Andriy Onufriyenko/ Getty Images; Illustration by Austin Courregé/Bankrate Key takeaways Credit card networks and issuers perform two distinct roles, though both can issue credit cards. Credit card issuers are responsible for card details, rates, fees and perks. Credit card networks may play a role in available card…
Bond prices have been volatile in recent years as the Federal Reserve hiked interest rates to combat high inflation, but with rate cuts paused for now, investors may still be able to take advantage of attractive yields in short-term bonds. Here’s what you should know about short-term bond funds and…
Alexandr Dubynin/Getty Images Key takeaways Personal loans aren’t among Bank of America’s product offerings. You can access a small, affordable short-term loan if you’re a current customer and meet the eligibility criteria. You can also explore Bank of America’s HELOC, car loan, mortgage and credit card products to get the…
Image: Getty Images; Illustration: Bankrate A huge jump in HELOC rates to start the new year. The $30,000 home equity line of soared 59 basis points to 8.22%, as a major lender ended promotions, according to Bankrate’s national survey of lenders. Meanwhile, the benchmark five-year $30,000 home equity loan dropped…
Personal Finance
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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Image by Getty Images; Illustration by Bankrate Mortgage rates are unlikely to return to their pandemic lows in 2026, but they could still deliver some relief to borrowers. It’s possible that rates will even fall below the 6% threshold. “I expect the average 30-year fixed…
Dept Managmnt
Tip 3: Learn How to Create a Better ‘To Do’ List When we make resolutions, we tend to resolve to do certain things.…
Banking
OBSERVATIONS FROM THE FINTECH SNARK TANKBankers wants to discuss AI strategy. They’re excited about chatbots, machine learning models, generative AI tools, and AI…
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Selling real estate can result in a significant profit, but it may also trigger capital gains taxes depending on whether the property qualifies for IRS exclusions, how much was earned and how long you owned the property. In most cases, capital gains taxes are owed for the tax year in…
Key takeaways A high credit score and income are crucial to qualifying for the lowest rates on a personal loan. Improving your score before applying for a personal loan could help you secure a lower rate. Shopping for the best rates with at least three lenders or on a marketplace…
A Roth IRA offers tax-free growth and tax-free withdrawals in retirement, which can benefit young adults with long time horizons. You can help open a Roth IRA for an adult child if they have earned income and the account is in their name. Starting early allows more time for growth.…
To recover from holiday spending without stress, you must first assess the damage by tallying all holiday receipts and statements. Once you have the total, create a recovery budget that excludes discretionary spending and prioritizes debt repayment using strategies such as the debt snowball or avalanche. Accelerate this process by…
Justin Sullivan/GettyImages Brokerages are aggressively competing for your money. One way they do that is by offering competitive bonuses in the form of cash that you can add right to your brokerage account. Bankrate tracks the best brokerage account bonuses to help you compare active offers. Best brokerage account bonuses…
From macroeconomic factors like inflation and job-market uncertainty to sector-specific disruptions, investors face risks big and small. Building a portfolio that has at least some less risky assets in it can be useful to help you ride out market volatility. The trade-off, of course, is that in lowering risk exposure,…
Dougal Waters/Getty Images Key takeaways First-time car buyer programs offer flexible qualification requirements and other incentives to make it easier for those with little or no credit history to finance their first car purchase. These programs typically have eligibility criteria such as being at least 18 years old, providing proof…
PBNJ Productions/ Getty Images; Illustration by Austin Courregé/Bankrate Key takeaways Several emergency loan types, including personal loans and credit card advances, can fund urgent needs quickly — in some cases within one business day. Payday loans and title loans should be used as a last resort since they come with…
Key takeaways Private student loans may offer higher borrowing limits and potentially lower interest rates compared to federal loans, but they lack benefits like income-driven repayment plans and loan forgiveness. Private student loans may also be tax deductible, but they can carry the risk of potentially not being discharged in…
Image by PM Images/Getty Images; Illustration by Hunter Newton/Bankrate Mortgage rates were unchanged this week, with the 30-year fixed rate again averaging 6.30%, according to Bankrate’s latest lender survey. Current mortgage rates Loan type Current 4 weeks ago One year ago 52-week average 52-week low 30-year 6.30% 6.32% 6.94% 6.68%…






































