When it comes to back-to-school shopping, some of us might think fondly of new backpacks and the scent of fresh pencils. But Bankrate’s 2025 Back-to-School Shopping Survey shows others might simply see dollar signs. Stubborn inflation continues to change how nearly 1 in 3 back-to-school shoppers (30 percent) shop, but…
Life insurance can be an uncomfortable topic, but it’s an important one, particularly if you have dependents or heirs. Making a financial plan for your loved ones can help ensure that they can not only cover your end of life and funeral costs, but handle any outstanding debt. What you…
Key takeaways If you’re a homeowner aged 62 or older, a reverse mortgage can help you obtain tax-free income, allowing you to stay in your home, pay bills, supplement your income and more. A reverse mortgage isn’t free money: The borrowing costs can be high, and you’ll still need to…
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 final cut of…
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Many people in economics, finance, business, and regular consumer life have been waiting for the forecast inflation, the tariff shock,…
San Francisco-based Chime, the largest digital bank in America, wants to go public at a price between $24 and $26…
The Trump administration is clamping down on federal student loan defaults; at the same time, Republican lawmakers in Congress just…
A practice of Elon Musk and Tesla’s board raises questions about the company’s governance and the possible low valuation that…
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Key takeaways Interest on federal student loans in the SAVE repayment plan forbearance resumes on Aug. 1, 2025. Payments will resume at a yet-to-be-announced later date, though the government plans to phase out the SAVE plan. Borrowers who do not want to see their balances…
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An increase of $125 each month means either changing your spending habits, finding additional income, or increasing your reliance on credit cards, overdrafts,…
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OBSERVATIONS FROM THE FINTECH SNARK TANK JPMorgan Chase notified fintech data aggregators that, starting later this year, it plans to charge for access…
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Youngoldman Creative/Getty Images Investing isn’t just for stock market gurus and wealthy people. It’s an important part of your financial journey and essential for building long-term wealth. Fortunately, you don’t need lots of money to start investing. But you will need to understand the basics to develop a plan and…
Image by GettyImages; Illustration by Bankrate Key takeaways Your credit score affects the credit cards you can qualify for, as well as your ability to own or rent property, buy a car and get low insurance premiums There’s a card out there for just about any credit score — including…
Key takeaways Given the potentially massive expense associated with college tuition, it’s understandable that students and parents want to squeeze every possible benefit out of their payments. Paying for college tuition with a credit card to earn rewards — or to earn a welcome bonus with a sizable spending requirement…
Crowdfunding offers individuals the opportunity to participate in the growth of promising startups. Gone are the days when investing was exclusive to accredited investors and venture capital firms. Today, nearly anyone can become a part-owner of a business with the potential for returns down the road. There are three main…
You can lower your credit card interest without hurting your credit score by negotiating a reduced interest rate with your credit card company, making extra payments, which allows you to reduce your balance sooner and pay less interest overall, or working with a nonprofit credit counseling agency like American Consumer…
Image by GettyImages; Illustration by Bankrate Key takeaways Purchase protection is a special perk that allows you to get reimbursed for something you bought with your credit card in certain situations. Not all products are eligible for purchase protection, and most credit card issuers put a limit on how much…
FREDERIC J. BROWN/Getty Images Tesla recently made a move that effectively tells “small” investors — specifically, those with a position in the stock that’s worth less than $33 billion or so — to pound sand. Unless an investor (or group of shareholders) has a massive position in the stock, they…
staticnak1983/Getty Images Key takeaways A mortgage forbearance agreement allows you to temporarily stop making monthly mortgage payments, or make smaller payments, amid financial hardship. As part of a standard mortgage forbearance agreement, the lender agrees not to initiate foreclosure in response to missed payments. After the forbearance period ends, you’ll…
Who doesn’t want to be a millionaire? In 2024 alone, over 379,000 new millionaires were created in the U.S. — over 1,000 a day — bolstered by strong financial markets and a stable U.S. dollar, according to the UBS Global Wealth Report 2025. The U.S. has the highest number of…
Bloomberg / Contributor / Getty Images Key takeaways Sallie Mae offers a variety of private loan options, including undergraduate student loans, graduate student loans and career training loans. Sallie Mae student loans can cover up to 100 percent of your education costs, while federal loans come with borrowing caps that…
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