Key takeaways You can responsibly use a credit card for large purchases if you pay off the balance before it starts accruing interest. Using a credit card to pay for large but predictable expenses — like groceries, travel and appliances — can help you earn rewards and access additional benefits.…
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…
Trending
Spotlight This Week
More Articles
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
At the end of the year, many people pause to reflect on what worked and what didn’t, especially when it comes to their finances. Year end is a perfect moment to acknowledge challenges, review your habits and create a fresh plan for the year ahead.…
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
All News
Images: Getty Images; Illustration: Bankrate Key takeaways A mortgage prequalification helps potential homebuyers know how big of a loan they might qualify for. Getting prequalified does not negatively affect your credit score — but getting preapproved does. While a prequalification is faster and easier to get than a preapproval, it’s…
Key takeaways Many lenders state their credit score requirements, helping you narrow down small business loans for bad credit Some loans focus less on your business credit history and more on future sales or revenue from invoices Offering assets or collateral can make you less risky and improve your chances…
Reaching age 65 doesn’t automatically change how the IRS taxes your 401(k) withdrawals. Instead, it taxes distributions from a traditional 401(k) as ordinary income, just like wages or Social Security benefits. Your tax rate depends on your total taxable income and filing status in the year you make the withdrawal,…
Key takeaways Built-in budgeting tools help automatically track and categorize spending without needing separate budgeting apps. Most major banks now offer some form of automated expense tracking, making budgeting more accessible than ever. Your bank may offer advanced personal finance hubs, providing insights into spending habits, tracking savings progress, and…
Many businesses, even those that are profitable and well-run, might occasionally need to carry debt. Balance transfer credit cards can help you consolidate high-interest debt and work on paying it off over time at a lower or 0 percent APR. But be warned, balance transfer offers on business credit cards…
When your financial life involves more than one country, taxes can get complex. This is true for expats, dual citizens, digital nomads and business owners with activity abroad. A cross-border tax accountant can help you handle international filing rules and reporting obligations. They work with issues like double taxation, foreign…
For high-income earners, balancing a demanding career with the rising costs of childcare can quickly become a financial juggling act. Even families earning six figures can find that daycare, nannies or after-school programs absorb a surprising portion of their budget. That’s where a Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account (FSA) comes…
Hinterhaus Productions/ Getty Images; Illustration by Austin Courregé/Bankrate Key takeaways Secured lines of credit require collateral. Unsecured business lines of credit do not require collateral, but a personal guarantee may be needed. Consider business needs, qualifications, credit score and assets when choosing a line of credit. According to the 2024…
damircudic/Getty Images; Illustration by Richard Tran/Bankrate Keeping track of average personal loan rates can give you an idea of how much you’ll pay for a personal loan for debt consolidation, home improvement, emergencies or any other financial goal that requires quick funding with a fixed monthly payment. The average is…
When Whitney Catalano filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy in 2022, she was self-employed, living in an apartment she couldn’t afford and carrying $60,000 in credit card and personal loan debt. For her, bankruptcy looked like freedom. “I felt very overwhelmed by money,” she says. “I wanted to clear myself of…
Editor's Pick
