What Is the 4 Gift Rule for Christmas? A Financial Safety Net What the 4-gift rule for Christmas provides is a simple guide that helps keep spending focused, especially during last-minute shopping. The rule encourages giving four types of gifts: something wanted, something needed, something to wear, and something to…
Key takeaways The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. (FDIC) protects your money if your bank fails. Deposits are insured for up to $250,000 per depositor, per FDIC-insured bank, per ownership category. FDIC insurance covers traditional bank deposit products such as checking and savings accounts. In the event of a bank failure,…
Cavan Images/Getty Images Key takeaways It can be intimidating to start building credit without a credit history, but there are several good credit card options available. Interest rates, annual fees, security deposits and potential rewards are all factors to consider before making a decision. Some top options for first-time credit…
You can use money from a health savings account (HSA) to pay for COBRA health insurance, allowing you to cover premiums with tax-free withdrawals. COBRA premiums qualify as medical expenses under HSA rules, which can make an HSA useful for maintaining coverage after leaving a job. Before using these funds,…
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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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Images by GettyImages; Illustration by Hunter Newton/Bankrate Key takeaways In most parts of the U.S., a jumbo loan is a mortgage exceeding $832,750 as of 2026, but the amount varies by county. Jumbo loans generally require a higher credit score, a higher level of income…
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Key takeaways Unsecured debt, such as credit cards, student loans, medical bills and high-interest loans can all be consolidated. Debt consolidation can simplify…
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These entrepreneurs, traders and investors are making an outsized impact in fintech, crypto and traditional financial services.By Jeff Kauflin, Hank Tucker and Nina…
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Image: Getty Images; Illustration: Bankrate Home equity rates held steady as the Federal Reserve lowered interest rates by a quarter point at its final meeting of 2025. The $30,000 home equity line of credit was unchanged, holding at 7.81% for the fifth straight week, according to Bankrate’s national survey of…
Alexandria City, Arlington, Clarke, Culpeper, Fairfax, Fairfax City, Falls Church City, Fauquier, Fredericksburg City, Loudoun, Manassas City, Manassas Park City, Prince William, Rappahannock, Spotsylvania, Stafford and Warren counties: $1,249,125 Madison County: $1,209,750 All other counties: $832,750 Washington loan limits Caret Down Icon Summit and Wasatch counties: $1,150,000 Wayne County: $997,050…
kate_sept2004/ Getty Images; Illustration by Austin Courregé/Bankrate Key takeaways SBA 7(a) loan rates range from 10.50% to 15.50%, depending on whether it’s a fixed or variable rate loan. The SBA limits interest rates to keep loans accessible to financially disadvantaged businesses. Loans over $1 million also come with guarantee and…
Key takeaways Amazon offers multiple payment plans, including Amazon Monthly Payments with no interest or fees, and credit card options for longer payment periods. Flexible payment plans offered by third-party companies, such as Affirm and Klarna, are also available for Amazon purchases. It is important to carefully consider which payment…
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…
Key takeaways To discover the total business loan cost, calculate the loan’s principal and interest over the repayment term to figure out the monthly repayment. A short repayment term can lower interest, but long terms have manageable payments. Use a calculator to compare loan costs before settling on a loan.…
Image by PM Images/Getty Images; Illustration by Hunter Newton/Bankrate Mortgage rates rose this week, with the 30-year fixed rate averaging 6.34%, up from 6.28% 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 30-year…
Roth IRAs and traditional IRAs can be a great way to save and invest for retirement, but they come with specific income and contribution limits. The IRS generally adjusts these limits each year to account for inflation. Roth and traditional IRA contribution limits Each year, you can contribute a specific…
Lower interest rates from the Federal Reserve are often something you can only fully appreciate in hindsight. A single quarter-point cut won’t move the needle on a household’s budget. Multiple cuts over time, however, are where the real savings start to add up. If officials at the U.S. central bank…
Sabrina Leonard’s life has grown more difficult over the past two years. The 49-year-old Spring Hill, Kansas, resident has watched her rent, utilities and grocery bills steadily rise while her paycheck has remained the same. Things came to a head in early 2025. She was $600 short on rent, $700…
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