Key takeaways Loss of use reimburses expenses incurred when your home is uninhabitable after a loss. Elective renovations and general maintenance are not covered by loss of use. Pet boarding, parking fees, moving expenses and laundry services are just a few of the expenses loss of use may cover. If…
Illustration by Grant Crowder/Bankrate Key takeaways To find a mortgage lender, first take stock of your finances and decide what type of mortgage you need. You can compare rates and fees by getting a preapproval from at least three mortgage lenders. There are six main types of mortgage providers: direct…
Photography by Getty Images Key takeaways FICO and VantageScore credit scores span from 300 to 850. The higher your score, the more likely you are to secure loans, credit cards and financing options with better terms and lower interest rates. Different factors are considered when calculating your credit score, including…
As a personal finance journalist and a credit counselor, people often ask me for credit card advice. And I’m happy to give it! But I find myself sharing the same set of basic facts because they’re helpful for so many people. And then it dawned on me: Credit cards can…
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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 Both charge cards and credit cards allow you to make purchases that you can pay off at a later date. Credit cards allow users to carry a balance from month to month, but those balances are usually subject to credit limits and interest…
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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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Health savings accounts (HSAs), flexible spending accounts (FSAs) and health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs) offer tax benefits. But each has its own rules about who can contribute, how funds are used, who owns the account and whether unused money can carry over to the next year. Some accounts are only offered…
Key takeaways Last year’s lawsuit regarding agent commissions has resulted in many home listings being purposely kept off the MLS and exclusive to a specific brokerage. Proponents of this strategy say it maintains sellers’ privacy and gives them important marketing advantages. Opponents think that keeping a listing from prospective buyers…
The idea of retiring early with $1 million by age 35 is appealing. But, whether that is enough depends on how long you will need it to stretch your nest egg and how you plan to live. If you withdraw around 3% to 4% annually, that gives you between $30,000…
Key takeaways The Amex trifecta is comprised of the American Express® Gold Card, The Platinum Card® from American Express and The Blue Business® Plus Credit Card from American Express. Owning all three cards can help you maximize your spending and enjoy thousands of dollars in statement credits and other card…
Key takeaways Renters insurance is designed to provide coverage for your belongings and liability exposure, but it might not cover property damage caused by pets. Because renters coverage may help pay for a guest or neighbor’s medical expenses, having a pet in the home could increase the cost of a…
When you need funding for your business, applying for a business loan may be a helpful next step. But, in some cases, getting a personal loan for business funding may be better. Personal loans offer young or new businesses an option to get funding without a business financial history. On…
When you apply for homeowners insurance, your potential insurer wants to know what kind of risks they will be taking on by covering your property. Because of this, it’s normal for them to request a home insurance inspection. This inspection may be as simple as a drone fly-over or a…
As investors, we often hear the virtues of investing gradually over time to build wealth. But sometimes we are faced with investing a lump sum. Lump-sum investing means that you take all or a large portion of your investable cash and invest it all at once. A lump sum could…
Image by Getty Images; Illustration by Bankrate Exchange-traded funds, or ETFs, have become one of the most popular investment products in recent decades. They can provide access to a diversified portfolio at low costs through a single investment fund. You can also diversify across asset classes by holding just a…
By age 60, retirement is no longer a distant goal, it is just around the corner. For many, it begs the question: how much should I have in my 401(k) at age 60? Many financial experts recommend having saved eight times your annual salary by this point to help support…
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