At a time of sticky inflation and a softening job market, extra money in the bank can serve as a lifeline for many consumers. Yet 8 in 10 Americans did not increase their emergency savings this year, a new Bankrate survey found, leaving them in no better financial position to…
While the top ten largest credit unions still hold significantly less in assets than even the top five largest banks, they have been growing considerably in recent years. Just within the last five years, total assets in federally insured credit unions have risen by approximately 45 percent over the past…
Key Takeaways: Transition Challenges: Veterans face unique financial challenges when transitioning from military to civilian life, including employment hurdles, healthcare costs, and housing instability. Employment and Economic Stability: Despite strong leadership skills, veterans often encounter unemployment or underemployment due to skill mismatches. Support from programs like VETS and the GI…
Key takeaways Most unemployment payment delays happen due to missing information, fraud checks, or system backlogs. You can often fix the issue by verifying your ID, submitting missing documentation, or updating your payment profile. While you wait, contact lenders to negotiate temporary relief and use savings accounts or short-term loans…
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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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Reaching age 65 doesn’t automatically change how the IRS taxes your 401(k) withdrawals. Instead, it taxes distributions from a traditional 401(k) as ordinary income, just like wages or Social Security benefits. Your tax rate depends on your total taxable income and filing status in the…
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The Downsides of Credit Card Churning and Why It Is Risky You may be asking yourself, “Those benefits sound great, why is credit…
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The fundamental flaws in the way the Federal Reserve operates these days were on full display Wednesday when Jerome Powell talked to the…
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Alcohol-impaired driving carries steep costs that extend far beyond the initial fine. A single DUI conviction in Pennsylvania drives up the average cost of car insurance by 103 percent — and DUI surcharges could remain on your record for years. To help drivers understand what happens if you get a…
Image by MoMo Productions/GettyImages The stock market — and home prices — keep setting records, and mortgage rates remain north of 6.5 percent. It’s a combination that has many Americans cashing in stock holdings to buy homes. In fact, the National Association of Realtors (NAR) reports that 31 percent of…
Key takeaways Giving money as a gift, whether it’s cash, gift cards or a money order can be convenient. You can personalize monetary gifts to suit a recipient’s preferences or needs. Understand the tax implications of monetary gifts. Gifts such as stocks, contributions to 529 plans or cash above the…
Value investing has proven to be one of the most successful investing strategies over the long term. Many of the world’s top investors, including the legendary Warren Buffett, have used the value approach to generate outstanding returns over time. In recent years, however, value stocks have drastically trailed growth stocks…
Jaskaran Kooner/GettyImages; Illustration by Hunter Newton/Bankrate Key takeaways FHA loan closing costs typically total 2 percent to 6 percent of a home’s purchase price and are charged in addition to the down payment. FHA closing costs include an upfront mortgage insurance premium (MIP), lender and third-party fees and prepaid expenses.…
Image by mbogacz/GettyImages/Illustration by Hunter Newton/Bankrate Key takeaways A construction-to-permanent loan finances the construction of a house and converts to a mortgage on completion. Construction-to-permanent loans require only one round of closing costs. They also require a down payment. With a construction-to-permanent loan, you can draw funds at specific phases…
“Location, location, location” has long been the golden rule of real estate. But in today’s challenging housing market, a new mantra is developing: “Insurance, insurance, insurance.” As homeowners insurance premiums rise across the country, buyers are facing a double hit — soaring home prices and costly insurance, which is required…
SDI Productions/Getty Images: Illustration by Issiah Davis/Bankrate Key takeaways Lenders force-place insurance when borrowers fail to maintain coverage required as part of a loan or lease. Force-placed insurance is usually more expensive and doesn’t provide coverage for your belongings or personal liability. You can remove force-placed insurance by getting your…
traveler1116/Getty Images Key takeaways Many market watchers expect the Federal Reserve to lower its benchmark rate when policymakers meet in mid-September. Such a move could spur lower rates on high-yield savings accounts. For now, competitive savings accounts continue to earn rates above 4 percent APY, after the top APY peaked…
Each year, millions of taxpayers file an extension so they can get extra time to file. Now the Oct. 15 deadline is fast approaching. Tax extensions are filed for a variety of reasons, and a common one is delayed paperwork. “We use them often when a taxpayer does not have…
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