ljubaphoto/Getty Images: Illustration by Issiah Davis/Bankrate Key takeaways The interest rate on a mortgage indicates how much interest you’ll pay for the amount you borrow. The annual percentage rate (APR) is the interest rate plus additional fees and any points. When comparing loan offers, it’s best to compare APRs to…
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…
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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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Key takeaways CD early withdrawal penalties typically cost 60 to 365 days of interest, with longer terms carrying steeper penalties. Breaking a CD early may be worth it if you need funds to avoid high-interest debt, make a major down payment, or lock in significantly…
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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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Key takeaways The American Express Membership Rewards program has 17 airline partners and three hotel partners to choose from. Transfer ratios for Amex travel partners vary, yet most of them can be transferred at a rate of 1:1. Remember that not all American Express credit cards earn Membership Rewards, and…
Key takeaways Because the Fed’s decisions to change interest rates affect the pricing of bonds, bond investors closely monitor Federal Reserve interest rate moves. The Fed lowered rates in late 2024 but paused rates until its meeting on Sept. 16-17, 2025, when it decided to lower rates by 25 basis…
Key takeaways Looking at the past four decades, the average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage peaked in 1981, rising just above 16 percent. The average 30-year fixed rate bottomed in 2021 at just under 3 percent. So far in 2025, the average 30-year mortgage rate has fluctuated between 6.38 percent…
Image by Chorna Olena/Getty Images; Illustration by Austin Courregé/Bankrate The Federal Reserve’s interest rate decisions influence what you pay for variable-rate home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) and new home equity loans. Let’s break down how the Fed’s monetary policy affects how much it’ll cost you to borrow against your…
This piece was originally published in early 2023 and reflects the author’s financial decisions during that time. The rest of the article has since been updated. Key takeaways With average credit card interest rates well above 20 percent, chasing credit card rewards while carrying card debt doesn’t make any sense.…
Key takeaways If you have a FICO score below 580 or a VantageScore credit score below 600, you have poor credit. You can still get access to a credit card with a score in this range, but your options will be limited. Credit cards for bad credit include both unsecured…
Looking for the best apps for stock trading to get your money invested in the market? There’s a growing list of apps to choose from, which can make the search intimidating, especially if you’re just starting to invest. The best stock market apps let you quickly trade, track your account…
While Bitcoin spent the last decade soaring and making millionaires out of many people, other owners of the world’s largest cryptocurrency have missed out. Why? One major reason: They’ve lost access to their account. In fact, more than $400 billion in Bitcoin is estimated to be lost — but some…
Key takeaways Borrowers may refinance second homes and investment properties to get a lower interest rate or access the home’s equity as cash, among other reasons. The refinancing process for a second home or investment property is similar to refinancing a primary residence, but it can be harder to qualify.…
A dashboard-mounted camera (or “dash cam”) won’t typically lower the cost of your auto insurance automatically. Almost no U.S. auto insurers offer a direct discount for installing a dash cam, but having one in your car could still have positive payoffs. Bankrate’s insurance editorial team looked into the technology and…
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