Jose Luis Pelaez Inc/Getty Images Key takeaways Short-term loans provide financing with a brief repayment period and often require collateral to obtain. These loans are generally capped at $2,000 and are often used by borrowers who are strapped for cash or who have a low credit score. Loan funds are…
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…
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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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VIEW press/Contributor/Getty Images Wells Fargo is a financial institution that offers its customers personal, small business, commercial, corporate and investment banking solutions. There are currently around 5,600 branches and 11,000 ATMs nationwide. Wells Fargo Bank near me You can find a Wells Fargo retail banking…
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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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David Papazian/Getty Images Friday’s tepid jobs report means mortgage rates might finally be poised to fall. The U.S. economy created few jobs in August, the Labor Department reported, news that could set the stage for both a rate cut by the Federal Reserve and a downturn in mortgage rates. “Mortgage…
This page was originally published in late 2024 and reflects the author’s financial decisions during that time. The offers mentioned may not currently be available. Key takeaways Cruises can be easy to budget and plan since most of the costs involved are fixed, meaning you know what you’re paying upfront.…
Flamingo Images/ Shutterstock Key takeaways Promotional CDs often have higher rates than standard CDs. Promotional CDs may come in irregular term lengths, such as 21 months instead of the standard 24 months. Financial institutions commonly offer promotional CDs as a way of attracting new customers. Promotional certificates of deposit (CDs)…
Key takeaways After you apply for a mortgage, lenders use a process called underwriting to determine whether to approve or deny your loan. The underwriting process typically takes between 40 and 50 days to complete. In deciding whether to approve your loan, underwriters consider your credit history and score, your…
Key takeaways Stocks can be categorized in many ways, including common, preferred, growth, value, dividend and foreign, as well as by market cap and sector. Stocks don’t neatly fall into one type. Every stock has a market cap, a sector and other characteristics that can define it and shift over…
Key takeaways If you’re looking for a credit card that can help you build credit, the Petal® 1 “No Annual Fee” Visa® Credit Card should be on your list. This unsecured credit card offers a range of useful benefits, including no annual fee, no foreign transaction fees and the opportunity…
PC Photography/Getty Images: Illustration by Issiah Davis/Bankrate Key takeaways Your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio represents the percentage of income you have left after making monthly debt payments. Your DTI is a key factor in mortgage approval. Most lenders prefer DTI ratios of 36 percent or below. With a lower DTI, you’re…
Managing investments for your retirement account can be difficult and daunting. An IRA is great in theory, but without a lot of knowledge about what to invest in, you can be left floating on your own. And that’s where robo-advisors come in — helping you invest your retirement funds smartly…
Glen Wagstaff, an attorney based in Utah, opened an international consulting firm a couple of years ago. His first client was an ice cream company in Brazil. Wagstaff and his team helped them get FDA approval. “They were the first ice cream company in the history of Brazil to get…
Key takeaways Before pursuing a student credit card, check your credit score, carefully research cards and be prepared to apply online using your personal information. To get the most out of your first credit card, pay your bills punctually and in full, charge only what you can afford to repay…
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