Key takeaways When choosing a financial advisor, look for red flags, such as lack of responsiveness, high fees and pushing certain investments. If you are unhappy with your portfolio’s performance, it could be another reason for a new financial advisor. Look for a financial advisor who is a fiduciary, meaning…
Image: Getty Images; Illustration: Bankrate Key takeaways If you’re buying a home, an appraisal waiver can help you avoid the cost and time commitment of an in-person home appraisal. Instead, your mortgage lender will use an automated underwriting system to estimate the property’s value. However, automated systems can’t catch all…
This page was originally published in early 2022 and still contains relevant reader quotes from that time. The rest of the article has since been updated. Key takeaways Hotels can charge you for damages done during your stay, which are usually found while inspecting your room after you check out.…
Key takeaways Do your research to decide which financial professional — a therapist, advisor or credit counselor — can best help you. It’s hard work to eliminate debt, so commit fully to the process. No matter which you choose, realizing you need help is the first step. Credit card debt…
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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…
If a society is going to make intelligent choices in policy, it helps to understand reality, which includes facts and…
New York startup Casap has raised $25 million in new funding to help banks tackle the thorny problem of credit…
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Key takeaways Thanks to its generous cash back rates, the Chase Freedom Flex® can potentially earn you more than the Citi Double Cash® Card. Additionally, the Chase Freedom Flex offers the same welcome bonus as the Citi Double Cash offers — but with a much…
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When I finished graduate school, I had $72,000 in student loans weighing me down. But less than a year after graduation, I’d paid…
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When it comes to selling coconut water to the health obsessed, New York’s Vita Coco has served up a master class, schooling even…
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Key takeaways If you miss a mortgage payment, most lenders offer a 15-day grace period, during which you can pay without penalty. Typically, lenders don’t start the foreclosure process until you’ve missed four mortgage payments in a row or are 120 days late on payments. If you’re having trouble paying…
Traditionally, when a homeowner hired a real estate agent to handle the sale of their property, they agreed to pay that agent, as well as their eventual buyer’s agent, a commission. This fee typically amounted to between 5 and 6 percent of the home’s selling price, split more or less…
Morsa Images/Getty Images Key takeaways An IRA is a tax-advantaged savings plan you can use to build a retirement nest egg. Universal life insurance is an insurance policy that builds up a cash value that can be borrowed against or withdrawn. IRAs and life insurance are designed for different purposes.…
Photography by Getty Images; Illustration by Bankrate Warren Buffett is arguably the world’s most famous investor, and his investment moves are closely followed. Each quarter, the company he runs, Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) (BRK.B), discloses its current stock holdings to shareholders. Buffett stunned the investing world at the company’s annual meeting…
Key takeaways Setting up automatic payments ensures you’re never late. You can choose to pay the minimum due, the full statement balance or a fixed amount monthly. If you’re not using autopay, schedule calendar alerts or reminders in advance of the due date. Paying several days early can help avoid…
Capital gains count as taxable income and can affect your tax bracket, deductions and rates. They are taxed as short-term or long-term gains depending on how long you owned the asset and your total income. Short-term gains are taxed at regular income rates, while long-term gains often have lower rates.…
Retiring with $1 million is a common goal for couples, but how long it lasts depends on where they live and the lifestyle they want. For some, low housing costs, manageable healthcare expenses, and reliable Social Security benefits can help make $1 million last. Investment returns also influence how far…
Homeowners in lower-risk insurance states — the ones not battered by hurricanes, wildfires, budget-busting premiums and insurance companies’ mass exoduses — might breathe a sigh of relief reading headlines about problem states like Florida and California. After all, if you don’t live there, it’s not your problem. But, that may…
10’000 Hours/Getty Images In most cases, your car insurance policy has strict limits that apply to each portion of your coverage. Once you’ve exhausted those limits, your insurance company won’t pay out any more to cover your damages. But in the case of uninsured motorist coverage, some states permit drivers…
Traditionally, all tip income was taxable, and workers had to report any cash tips exceeding $20 per month to their employer. But in 2025, the One Big Beautiful Bill introduced temporary exemptions: individuals can deduct up to $25,000 in tips from their income if they meet all the qualifications (though…
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