocurrency, it’s vital…
Photography by Getty Images Key takeaways The Mission Lane Visa® Credit Card* and Petal 1 Visa® Credit Card* are both designed to help you build or rebuild your credit. The Mission Lane Visa card is a no-frills card with an annual fee that can cost you $0 or all the…
Exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, are one of the most popular ways to invest. They allow you to buy a basket of securities, such as stocks or bonds, through a single entity and can bring the benefits of a diversified portfolio in a single share. But what if you want to…
Images by Getty Images; Illustration by Issiah Davis/Bankrate See Editor’s Notes Key takeaways The type of bankruptcy being filed and the equity of the vehicle are important factors to consider in protecting the car during the bankruptcy process. Alternatives to purchasing a car, such as public transportation or ride-sharing, should…
Morsa Images/Getty Images Key takeaways The Fortune 500 represents the 500 highest-earning U.S. companies in terms of revenue. Walmart, Amazon and UnitedHealth Group are the top three Fortune 500 companies for 2025. When the list was initially created in 1955, service companies like McDonald’s were excluded, but they now make…
To paraphrase Jerry Seinfeld, “What’s the deal with debit cards?” Debit cards occupy one of the more boring corners of the financial world. We’re talking about a plain vanilla payment method invented almost 60 years ago. The customer pays with a card and the money comes out of their linked…
Key takeaways Grants are direct funding from a government or organization given to businesses or individuals and do not need to be repaid. It is difficult to obtain a grant and typically requires a competitive application process. If your business fills a need in the community, creates good jobs or…
Corporate bonds are one way to invest in a company, potentially offering a lower-risk, lower-return way to bet on a business’s ongoing success compared to its stock. Bonds offer a regular cash payout, and their price tends to fluctuate less than a company’s stock. For investors wanting a higher return…
Key takeaways Co-branded credit cards are issued by a financial institution — usually a bank or credit union — in partnership with a company, organization or brand. Examples of co-branded credit cards include airline, hotel and retail credit cards. A co-branded credit card might be right for you if you’re…
Images by GettyImages; Illustration by Bankrate President Donald Trump’s support of crypto markets has led to a slew of changes this year. Regulatory crackdowns have eased and new pro-crypto bills have passed. Lawsuits against major crypto companies have been dropped and Bitcoin has hit a couple of all-time highs, breaking…
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