Money is an uncomfortable topic for many, yet it’s an important ongoing conversation to have in a relationship. Financial secrets undermine trust. And for many, it may even feel like betrayal. More than 2 in 5 U.S. adults (43%) believe keeping financial secrets is at least as bad as physical…
Key takeaways Decisions made by the Federal Reserve to increase the benchmark rate do not directly impact auto loans but rather the cost for banks to lend. The higher the Fed sets rates, the higher auto loan rates will likely be. The Fed made its third and last rate cut…
The holiday season is a time filled with joy, celebration, and, often, a lot of expenses. As the festivities wind down, many find themselves facing the reality of depleted bank accounts, credit card debt, and the daunting task of rebuilding their financial safety nets. An emergency fund serves as a…
Key takeaways The Federal Reserve doesn’t directly set auto loan rates — but it does affect the cost for lenders to borrow money. The Federal funds rate was cut for a third and final time in 2025 and was not changed in the first meeting of 2026, so it currently…
Trending
Spotlight This Week
More Articles
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…
Featured Articles
Key takeaways An emergency fund helps ensure you can handle unplanned expenses, whether from a job loss or a substantial car repair or medical bill. Saving three to six months’ worth of essential expenses is often recommended, but individual circumstances may require saving more or…
Dept Managmnt
2. Coaching and Tutoring Take stock of your areas of expertise – maybe you speak a second language or solving math equations comes…
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…
Credit Cards
All News
When it comes to taxes, dependents can affect your return in ways many families don’t expect. Whether you’re claiming a young child, a college student or an aging parent, understanding how deductions and credits apply may change how much you owe or receive. From the standard deduction rules to tax…
Feverpitched/ Getty Images; Illustration by Austin Courregé/Bankrate Key takeaways Lenders often sell mortgages to other companies or investors to free up funds for them to offer more loans. As a homeowner, you can’t prevent your mortgage from being sold, but you do have the right to receive information about the…
Deciding how to file your taxes as a married couple can have a meaningful impact on your return. Depending on your situation, it may affect how much you owe or receive. Many couples assume married filing jointly is always the better choice, but that may not be true in every…
The standard deduction for a widow over 65 can be higher than that of the average taxpayer. This has the potential to lower your taxable income and reduce your federal tax bill. This is because widows may be able to file as a “qualifying surviving spouse.” They have two tax…
When I offered my annual credit card predictions around this time last year, I speculated that regulatory issues would dominate the credit card landscape in 2025. I wrote: “The biggest credit card industry development of 2024 occurred in February when Capital One announced an agreement to acquire Discover for $35…
Thomas Barwick/Getty Images What’s considered a “high” credit limit varies depending on a person’s credit history and income, but in general, high-limit credit cards come with credit limits of $10,000 or more. You won’t typically know your actual credit limit until you apply for your new card, however, regardless of…
Illustration by Hunter Newton/Bankrate You’ve lost your job. Who are you going to call? It might have to be your mortgage lender. A cooling job market is colliding with high homeownership costs, putting many people into a particular new squeeze: a loss of income and a monthly payment that was…
Spousal benefits are Social Security payments based on a spouse’s lifetime earnings record, and a spouse may receive up to half of the working spouse’s benefit. Eligibility is automatic, but payments do not begin until the spouse files an application with the Social Security Administration. To help explain this, let’s…
After two years of cheaper deals and better prices, holiday shoppers may have to reach deeper into their wallets again this season, as inflation makes an unwelcome return to many of the items households buy this time of year. More than 3 in 4 holiday staples (78%) have gotten more…
Image: Getty Images; Illustration: Bankrate Home equity rates were unchanged in the latest week, holding at their lowest point in two years. The $30,000 home equity line of credit stayed at 7.81%, according to Bankrate’s national survey of lenders. Meanwhile, the benchmark five-year $30,000 home equity loan also didn’t budge,…
Editor's Pick
