Key takeaways The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) sets the benchmark rate, which impacts the rates auto lenders set. When the federal funds rate fluctuates, so will the cost to finance a vehicle. The Fed increased the benchmark rate 11 times between 2022 and 2023 and cut it three times…
Bloomberg Creative/Getty Images Key takeaways The federal funds rate impacts how expensive it is for lenders to loan money, so consumer loan rates typically change when the federal funds rate changes. During the Federal Open Market Committee’s December meeting, the regulatory body announced it would drop the target rate by…
Ariel Skelley / Getty Images Key takeaways Interest rates on federal student loans are set on July 1 each year for loans disbursed from July 1 to June 30 of the following year. Borrowers with existing federal student loans will not see any changes when the Fed lowers interest rates.…
Even the most carefully planned budget can develop small leaks over time. Subscriptions renew automatically, outdated service plans linger, and everyday habits slowly chip away at your financial progress. While these expenses might seem minor on their own, together they can quietly drain hundreds of dollars from your budget each…
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Last year, on the day before Tax Day, my mom was scheduled to fly into Philadelphia International Airport to stay…
The nation’s 75 million Social Security recipients will receive a 2.8% cost of living adjustment (COLA) increase in their benefits…
With Republicans ending the Grad Plus program, private lenders are eyeing billions in new business, while some students could be…
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Most people are used to seeing sales tax on a receipt, but not every purchase includes it. When it doesn’t, you may still owe tax on that purchase through what’s called a use tax. This comes up most often with online shopping, out-of-state purchases and…
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Get to Work – As Much as You Can Did you know almost half of Canada’s post-secondary students take on student loan debt?…
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For fintech startups, the first five years of the decade have been a roller-coaster ride. At the outset, companies were awash in easy…
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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…
Key takeaways Money market accounts earn competitive interest rates — currently 0.46% on average, with top accounts offering 4%+ APY according to Bankrate data as of November 2025. These accounts combine checking account flexibility (check-writing, debit cards) with higher interest rates that you may find with a savings account.…
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…
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…
Key takeaways The ongoing impact of inflation in recent years has left many Americans tightening their wallets. One surprising solution for combating the negative impacts of high prices may be opening a new credit card that allows you to offset higher costs with cash back savings and other rewards. But…
Fixed-rate HELOCs are the talk of the town lately among home equity lenders and industry insiders. Home equity isn’t the flashiest corner of consumer finance, so it’s noteworthy when a buzzy new trend emerges. I talk with home lending experts all the time, and they keep telling me the same…
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