Erik Martin

Online shopping makes it easy to hunt for gifts during the holiday season. But that convenience comes with risks. These include the possibility that you may be swindled by a bad actor or have your identity stolen. That’s why it’s important to practice safe holiday shopping online.

Using cash for all your transactions isn’t practical or safe. That’s why it’s best to get a bank account with a debit card. Problem is, some people can’t qualify for an account at many banks. And many can’t afford the various fees charged. So what’s the best bank account for you? Probably an entry-level online or mobile bank account.

The Federal Reserve recently cut interest rates to nearly zero in response to the coronavirus outbreak. Yet this strategy may not affect mortgage interest rates, even though it’s aim is to boost the economy. In fact, mortgage rates have crept up in the last few weeks.

If you’re starting, running or expanding a business, what kind of loan is right for you? Sometimes, the best business loan is not a business loan. This article explains the differences between business loans and personal loans, and helps you choose the best financing for your business needs.

Many older homeowners run into situations where they need extra funds to pay for a major expense. Fortunately, there are a variety of financing options that can help, if they qualify. These include a reverse mortgage or home equity conversion mortgage (HECM), home equity line of credit (HELOC), or a personal loan. The former two capitalize on the fact that homeowners have earned equity in their home.

It’s important to know how to check your credit report, how to get a your credit score. And how to get a free credit report that won’t cost you later.

It’s important to know how to check your credit report for no cost. Also, it’s smart to learn how to check your credit score for free

Don’t think identity theft can happen to you? Think again. It’s one of the fastest-growing crimes in America. And it can be hard to know if you’re a victim. That’s why it’s important to pay attention to identity theft signs.

When you’re a homeowner, burglars aren’t the only crooks you should be concerned about infiltrating your property. An even bigger theft is home title fraud. This occurs when a bad actor alters ownership of your property title or deed by putting their name on it. And it can cost you plenty — both in terms of dollars, the time it takes to resolve it, and damage to your credit.

You don’t have to wait out the remaining term of your mortgage to pay it off.

Instead, you can make accelerated payments on an occasional or regular basis, which could save you big money in interest charges overall. But your best option may not be to prepay your mortgage. Understand the pros and cons; then learn how to crunch the numbers.