The conventional wisdom about private mortgage insurance (PMI) has long been that borrowers should try to avoid it. PMI is a requirement for conventional mortgage borrowers who put down less than 20 percent on a home — and it’s just one more cost squeezing first-time homebuyers. Yet, in recent years,…

A certified public accountant (CPA) can play a crucial role in the tax filing season as they help business owners navigate the tax code and ensure they meet all of their required deadlines. They also play a vital role in looking at your business accounts critically and help you fix…

Launching a startup business is exciting, but it can also be stressful if you need external money to keep the momentum going. While the U.S. Small Business Administration offers several small business loans for established companies, there are also some loan options available to new ventures. This guide will cover…

You’ve probably heard it before: Nobody buys or sells a home in the winter, right? Well, if you check the numbers, you’d see that plenty of homes are sold during the coldest months of the year. According to the National Association of REALTORS®, over 11,000 homes are sold per day…

Key takeaways Home prices are still reaching historic highs, while Fed rate cuts have not brought mortgage rates down as much as many had hoped. Even so, economists predict that any market correction will be modest and not on the scale of the Great Recession. Experts do not expect a…

Brokerages are aggressively competing for your money. One way they do so is by offering competitive bonuses that you can add right to your brokerage account. It’s important to know the best offers so that you can decide whether it’s a good time to open a brokerage account and take…

Credit Sesame discusses the proposed CFBP rule on medical debt and whether it can ever come to fruition. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) has approved a rule banning reporting agencies from including medical debt on credit reports. As a result, that debt would no longer directly affect people’s credit…

So you want to go to college (or maybe continue on to grad school). But you feel like the only way to make it happen is by taking out student loans. Hold it right there! Let me speak to you real quick before you sign on the dotted line. Hey,…

Retirement planning is a crucial component of financial wellness, yet it’s often overlooked or delayed. Whether you’re just starting your career or approaching retirement age, understanding the fundamentals of retirement planning can set you on a path toward a secure and fulfilling future. This part of our Financial Wellness Series,…

A VIN — or vehicle identification number — is a 17-figure sequence of numbers and letters exclusive to your vehicle. It’s used by entities like the Department of Motor Vehicles, your auto insurance company and law enforcement to identify your car. Although you won’t need to memorize your VIN, you…