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 private sales. Understanding the difference…
PC Photography/Getty Images; Illustration by Austin Courregé/Bankrate Key takeaways With owner financing, the homeowner or seller extends a loan to the homebuyer, rather than a bank or mortgage lender providing the loan. The contract can be structured in a number of ways, including as a second mortgage, a rent-to-own deal…
Most people see taxes come out of their paycheck without thinking much about where the money goes. Federal taxes follow one set of rules no matter where you live, but state taxes vary widely depending on your location. Some states have no income tax at all while others take a…
Try to Offer Advice or Support Instead of Criticism While younger generations are often criticized for their lack of financial literacy, getting into debt can happen to any one at any age, and for a variety of reasons. The suggestion that younger generations are “terrible with money” is certainly not…
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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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Key takeaways Interest can be charged when you borrow money or earned when you save. When you charge something on a credit card or take out a loan from a financial institution (student loan, auto loan, mortgage, etc.), you’re charged interest for borrowing that money.…
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Paying off Debt on a Fixed Income: Making Sacrifices and Learning Patience Paying off debt on a fixed income requires discipline. Jill emphasizes…
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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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Key takeaways In 2026, employees can defer up to $24,500 of their salary to fund their 401(k), an increase from $23,500 in 2025. When including employer matches and after-tax contributions, you can amass up to $72,000 in total in 2026. Workers aged 50 and older can make catch-up contributions on…
Financial stress is the mental and emotional strain caused by money worries, and it often spikes after the holidays due to accumulated credit card debt. Creating a clear plan that includes budgeting, debt repayment, and emotional self-care can help you regain control and reduce overwhelm. With the right strategies and…
Opening a Roth IRA might be the single best retirement decision you can make. While Roth IRAs don’t offer immediate tax gratification like other types of retirement accounts, they do give you tax-free growth and you’ll never have to pay any taxes on withdrawals if you follow the rules. In…
Image: Getty Images; Illustration: Bankrate Mixed action for home equity rates in the latest week, with both products landing at their lowest level in three years. The benchmark five-year $30,000 home equity loan fell six basis points to 7.92%, according to Bankrate’s national survey of lenders. At the same time,…
Getting behind the wheel without car insurance can quickly turn into an expensive mistake. If you are caught driving without coverage, you run the risk of facing penalties, including fines, loss of your driver’s license and potentially jail time. If you cause an accident while driving uninsured, you may have…
Key takeaways A mortgage preapproval is a statement of how much money a lender is willing to let you borrow to pay for a home. There are several important steps in the mortgage preapproval process, such as shopping around for lenders and gathering financial documents. Getting preapproved makes it more…
For workers who are used to receiving their paycheck every other week, the calendar is aligned in January to give some biweekly wage earners “bonus” third paychecks during the year. For 2026, the bonus months are either January and July (if the first paycheck was paid on Jan. 2), or…
Oleksandra Yagello/Getty Images The average credit card interest rate is 19.62%, down from a record-high 20.79% set on Aug. 14, 2024. Current credit card interest rates Weekly national averages Variable 01/21/2026 19.62% 01/14/2026 19.64% 01/07/2026 19.65% 12/31/2025 19.72% 12/24/2025 19.73% 12/17/2025 19.75% 12/10/2025 19.80% 12/3/2025 19.83% 11/26/2025 19.86% 11/19/2025 19.87%…
sarayut Thaneerat/Getty Images Growth stocks are routinely some of the market’s hottest stocks, and it’s not unusual to have the market’s top performers double or even triple inside of a year. But finding those outperformers takes a lot of time and analysis. What if you could find winners with much…
State Department of Insurance contact information Alabama Department of Insurance201 Monroe St, Ste 502, P.O. Box 303351Montgomery, AL 36104 Phone: 334-269-3550Email: [email protected] https://www.aldoi.gov/ Alaska Department of Community and Economic Development, Division of Insurance Anchorage office: 550 W 7th Ave, Ste 1560, Anchorage, AK 99501Juneau office: 333 Willoughby Ave, 9th Fl,…
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