Christina Zelow Lundquist/ Getty Images; Illustration by Austin Courregé/Bankrate Key takeaways A cash-out refinance replaces your current mortgage with a new, bigger one. The borrower receives the difference between the two balances in cash. The terms of your refinanced mortgage might differ from your original loan, including a new interest…
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…
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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: Getty Images; Illustration: Bankrate No movement in home equity rates, as the Federal Reserve left interest rates unchanged at its first meeting of 2026. The $30,000 home equity line of credit and the five-year $30,000 home equity loan were flat for the week, remaining…
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2. Coaching and Tutoring Take stock of your areas of expertise – maybe you speak a second language or solving math equations comes…
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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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Images by GettyImages; Illustration by Hunter Newton/Bankrate Key takeaways A debt consolidation loan replaces multiple streams of debt with one new loan at a fixed rate and monthly payment. A personal loan for debt consolidation is typically a fast and simple way to consolidate all kinds of debt. Debt consolidation…
Practical Money Tricks That Lead to Real Treats Getting out of debt doesn’t happen overnight, but small, consistent actions can help you regain confidence and control. Here are a few tried-and-true strategies: Budget like a pro: Track every dollar for a month to see where your money really goes. Focus…
Martinns/GettyImages; Illustration by Hunter Newton/Bankrate A money market account is a type of savings deposit account that tends to offer check-writing privileges and a debit card for ATM access to your savings. Typically, savings accounts usually don’t let you write checks from the account, making money market accounts a unique…
My property taxes have ballooned 134% over my 20 years of homeownership. It seems like every year I grumble about another increase, pay the bill and move on. Recent data, however, has me rethinking my approach — it turns out I might be leaving serious money on the table. More…
Markets are soaring. Valuations are swelling. And enthusiasm for all things artificial intelligence is pumping hundreds of billions of dollars into the most transformational technology of the modern era. “AI isn’t just another theme; it’s the culmination of decades of evolution in computing,” Jon Markman, a Forbes contributor who analyzes…
The fundamental flaws in the way the Federal Reserve operates these days were on full display Wednesday when Jerome Powell talked to the media after the central bank’s key policymaking committee meeting. It confirmed why there must be a drastic overhaul of our central bank—as well as new leadership. The…
irina88w/GettyImages; Illustration by Hunter Newton/Bankrate The Federal Reserve cut interest rates again in October, and mortgage rates fell to their lowest levels in more than a year. While the Fed doesn’t directly control mortgage rates, it does set the overall tone. The central bank has cut its benchmark rate twice…
Image by PM Images/Getty Images; Illustration by Hunter Newton/Bankrate Mortgage rates edged lower again this week, with the 30-year fixed rate averaging 6.25 percent, down slightly from 6.26 percent the previous week, according to Bankrate’s latest lender survey. Current mortgage rates Loan type Current 4 weeks ago One year ago…
Image by GettyImages; Illustration by Bankrate It’s a mixed showing for home equity rates as the Federal Reserve lowered interest rates by a quarter point, its second rate reduction in 2025. The benchmark 5-year $30,000 home equity loan fell nine basis points to 8.02 percent, its lowest level since March…
Images by Getty Images; Illustration by Hunter Newton/Bankrate Economic uncertainty over the potential impact of President Trump’s tariff policies on the cost of American goods and services has dimmed the prospects for lower personal loan rates for the remainder of 2025. At its October meeting, the Fed cut rates for…




































