Key takeaways Tapping into home equity carries several risks, including losing the property, the potential to fall into significant debt and the dilution of a valuable asset. The unpredictable nature of the housing market and high interest rates are also reasons not to borrow against a home’s worth. Financial experts…
Key takeaways While your home’s value is determined by many factors, some home improvements could help increase its worth. There are multiple ways to pay for upgrades, including cash-out refinancing, a home equity loan or home improvement loan. If you plan to sell your home, it’s important to determine not…
You have money questions. Bankrate has answers. Our experts have been helping you master your money for over four decades. We continually strive to provide consumers with the expert advice and tools needed to succeed throughout life’s financial journey. Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that…
I’ve recently accepted a hard truth: I will never experience true pay equality in my career. Neither will most women my age. If the gender wage gap follows its historical pace, many women working full time won’t reach pay parity with men until 2059 — 33 years from now, according…
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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 Your account number is located at the bottom of a check — it’s the second set of numbers, between the nine-digit routing number and the check number. The routing number comes first — it’s the nine-digit number on the left that identifies your…
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The decision of which debt to start paying off first is a personal one, but starting with high-interest debt is generally considered the…
Banking
The fundamental flaws in the way the Federal Reserve operates these days were on full display Wednesday when Jerome Powell talked to the…
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I’m a credit cards editor, and for most of my youth, I was afraid of credit cards. To be fair, it can be good to have a healthy dose of caution when it comes to credit cards. Used irresponsibly, they can harm your creditworthiness and make it challenging to finance…
wera Rodsawang/GettyImages; Illustration by Bankrate Options can be a blast, allowing you to make many times your money in a short period. But getting familiar with how options trading works can take some time – and if you’re using real money, it can be expensive. That’s where options simulators can…
Key takeaways There are four broad types of credit cards to choose from depending on your goals: credit-building cards, balance transfer cards, low-interest cards and rewards cards. To find the right credit card, start by checking your credit score, analyzing your spending habits and thinking about your financial goals by…
Xinhua News Agency/Contributor/Getty Images Stock market volatility can pop up at any time, potentially causing portfolio losses when you least expect it. Stubbornly high inflation and the impact of newly imposed tariffs could lead to an economic slowdown at some point. Defensive ETFs can help limit risk in your portfolio…
Key takeaways Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card cardholders can earn a generous welcome bonus, elevated rewards on hotels and rental car purchases through Capital One Travel and a flat 2X miles on other purchases. The Discover it® Miles comes with a nice flat rewards rate, an excellent introductory APR…
Key takeaways Treasury bonds are government securities that pay a fixed interest rate every six months. A Treasury bond’s coupon rate – or interest paid – stays fixed for the life of the bond, but the bond’s price can change if traded on the market. Treasury bonds are considered…
Jonathan Weiss/Shutterstock Major student loan servicers have exited their contracts with the United States Department of Education over the past several years. The loans previously with these servicers were transferred to other companies that have maintained contracts with the Department of Education to service repayment. If your student loan was…
Key takeaways The IRS allows you to deduct capital losses on a stock or other investments from your taxable income. You will have to file Form 8949 and a Schedule D to report any losses. You may want to consult with a tax professional if your situation is complicated. Investing…
Kerkez/ Getty Images; Illustration by Austin Courregé/Bankrate Key takeaways Home improvement loans are personal loans by another name, lent by banks, credit unions and online lenders. Renovation loan requirements typically focus on your credit, debt-to-income ratio and other key financial factors. Before you borrow a home improvement loan, consider the…
With the economy slowing and President Donald Trump’s tariffs likely to stoke inflation, investors face various risks. Building a portfolio that has at least some less risky assets in it can be useful to help you ride out volatility in the market. The trade-off, of course, is that in lowering…
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