Key Takeaways: You don’t need to borrow more money to get out of debt. Alternatives like budgeting, prioritizing debts, negotiating with creditors, and seeking nonprofit credit counseling can be more effective. Household debt reached $18.59 trillion in Q3 2025making structured, sustainable repayment strategies more important than ever. Two powerful payoff…
Key takeaways The issuing bank often cashes checks for non-customers for $5-$8 — your cheapest option if you have a government ID. Walmart charges flat fees of $4-$8 to cash most checks, making it more affordable than check-cashing stores that charge up to 10%. Check-cashing stores are the most expensive…
Key takeaways CDs earning 4% APY provide guaranteed returns with FDIC insurance up to $250,000 — making them one of the safest investments available. A $10,000 CD at 4% APY earns $400 in one year, while a 5-year CD at 4% APY generates $2,166 in total interest. CD laddering spreads…
Prapass Pulsub/Getty Images Key takeaways You can check your bank account balance via your bank’s mobile app, online bank website, ATM, over the phone, via your bank statement or through an in-branch visit. Mobile apps check your balance in under 10 seconds and offer real-time alerts. Desktop banking provides detailed…
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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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Olelole/iStock/Getty Images Key takeaways The Chase Freedom Flex®* offers quarterly rotating bonus categories through which cardholders can earn 5 percent cash back (on up to $1,500 in the categories after activation, then 1 percent back). Categories change every three months, and cardholders have the ability…
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Practical Money Tricks That Lead to Real Treats Getting out of debt doesn’t happen overnight, but small, consistent actions can help you regain…
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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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Cassandra Gucwa was crying in frustration in her office closet shortly after her employer was acquired by a larger conglomerate in 2012. Hundreds of employees were now mixing into her workspace, and the vibe in the office shifted from collaborative to competitive. “It was just so difficult to work your…
Building wealth is hard. For women, it’s even harder. Women typically earn less than men. When trying to move up, many find that bias is still the norm in many corners of the American workplace. They’re more likely to take breaks from work or shift to lower-paying jobs to raise…
Key takeaways Discover’s rotating cash back categories offer cardholders the chance to earn 5 percent back (after activation) on up to $1,500 combined spending on qualifying purchases each quarter (then 1 percent). Categories tend to align with seasonal themes and common spending patterns. Each of the rotating categories cards also…
The median age of first-time homebuyers has risen to 40 — the highest it has ever been, according to new data from the National Association of Realtors.It’s not as though first-time homebuyers needed any more bad news, but that’s what they got with this dreary statistic, which tops last year’s…
Dear Abby, You probably won’t earn as much money as a man who does the same work for most of your career. I know this makes you mad. It makes me mad, too. This gender pay gap has been a problem in America for decades. Women earned 61 cents for…
Illustration by Bankrate / Getty Images While the gender wage gap has narrowed over time, Census Bureau data shows it remains pervasive across the country. In every state, and even in the nation’s capital, women still earn less than men on average. Some states fare worse than others, including Louisiana,…
Illustration by Bankrate / Photo by Getty The gender pay gap isn’t closing anytime soon, especially for women of color. Black and Hispanic women earn the least compared with men, and a Bankrate analysis of the latest income data from the Census shows it could take generations for their pay…
Key takeaways Credit unions typically offer better rates on savings and lower rates on loans compared to traditional banks. Membership is required and may have specific eligibility requirements based on location, employer or affiliation. Your deposits are federally insured up to $250,000, just like at banks, providing the same level…
Key takeaways A home equity line of credit (HELOC) on an investment property is a loan taken out against a piece of real estate that generates income or a financial return. Lenders will consider both the borrower’s creditworthiness and the property’s financials when evaluating an investment property HELOC application. These…
Key takeaways While your home’s value is determined by many factors, some home improvements could help increase its worth. There are multiple ways to pay for upgrades, including cash-out refinancing, a home equity loan or home improvement loan. If you plan to sell your home, it’s important to determine not…
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