Personal Finance News These are the 2 times you should tap your emergency fund vs. savings account If you have an emergency fund and a general savings fund, you might wonder when to use each. Here’s when you should rely on your emergency fund vs. general savings. Yahoo Personal Finance • 1 hour ago The JetBlue Premier Card: Should you get JetBlue’s latest premium credit card? The JetBlue Premier Card can help you save on flights with the airline. Here’s why you may want to consider other premium cards instead. Mortgage and refinance rates today, January 30, 2025: Rates barely inch down These are today's mortgage and refinance rates. Interest rates are down for the second week in a row, but the decreases are small. Lock in your rate today. Money market account rates today, January 30, 2025 (earn up to 4.75% APY) Looking for the best money market account interest rates available today? Here’s where to find the highest rates. Is a good time to open a money market account? Best savings interest rates today, January 30, 2025 (top account pays 4.75% APY) If you’re on the hunt for today’s best savings interest rates, we’ve narrowed down some of the top offers. Learn more about savings interest rates today and how to open an account. 6 best jobs in banking Banking jobs can be a great career path for detail-oriented workers. Plus, they can pay pretty well, too. Learn more about the best banking jobs available today. Here's what the federal government does for you As pandemonium descended Tuesday after the Trump administration directed a freeze on federal funding, the chaos drove home a salient point: The federal government does a lot for you. Could Walmart replace your bank (and should it)? The Walmart MoneyCenter offers several banking services. But is it as good as your bank? White House rescinds its memo freezing federal spending — sort of The Trump administration rescinded its controversial memo ordering a freeze on federal aid and grant programs Wednesday but insisted it would still follow through on plans to pause certain types of federal spending. 10 best credit unions of 2025 Looking for the best credit unions in the U.S.? We ranked CUs based on rates, fees, security, social responsibility, and more. Find out which credit unions made the top 10. Are 10-year CD rates worth it? A 10-year CD allows you to lock in your interest rate over the next decade. But are 10-year CD rates competitive compared to other CD terms and account options? Learn more. Trump's spending freeze circus won't affect your health coverage or student loans — probably After ordering federal agencies to freeze vast swaths of government spending, the White House partially walked back its move. By evening, a federal judge had blocked the funding halt. Where’s my refund? How to check your federal tax refund status. Learn when you can expect your income tax refund, including how to check your refund status with the IRS. What is passive income, and how do I generate it through investing? Earning passive income is critical to building wealth. Learn how to make passive income through investing, taking advantage of interest-earning accounts and dividends. What is a balance transfer fee? A balance transfer fee is what you'll pay to move your debt from one credit card to another. See what these fees cost and when a transfer makes sense. Why retirement portfolio strategies get more complicated over time On a new episode of Decoding Retirement, David Blanchett, the head of retirement research at PGIM DC Solutions, highlighted the importance of updating your portfolio strategy leading up to your retirement date and beyond. How to balance a checkbook If you prefer a more hands-on approach to money management, you may be interested in how to balance your checkbook. Here’s a step-by-step guide. What's the average checking account balance? Knowing the average checking account balance in the U.S. can help you assess your own financial health. Here’s a look at the average checking account balance and how to increase yours. What are bonds, and how do you invest in them? Investing in bonds can be a way to bring stability to your investment portfolio and earn a higher return than you would with a savings account. Learn how to invest in bonds. What is combined loan-to-value ratio (CLTV), and why should homeowners care? Your combined loan-to-value ratio measures the amount you owe on all home loans against the value of your house. Learn how CLTV impacts you as a homeowner. Understanding the prime rate: The interest rate that banks charge their best customers What is the prime rate? And how does it impact your borrowing costs? Learn more about the interest rate that banks charge their “best” customers. The big tax Americans don't pay — and what we give up in exchange Americans pay less in taxes than citizens in many other developed countries. But there are tradeoffs for those savings. 5 must-know facts before applying for the Kikoff credit card The Kikoff Secured Card doesn’t require a credit check and has features of both a debit and credit card. Learn about this card’s pros and cons to decide if it’s right for you. Community bank vs. credit union: Key similarities and differences What’s better: a community bank or credit union? That depends on your banking preferences. Learn more about how community banks vs. credit unions compare. What is a passbook savings account? Learn more about how passbook savings accounts work, their pros and cons, and alternatives to consider. Find out if this savings account option is right for you. Small business needs ‘never change,’ regardless of who occupies the White House: Former Biden adviser Though many are preparing for a bleak four years, former director of public affairs and senior adviser for the Biden administration Jonathan Lovitz isn’t worried about small entrepreneurs. Tax season kicks off today. There are two big changes to know about. Tax season officially gets underway, with an expansion of the IRS's Direct File program now available in 25 states. 8 tax deductions for homeowners to lower their income tax There are several tax deductions for homeowners, from interest paid on your mortgage to specific home improvements. Find out if you qualify for these tax breaks. Readers' questions answered: I am 79 years old. How should I invest? Readers ask for advice about their own money situations and challenges. Columnist Kerry Hannon answers. Capital One Quicksilver vs. QuicksilverOne: The best option depends on your credit score Learn how the Capital One Quicksilver and QuicksilverOne cards differ in terms of rewards, credit score requirements, fees, and rates. To ease veterans' transitions, help military spouses: Hiring Our Heroes VP "Transition is a family game," Hiring Our Heroes vice president Elizabeth O’Brien said on a new episode of Warrior Money. Best secured credit cards for 2025 The best secured credit cards report to the three major credit bureaus, have no annual fees, and provide valuable rewards in the form of points or cash back. Best credit cards to build credit for 2025 The best credit cards to build credit include secured and unsecured cards, such as the Chase Freedom Rise, Discover it Secured Credit Card, and Petal 2 Visa Credit Card. Best credit cards for home improvement in 2025 With the right credit card, you can earn rewards and take advantage of a 0% APR period to help save money on home improvement projects. Best credit cards for groceries (2025) Save money on your holiday grocery trip with a rewards credit card. These are the top credit cards for groceries available right now. Best hotel credit cards for 2025 Planning your next vacation? Earn rewards, free nights, elite status, and more with these top hotel credit cards. Best airline credit cards for 2025 Looking to save on flight costs when you book your next trip? These are the best airline credit cards currently available. Vio Bank review (2025): High-yield online savings, CD, and money market accounts Vio Bank is the online division of MidFirst bank and offers high-yield deposit accounts. Learn about Vio Bank’s products, fees, rates, and more with this in-depth review. Capital One Quicksilver vs. Savor: Your top cash-back pick depends on your spending habits The Capital One Quicksilver and Savor credit cards are both good choices for cash back, but they differ in their rewards programs. Marriott Bonvoy: Get free nights, statement credits, and bonus points with these limited-time welcome offers Gain major value toward your upcoming hotel stays with a Marriott Bonvoy Bold or Marriott Bonvoy Boundless welcome offer Rocket Visa Signature Card review: Up to 5% rewards on every purchase for Rocket Mortgage customers Redeem your rewards toward a down payment and closing costs on a future loan or toward your principal balance on an existing loan with Rocket Mortgage. Limited-time offer: Earn over 100k points toward future IHG hotel stays with these new card bonuses Earn a great welcome bonus now and continue getting rewarded toward future stays with an IHG credit card. How much money is considered rich? What does it mean to be rich in America? The answer isn’t the same for everyone. Here are some common measures of wealth, plus some tips for growing yours. Trump scrapped a proposed $2 drug program for seniors. But why? President Donald Trump rolled back a Biden administration executive order aimed at lowering prescription drug prices, including an effort to make more generic drugs available to Medicare patients for just $2 a prescription. What to expect when facing a mortgage default A mortgage default can hurt your credit score and lead to foreclosure. Learn how the home loan default process works and how to avoid it. Are you suffering from money dysmorphia? Here are the signs. While not a recognized psychological condition, money dysmorphia is a problem that many deal with. Learn more about what money dysmorphia is and how to combat it. Serial entrepreneur offers 3 tips for small business owners just starting out Phaon Spurlock shared tips for budding entrepreneurs on a new episode of Living Not So Fabulously. Inheritance tax: Who pays and who’s exempt Only a handful of states levy an inheritance tax, and even in those states, not everyone has to pay. These are the 3 best banks in the United States, according to their customers What are the best banks in the United States? J.D. Power ranked Capital One, Chase, and TD Bank as the top U.S. banks based on customer satisfaction. Learn more. When should you claim Social Security? Retirement strategist explains key considerations. Mike Conrath, chief retirement strategist at JPMorgan Asset Management, emphasized that the most important thing is to be well-informed about the factors to consider when deciding when to claim Social Security.
