Last weekend, I was out for drinks with my brother and we got into an argument about who was going to pay the tab. I wish I could say it was because we’re both so generous. Quite the opposite: We both wanted the points. Whoever didn’t pay that night was going…
Key takeaways Building home equity can not only be a reliable way to create wealth but can also help you maintain the home while you’re living in it. Building home equity generally involves increasing your property’s value or decreasing your mortgage debt, or some combination of both. Increases in home…
As you progress through your career, your income investment strategy should evolve to balance growth opportunities with risk management. In your 20s and 30s, you might embrace more aggressive allocations. This means a higher percentage of stocks to capitalize on long-term growth potential. By your 40s and 50s, there’s a…
Key takeaways Rewards credit cards that offer travel-related benefits often come with restrictions on what’s considered a travel purchase. In addition to issuer-specific rules, merchant category codes affect whether individual purchases code as travel transactions. If an individual transaction does not code as travel, you won’t earn travel-category rewards or…
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San Francisco-based Chime, the largest digital bank in America, wants to go public at a price between $24 and $26…
President Trump’s 2026 budget would freeze spending for many services for older adults, deeply cut others, continue his efforts to…
A practice of Elon Musk and Tesla’s board raises questions about the company’s governance and the possible low valuation that…
While there has been much conversation on not buying from companies with poor diversity, little has been said about investing…
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Can You Find It At a Thrift Store? Clothing prices, like everything else have increased substantially and trying to buy everything brand new will put a serious dent in your budget. Consider going “thrifting” for some of your workplace clothing. Not only will you save…
Dept Managmnt
Key takeaways Scammers use texts, calls, emails and letters to create a false sense of urgency about debt repayment. Always ask for detailed…
Banking
For the fifth straight year, Forbes is partnering with market research firm Statista to rate insurance companies in the United States. But we…
Credit Cards
Key takeaways Adding authorized users to your business credit card account can make it easier for you to complete purchases and earn rewards…
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Bitcoin is one kind of digital currency or cryptocurrency, a medium of exchange that exists exclusively online. The currency broke into mainstream consciousness in 2017 — as its price ran up thousands of dollars over the course of the year — and it now sports a market cap of more…
thianchai sitthikongsak/GettyImages; Illustration by Hunter Newton/Bankrate Key takeaways Despite growth, women-owned businesses still face challenges in obtaining funding, with a higher percentage of loan applications being denied compared to male-owned businesses. Women entrepreneurs can take advantage of various financing options, including SBA loans, crowdfunding, and grants, to help overcome funding…
Image by Getty Images; Illustration by Bankrate To pay or not to pay? That’s the question in my soul. Do I Venmo Uncle Sam, And put forgiveness hopes on hold? This lyric popped into my head as I pondered the meaning of debt management in the era of student loan…
Key takeaways A business plan is the starting point of any business. Make sure your plan includes your product’s unique value, marketing strategy, and metrics for success. You’ll need to decide how you’ll fund startup costs for your business, whether through bootstrapping, a business loan or another form of funding.…
The new Trump tax plan could significantly reshape how families are taxed, especially with the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) set to expire at the end of 2025. On May 22, 2025, House Republicans passed a major Trump-backed bill, officially titled the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” by a…
Yes, I stopped contributing to my 401(k) and paused all other types of investing to pay off my student loans. And no, I don’t regret it. Going against the grain not only helped me become debt-free, but after I paid off my loans, I was able to invest enough to…
The Trump-backed tax plan currently advancing through Congress could bring meaningful changes to how education expenses for homeschoolers are treated under federal tax law. Passed in the House on May 22, 2025, the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” includes several provisions that indirectly benefit homeschooling families through expanded tax credits…
ImagePixel/Getty Images; Illustration by Issiah Davis/Bankrate A cashier’s check is a secure form of payment since it’s paid for upfront and an authentic official bank check generally can’t bounce like a personal check. The bank may require you to wait up to 90 days before reissuing the check to allow…
Key takeaways A guaranteed mortgage loan typically offers looser eligibility requirements — such as lower credit scores and higher debt loads — than a conventional loan. Private-sector lenders fund guaranteed mortgages, but they’re backed by guarantors, often government agencies, that will pay the lender if the borrower defaults. Many low-down-payment…
President Donald Trump advocated for the elimination of federal income taxes on Social Security benefits during his 2024 campaign. However, the tax legislation recently passed by the House—known as the “One Big Beautiful Bill“—does not include this provision. The exclusion stems from Senate rules governing the budget reconciliation process, which…
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