The rules surrounding federal student loan collections and Social Security protections can be confusing for borrowers. Karen Roach/Getty Images After years of payment pauses, changing repayment programs and shifting federal student loan policies, many borrowers are once again paying close attention to their educational debt. But while student loans are often viewed as a concern … Read more
The upcoming student loan changes could impact your finances, so make sure to ask the right questions now. designer491/Getty Images Federal student loan borrowers have spent the last few years adapting to a series of major changes, from the end of pandemic-era payment pauses to the start of new repayment programs and shifting forgiveness rules. … Read more
The federal student loan changes arriving in July could have meaningful consequences for borrowers. Pla2na/Getty Images Federal student loan borrowers have spent the last few years adapting to a constantly changing borrowing and repayment landscape. Between the end of pandemic-era relief, the return of required student loan payments and a series of court challenges affecting … Read more
The student loan decisions you make in the coming weeks could impact your balance for the foreseeable future. Jinda Noipho/Getty Images For most of the past decade, the smartest thing many federal student loan borrowers could do was wait — whether that meant waiting for a payment pause to be extended, waiting for a forgiveness … Read more
Major changes are coming to the student loan landscape starting July 1 that will limit how much Americans can borrow and their repayment options. Those changes are a result of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, which President Trump signed into law last year. The Education Department has framed the overhaul as a way to … Read more
Homebuyers may be able to secure better mortgage terms than the national average, even in today’s landscape. Saifulasmee Chede/Getty Images For much of the last year, prospective homebuyers have been caught between two major affordability challenges: elevated home prices and stubbornly high mortgage rates. While many potential homebuyers had hoped that borrowing costs would fall … Read more
Homeowners should closely compare their home equity loan and HELOC costs before getting started with either. Nora Carol Photography/Getty Images With household debt levels high, credit card interest rates still sitting around 20% (on average) and inflation rising once again, millions of Americans now find themselves in need of extra financing. And they’ll need access … Read more
A 401(k) loan and debt relief solve the same problem through very different means, and at very different costs. Getty Images/iStockphoto Credit card interest rates haven’t budged much recently, and that’s hardly an oversight on the part of credit card issuers. When the Federal Reserve started hiking its benchmark rate in early 2022 to combat … Read more
The idea of debt consolidation sounds straightforward, but the actual cost can vary more than you might expect. Muhammad Aqib/Getty Images There’s no question that today’s economic landscape is making it tough for borrowers to keep up with, much less get ahead of, their debt. Not only are credit card balances climbing, but credit card … Read more
Before you start the debt consolidation process, make sure you know what you’re getting into right now. Getty Images/iStockphoto High credit card debt has become a defining hallmark of the current economic landscape. The total credit card debt nationwide is currently sitting at over $1.23 trillion, the latest record high, and at today’s rates, the … Read more