Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images New technology has changed the way many people get around. Ridesharing has become an incredibly popular transportation option, and that’s especially true in big cities where Uber and Lyft drivers are easy to find. With just your smartphone and a few taps of your finger, you can…
Pet ownership can be expensive, with recurring expenses like food, supplies and veterinary care. A rewards credit card can help offset these costs, but finding the right card is tricky since bonus categories typically don’t include everyday pet expenses. Here are some of the better options available to help you…
Key takeaways Compound interest refers to the returns that you earn on interest. The impact of it grows significantly over long time periods. Investment vehicles like CDs, high-yield savings accounts and money market accounts can help investors take advantage of compound interest with a shorter time horizon. Any investment that…
A stretch annuity lets a beneficiary receive inherited annuity payments over an extended period rather than all at once. Spreading payments over time can create a steadier income stream and may limit how much taxable income is recognized each year. The remaining balance continues to grow tax-deferred while payments are…
Personal Finance
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…
Featured Articles
Having a credit score of 500 or less does limit your options when it comes to credit cards, but it doesn’t fully exclude you from qualifying for a good one. Several credit cards designed for credit scores in this range or lower offer credit-building tools…
Dept Managmnt
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…
Banking
OBSERVATIONS FROM THE FINTECH SNARK TANKBankers wants to discuss AI strategy. They’re excited about chatbots, machine learning models, generative AI tools, and AI…
Credit Cards
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When it comes to taxes, dependents can affect your return in ways many families don’t expect. Whether you’re claiming a young child, a college student or an aging parent, understanding how deductions and credits apply may change how much you owe or receive. From the standard deduction rules to tax…
The standard deduction for a widow over 65 can be higher than that of the average taxpayer. This has the potential to lower your taxable income and reduce your federal tax bill. This is because widows may be able to file as a “qualifying surviving spouse.” They have two tax…
Deciding how to file your taxes as a married couple can have a meaningful impact on your return. Depending on your situation, it may affect how much you owe or receive. Many couples assume married filing jointly is always the better choice, but that may not be true in every…
When I offered my annual credit card predictions around this time last year, I speculated that regulatory issues would dominate the credit card landscape in 2025. I wrote: “The biggest credit card industry development of 2024 occurred in February when Capital One announced an agreement to acquire Discover for $35…
Thomas Barwick/Getty Images What’s considered a “high” credit limit varies depending on a person’s credit history and income, but in general, high-limit credit cards come with credit limits of $10,000 or more. You won’t typically know your actual credit limit until you apply for your new card, however, regardless of…
Illustration by Hunter Newton/Bankrate You’ve lost your job. Who are you going to call? It might have to be your mortgage lender. A cooling job market is colliding with high homeownership costs, putting many people into a particular new squeeze: a loss of income and a monthly payment that was…
When I Claim My $3,200 Social Security, Will My Wife Automatically Get a Spousal Benefit?
Spousal benefits are Social Security payments based on a spouse’s lifetime earnings record, and a spouse may receive up to half of the working spouse’s benefit. Eligibility is automatic, but payments do not begin until the spouse files an application with the Social Security Administration. To help explain this, let’s…
After two years of cheaper deals and better prices, holiday shoppers may have to reach deeper into their wallets again this season, as inflation makes an unwelcome return to many of the items households buy this time of year. More than 3 in 4 holiday staples (78%) have gotten more…
Image: Getty Images; Illustration: Bankrate Home equity rates were unchanged in the latest week, holding at their lowest point in two years. The $30,000 home equity line of credit stayed at 7.81%, according to Bankrate’s national survey of lenders. Meanwhile, the benchmark five-year $30,000 home equity loan also didn’t budge,…
Image by PM Images/Getty Images; Illustration by Hunter Newton/Bankrate Mortgage rates jumped higher this week, with the 30-year fixed rate averaging 6.37%, up from 6.29% 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…
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