Lucy Lambriex/Getty Images Key takeaways Secured loans are popular for startups because they can be easier to qualify for and come with lower interest rates Unsecured loans are harder to obtain for new businesses and often require a personal guarantee Alternative financing options such as crowdfunding, peer-to-peer lending, business grants,…
Key takeaways Millions of homeowners with high mortgage rates are hoping for rates to come down so they can refinance. Rate movement is notoriously difficult to predict, though, especially in today’s volatile economic environment. If you’re anxiously awaiting lower rates, here are some economic bellwethers to keep an eye on.…
Debt doesn’t mean you have to send all your extra cash toward repayments and stop enjoying your life. It is possible to carry debt while still traveling, replacing worn-out clothes and spending time with loved ones on the weekends. Nobody wants debt freedom at the expense of their joy. But…
Key takeaways Foreclosure happens when a homeowner defaults on their mortgage payments and the lender takes control of the property. U.S. foreclosure rates are currently at record low levels, decreasing by 10 percent in 2024. Experts, who had expected foreclosures to return to pre-pandemic levels by now, have struggled to…
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While there has been much conversation on not buying from companies with poor diversity, little has been said about investing…
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Chime, the largest digital bank in America, grew its revenue to $1.7 billion in 2024, an increase of roughly 30%…
Technology has transformed some parts of the daunting homebuying process–making it easier to search and compare properties online, to prepare…
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“I’m the one who denies your claim.” That’s my go-to line at cocktail parties when someone asks what I do for a living. It’s not technically accurate — but it gets a laugh. Most people don’t know what insurance adjusters do, and few want a…
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Level 2: Discover the Fastest Way to Pay Off Debt With Rules and Challenges When looking for the fastest way to pay off…
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Apple, FedEx and Oracle all got loans guaranteed by the Small Business Administration. But rules and red tape keep many banks from making…
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Drazen Zigic/Getty Images: Illustration by Issiah Davis/Bankrate The world of investing and retirement planning is complex, and a couple simple mistakes can cost you a small fortune over time. It’s no wonder many people consider hiring a financial advisor to help them navigate the process. Financial advisors offer guidance, develop…
Image by GettyImages; Illustration by Bankrate Home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) have tumbled past the key threshold of 8 percent. The average rate on a $30,000 HELOC dropped 11 basis points to 7.90 percent this past week — a level not seen since 2023, according to Bankrate’s national survey…
PM Images/GettyImages; Illustration by Hunter Newton/Bankrate Credit unions are not-for-profit, member-owned institutions that commonly offer savings accounts with above-average rates, low minimum deposit requirements and low (or no) fees. While some credit unions restrict membership to those of a certain location or occupation, others make it easy for anyone to…
Your tax filing status — married filing jointly or separately, single, head of household — can make a big difference when it comes to how much you’ll owe at tax time. The head of household filing status, which is for single people with dependents, is more valuable than filing as…
Amazon (AMZN) unexpectedly threw its hat into the ring today to acquire popular video-sharing app TikTok. Unlike other major tech stocks that wobbled on Wednesday ahead of Trump’s tariff announcement, Amazon’s stock closed the day 2 percent higher on the news. Amazon has approached U.S. Vice President JD Vance and…
Ira T. Nicolai/Getty Images The Roth IRA is a powerful retirement account that offers savers unique tax breaks, flexible withdrawal options, optimal wealth-transfer perks and more. It’s easy to set up a Roth account on your own or with a financial advisor and Roth IRAs are available to all working…
The wildfires may be out, but that doesn’t mean Californians can rest easy. The January 2025 wildfires are on track to be the most expensive natural disaster in U.S. history — topping the damage done by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. Already, the California FAIR Plan has run out of money…
Key takeaways Student loan consolidation rolls multiple loans into a single loan with one interest rate and monthly payment. The interest rate on a new Direct Consolidated Loan is the weighted average of all the consolidated loans. Loan consolidation may not get you a lower rate, though other actions may.…
Monkey Business Images/Shutterstock Key takeaways A part-time student is generally anyone who enrolls in half of the full-time course load, though definitions may vary. Part-time students can apply for a few types of federal student loans: direct subsidized, direct unsubsidized and direct plus loans. Private lenders also offer loans for…
Key takeaways HELOC applications require a hard credit pull, which temporarily lowers your credit score. Closing a HELOC and carrying a big debt balance could lower your credit score, depending on how your lender reports your line of credit to credit bureaus. Using HELOC funds to pay off other, higher-interest…
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