Holiday spending came in at the high end of projected ranges for 2025 despite numerous economic challenges. According to Mastercard, U.S. retail sales (excluding automotive) increased 3.9% year-over-year from Nov. 1 through Dec. 21, 2025. CNBC and the National Retail Federation published a similar increase, reporting holiday sales grew 4.1%…
Maca and Naca/GettyImages The average tax refund tends to be just over $3,000, but that number might climb to north of $4,000 in 2026, thanks to the massive tax bill that became law in 2025. That law included a higher standard deduction amount, more generous tax brackets and other changes…
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…
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
You’ve heard of home equity lines of credit (HELOCs) and home equity loans, which let you borrow against the value of your home, getting ready cash for renovations, debt consolidation or anything else. But jumping through the income-qualification hoops that characterize much home-based financing may…
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
Key takeaways Wells Fargo leads Florida with the most branches statewide, offering convenient access across the Sunshine State. PNC Bank provides strong regional coverage with access to 60,000+ ATMs nationwide for frequent travelers. Suncoast Credit Union is Florida’s largest credit union, serving nearly 80 branches with low fees and competitive…
Image by Hunter Newton/Bankrate Key takeaways Conforming loans are mortgages that meet criteria set by the Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA). They’re eligible to be purchased by government-sponsored enterprises (GSEs) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Conforming loans abide by certain standards for borrower credit profiles, loan amounts, down payments and…
Key takeaways Wells Fargo operates over 500 branches across Texas, providing the most extensive branch network in the Lone Star State. Texas Capital Bank earned Bankrate’s 2024 Regional Bank Award with competitive rates and no monthly fees for Texas residents. Randolph-Brooks Federal Credit Union serves over 1 million members with…
Key takeaways The IRS’ rule of 55 lets workers who leave their jobs take penalty-free 401(k) withdrawals early. To take advantage of the rule of 55, your company’s retirement plan must allow these early withdrawals. Some workers, such as those who would be pushed into a higher tax bracket, should…
Stewart Cohen/Getty Images Key Takeaways Home values have consistently hit record highs in recent years, which has created a surge in more equity-rich homeowners. To be considered “equity rich”, a property’s outstanding mortgage balance should be less than half of its market value. Being equity rich makes it easier to…
Selling your home can have tax consequences if its value has gone up. The IRS offers an exemption that lets you exclude some of the profit from capital gains tax when selling your primary residence, as long as you meet certain rules. This can save you a significant amount of…
Key takeaways The median American has $8,000 in transaction accounts (savings, checking, money market), while the average balance is $62,410 as of 2022 Federal Reserve data. Only 46% of U.S. adults have enough emergency savings to cover three months of expenses, according to Bankrate’s 2025 Emergency Savings Report. Savings vary…
Key takeaways You can significantly boost your net worth by maximizing contributions to retirement accounts and leveraging employer matches. Strategically tackle high-interest debt, especially credit card debt, by paying more than the minimum. Utilize budgeting tools to streamline your spending and identify ways to save money. Building your net worth…
MoMo Productions/ Getty Images Key takeaways As of July 2025, a federal judge abolished proposed federal rules to remove medical debt from consumer credit reports. Medical debt over $500 will still appear on credit reports after one year in collections. If you have difficulties paying your medical bills, consider negotiating…
Thinking about picking up some kind of extra work to make some extra cash? You’re not alone. Bankrate’s most recent Side Hustle Survey shows that 27 percent of American adults have some kind of work in addition to their full-time occupation. There are plenty of reasons to try to boost…
Editor's Pick
