Key takeaways Key takeaways Leveraging credit card points and miles can help you score discounted (or even free) travel across the world. Choosing the right loyalty program and credit card rewards for your travel habits and spending can help you maximize your rewards. When you’re ready to book your award trip,…

Morsa Images/Getty Images Opening a traditional or Roth IRA is one of the best things you can do to boost your retirement savings. Both are vehicles for tax-free growth, but you’ll have to pay taxes on withdrawals from a traditional IRA during retirement, whereas retirement withdrawals from a Roth IRA…

U.S. home prices just keep setting new records, although the pace of growth has slowed a bit. S&P CoreLogic’s latest Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price NSA Index, released Nov. 26, 2024, shows annual home-price growth increased in September 2024 by 3.9 percent. That’s a slight decrease from August’s 4.2 percent,…

Key Takeaways Having an EIN can be helpful when applying for business loans, opening business bank accounts and for other business tasks. Obtaining an EIN is free of charge and can be done online, by mail, fax or via telephone. If an EIN is lost or misplaced, it is not…

Personal Finance

Featured Articles

Key takeaways You could benefit from shopping for home insurance even if you’re not buying a new house. Shopping around can help you find better rates, avoid negative customer service experiences and ensure your coverage is adequate. Because your coverage needs can change, insurance experts…

Banking

Credit Cards

All News

Key takeaways The Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan is a good choice for anyone who regularly flies to or from the West Coast. The Mileage Plan boasts a vast partner network of airlines, hotels, rental car companies and everyday shopping sites — all of which can help you earn miles more…

Image by GettyImages; Illustration by Hunter Newton/Bankrate Key takeaways Plan what to pack so that you can avoid baggage fees and extra hassle at the airport. Consider signing up for an airline rewards program and a starter travel credit card to travel on points and miles in the future. Know…

Tetra Images/Getty Images For most investors, the majority of their portfolio will be made up of stocks and bonds. These two assets may be held in the form of mutual funds or ETFs that invest in underlying stocks and bonds, or you may hold positions in individual stocks or bonds…

If you’ve done any shopping recently, then you’ve probably seen an option at checkout to split up your total into four (or more) “easy payments.” One of the biggest companies offering these kinds of buy now, pay later plans is Affirm. But is it a good idea to use Affirm…

Key takeaways Balancing your checking account entails keeping track of your starting balance and any and all withdrawals and deposits, so you are aware of your balance. Tracking your withdrawals and knowing your balance can help you avoid an overdraft fee or insufficient funds fee as well as quickly realize…

Kathrin Ziegler/Getty Images Key takeaways Balance transfer cards can be a helpful financial tool for paying off credit card debt or an expensive purchase over time without incurring interest charges. The U.S. Bank Visa® Platinum Card offers one of the best cell phone protection benefits on the market, not commonly…

Opening a Roth IRA might be the single best retirement decision you can make. While the Roth IRA doesn’t offer immediate tax gratification like other types of retirement accounts do, it does give you tax-free growth and you’ll never have to pay any taxes on withdrawals if you follow the…

Key Takeaways The Wells Fargo credit card trifecta includes the Wells Fargo Active Cash® Card, Wells Fargo Attune℠ Card* and the Wells Fargo Autograph℠ Card or Wells Fargo Autograph Journey℠ Card You don’t need all three cards to get the most of your credit card rewards. Two cards that fit…

Cryptocurrencies are enormously volatile, but that volatility can create opportunities for profit if you’re looking to trade these digital assets. Cryptos such as Bitcoin and Ethereum have risen a lot since their debut — but they’ve also experienced tremendous boom-bust cycles along the way. Experienced traders have been speculating on…

A home insurance policy provides valuable protection for your finances if your property and personal belongings are damaged or destroyed due to a covered loss like a fire, severe storm or break-in. As of 2023, data show that 88 percent of homeowners have an active home insurance policy. Unlike auto…