Leaving the workforce changes many aspects of your 401(k), and once you retire you will have to make a number of important decisions about your retirement nest egg. If you have $1.1 million in a 401(k), you can choose to leave your retirement savings in the account, roll it over…
You have money questions. Bankrate has answers. Our experts have been helping you master your money for over four decades. We continually strive to provide consumers with the expert advice and tools needed to succeed throughout life’s financial journey. Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that…
martin-dm/ E+/ Getty Images Travel reward credit cards and 0 percent introductory APRs on purchases and balance transfers don’t often co-exist. Having travel rewards and 0 percent APR are incredible perks on their own, but when you combine the two, you have a credit card with potential for substantial savings…
Key Takeaways: You don’t need to borrow more money to get out of debt. Alternatives like budgeting, prioritizing debts, negotiating with creditors, and seeking nonprofit credit counseling can be more effective. Household debt reached $18.59 trillion in Q3 2025making structured, sustainable repayment strategies more important than ever. Two powerful payoff…
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
The Downsides of Credit Card Churning and Why It Is Risky You may be asking yourself, “Those benefits sound great, why is credit card churning risky?” There are many downsides of credit card churning to be aware of. For starters, every new application triggers a…
Dept Managmnt
Practical Money Tricks That Lead to Real Treats Getting out of debt doesn’t happen overnight, but small, consistent actions can help you regain…
Banking
The fundamental flaws in the way the Federal Reserve operates these days were on full display Wednesday when Jerome Powell talked to the…
Credit Cards
All News
Halloween has evolved into a major holiday for many Americans, celebrated with enthusiasm and creativity. But it comes with a hefty price tag. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), Americans are planning to shell out a staggering $13.1 billion this Halloween. This figure covers everything from elaborate decorations to…
A mini retirement is a planned, extended break from full-time work that’s taken before traditional retirement age. Unlike a vacation or employer-sponsored sabbatical, a mini retirement is self-funded and typically lasts a few months to a few years. People often consider a mini retirement during career transitions, periods of burnout…
We are approaching the blackout period ahead of the Fed’s upcoming meeting on 28-29 October, at which the Federal Open Market Committee is expected to cut interest rates according to fixed income markets. We have recently heard a number of speeches from Fed policymakers ahead of the pre-meeting limitation on…
At the peak of the pandemic, Congress established the Employee Retention Credit (ERC), a program designed to help eligible employers stay afloat during the COVID pandemic. The lure of free money proved to be too much for some, and as checks rolled out, the IRS began to point fingers at…
Review your policy so you understand what is and is not covered. Maintain your property to reduce disputes over whether damage is sudden or gradual. Communicate openly with your adjuster. If it feels like they are asking many questions, it is because they must evaluate exclusions before confirming coverage. Stay…
Image by GettyImages; Illustration by Bankrate Minimal movement in home equity rates in the latest week. The benchmark 5-year $30,000 home equity loan edged down two basis points to 8.13 percent, marking the second week at its lowest level in two years. Meanwhile, the $30,000 home equity line of credit…
Image by PM Images/Getty Images; Illustration by Hunter Newton/Bankrate Mortgage rates edged a bit lower this week, with the 30-year fixed rate averaging 6.35 percent, down from 6.39 percent the previous three weeks, according to Bankrate’s latest lender survey. Current mortgage rates Loan type Current 4 weeks ago One year…
Retiring early with a 401(k) requires understanding how to access funds before the standard retirement age without triggering heavy penalties. This involves leveraging strategies like Rule 72(t) withdrawals, the Rule of 55 exception or a rollover for more flexibility. Each method has specific conditions, timelines and tax implications that shape…
While federal taxes apply uniformly, the way states tax 401(k) withdrawals can vary widely. Some states fully tax 401(k) distributions, while others provide deductions or exclude retirement income altogether. These differences can influence how much of your savings you keep and may even factor into decisions about when and where…
Paying for college can feel overwhelming, but smart tax planning can make a real difference. The IRS offers several education tax incentives to help students and families cut costs, lower their tax bill and even get a refund. Whether you are an undergraduate or graduate student or a parent supporting…
Editor's Pick
