Image: Getty Images; Illustration: Bankrate Home equity rates barely budged heading into the final Federal Reserve meeting of 2025. The $30,000 home equity line of credit was unchanged, holding at 7.81% for the fourth straight week, according to Bankrate’s national survey of lenders. Meanwhile, the benchmark five-year $30,000 home equity…
Key takeaways Mutual funds can be a great way to invest for long-term goals such as retirement. There are thousands of mutual funds focused on different asset classes, such as stocks and bonds. Index funds are popular because of their low cost and diversification benefits. Millions of Americans use mutual…
Image by PM Images/Getty Images; Illustration by Hunter Newton/Bankrate Mortgage rates dipped this week, with the 30-year fixed rate averaging 6.28%, down from 6.32% the previous week, according to Bankrate’s latest lender survey. Current mortgage rates Loan type Current 4 weeks ago One year ago 52-week average 52-week low 30-year…
A non-qualified stretch annuity extends the payout of an inherited annuity over time, rather than receiving the full amount in a single lump sum. While qualified annuities (such as those within IRAs or 401(k)s) are subject to strict rules under the SECURE Act, non-qualified annuities, which are funded with after-tax…
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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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Legacy automakers will not admit it yet, but they are all heading toward the same destination: They will license Tesla’s Full Self-Driving system. When the gap widens significantly, they need to find a way to bridge it. The boardrooms know this, even if the public…
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Experience with the Program: How Debt Management Helped a First-Time Renter Katie’s journey shows clearly how debt management helped her regain control over…
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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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Key takeaways Personal loans and home equity loans can provide a much-needed source of funding if you need cash. Personal loans are less risky because they’re unsecured, but they often come with higher interest rates. Home equity loans may be more accessible to borrowers with lower credit scores, but you…
Images by Getty Images; Illustration by Issiah Davis/Bankrate Gap insurance in Texas, also known as guaranteed asset protection, helps cover the difference between what you owe on your car and its actual cash value (ACV) if it’s totaled or stolen. This optional coverage may be especially valuable for Texas drivers…
Key takeaways Writing a check requires six simple steps: date, payee name, amount in numbers, amount in words, memo (optional) and your signature. Always use blue or black pen — never pencil — to prevent alterations and fraud. The number amount and written amount must match exactly, or banks may…
Luis Alvarez/Getty Images Key takeaways Zelle is an easy tool for sending money between friends or different bank accounts, but transfers are subject to daily and monthly limitations. Depending on the issuing bank, daily limits for Zelle transactions range from $500 or less to $10,000 or more. Aggregate monthly transfer…
Image by MementoJpeg/GettyImages; Illustration by Hunter Newton/Bankrate Key takeaways Money market accounts combine features of checking and savings accounts — you earn interest like a savings account but get check-writing and debit card access like a checking account (not all MMAs offer these features). High-yield savings accounts typically offer rates…
Key takeaways Most bank account denials stem from ChexSystems reports showing past account problems like unpaid negative balances, bounced checks, or suspected fraud — not your credit score. You can get your ChexSystems report free once every 12 months under federal law, dispute errors, and work to resolve outstanding issues…
Image by GettyImages, Illustrated by Bankrate Key Takeaways APY (Annual Percentage Yield) shows how much interest your savings account or CD will earn in one year, including the effect of compound interest. The best savings accounts currently pay around 4.20% APY, while average savings accounts pay just 0.61% APY—that’s over…
Key takeaways CD rates are beginning to fall as the Federal Reserve shifts toward rate cuts. Locking in competitive yields now or laddering your CDs can protect against lower future rates. Savers should also consider high-yield savings or money market accounts for more flexibility and liquidity. Certificates of deposit (CDs)…
Key takeaways Joint checking accounts let two people manage shared expenses with equal access to funds — ideal for couples, parents with teens, or adult children helping aging parents. The best joint checking accounts offer no monthly fees, competitive APYs and features like overdraft protection and mobile banking tools. Before…
Key takeaways FDIC insurance covers up to $250,000 per depositor, per bank, per ownership category — meaning a single person can protect far more than $250,000 by using different account types at the same institution. If you have $300,000 in one account, only $250,000 is protected — the remaining $50,000…
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