If the IRS notifies you of an audit, and you expected a tax return, you probably have a lot of questions. Will you ever get your tax refund? Does the audit automatically stop it? The answer depends on the IRS’s review and whether the items under audit affect the refund…
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…
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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 An emergency fund helps ensure you can handle unplanned expenses, whether from a job loss or a substantial car repair or medical bill. Saving three to six months’ worth of essential expenses is often recommended, but individual circumstances may require saving more or…
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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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Deciding how much to withdraw from your retirement accounts means finding a balance between enjoying life and making your money last. Taking too little leaves you with unused savings, while taking too much risks running out of money later. Taxes also affect how much you can actually spend. To help…
Key takeaways There are five different options when it comes to choosing a tax filing status, but your choices are narrowed down by whether you’re married or single, and whether you have a qualifying dependent. Two statuses are for unmarried people: single and head of household. Another two are for…
Wong Yu Liang/Getty Images What happens when your high-yield savings account (HYSA) isn’t so high-yielding anymore? Millions of savers are finding out the hard way that the yields they signed up for during the halcyon days of 2023 are no more and that their new savings rate is noticeably lower.…
The Good Brigade/Getty Images If you’re considering opening a certificate of deposit (CD), you might first be thinking about why you want to open one. That, of course, depends on a variety of factors, such as where you’re opening your account, your financial goals and how much money you have.…
When you file your federal income tax return, you have a choice to make: Claim the standard deduction or itemize your deductions. The standard deduction is a dollar amount set by the IRS, while itemizing your deductions means you add up your total costs for a list of IRS-approved expenses,…
Images by GettyImages; Illustration by Bankrate Key takeaways Most states allow electronic processing to simplify and shorten the time it takes to transfer a title. Eight states let you hold your own title — making it easier to transfer it out of the lienholder’s name. It can take up to…
Photograhy by Getty Images Credit One Bank is a financial services company founded in 1984 based in Las Vegas, Nevada. Credit One Bank offers cash back and points-earning credit cards as well as high-yield CDs and savings accounts. It’s also an official partner of the Las Vegas Raiders, the Vegas…
Images by Getty Images; Illustration by Issiah Davis/Bankrate Key takeaways You’ll need necessary documents — including a government-issued ID, social security number, and proof of address — to open an account. If you’re denied because of your banking history, there are banks and financial technology companies that offer second-chance accounts.…
Images by GettyImages; Illustration by Hunter Newton/Bankrate Key takeaways To afford a $1 million house with a 20 percent down payment and a 6.5 percent mortgage rate, you’ll need about $218,000 in annual income. A common housing-affordability guideline states that you shouldn’t spend more than 28 percent of your monthly…
Many people strive to achieve $1 million in savings before they reach retirement, but the reality is that most Americans struggle to meet that savings threshold. Average retirement account balances for those aged 55–64 averaged about $271,000 at the end of 2024 in plans administered by Vanguard, according to the…
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