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YOU WONT BELIEVE: 2 - What They Never Told You

Should You Stop Investing Temporarily to Pay Off Credit Card Debt?

Stopping investment contributions to attack credit card debt can make sense, but pressing pause on every retirement contribution can create a different problem. The decision hinges on what the debt costs, what the investment account provides, and whether an employer match sits in the middle of the equation.

The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 19

Another Fed Rate Hike Would Hit Some Borrowers Almost Immediately — Others Might Barely Notice

The Federal Reserve just raised its target range for the federal funds rate to 3.75% to 4%, and its September projections point to a median year-end rate of 4.1%. That leaves open the possibility of another increase before 2026 ends, but the effect would not land equally across household budgets.

The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 18

Amazon Prime Refunds Expand: More Consumers Will Get Automatic Payments, With Up to $200 Possible

More Amazon Prime customers could receive money from the company’s $2.5 billion Federal Trade Commission settlement under a newly approved process that expands automatic refunds and could eventually bring total payments to some eligible consumers to as much as $200.

The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 18

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Which Debt Should Go First? The Highest Rate Isn’t Always the Whole Answer

Paying off debt sounds simple until several bills land on the same kitchen counter. A credit card carries a high APR, a smaller loan could disappear quickly, and another balance has a promotional rate that will change later.

The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 18

Can You Have Too Much Money Sitting in Savings?

Believe it or not, you can have too much money sitting in savings, although there is no universal dollar amount that crosses the line. Cash provides something investments cannot: quick access without worrying about a market drop at the exact moment a bill arrives.

The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 18

FleetCor, Now Corpay, Agrees to Pay $100 Million Over Hidden Fuel Card Fees and Savings Claims

FleetCor Technologies, now known as Corpay, and its CEO Ronald Clarke have agreed to pay $100 million to resolve a Federal Trade Commission administrative action involving fuel cards marketed largely to small businesses.

The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 18

You Got a $10,000 Bonus: Debt, Emergency Fund or Roth IRA?

A $10,000 bonus can solve a money problem, but it can also expose one. Put it toward a credit card and interest charges may shrink, stash it in savings and the next surprise bill becomes less scary, or move some into a Roth IRA and give retirement savings a serious…

The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 18

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Your Student Loan AutoPay Discount Just Got Bigger — But There’s a September 30 Deadline

A small checkbox on a student loan account can now make a much bigger difference. Starting July 1, 2026, eligible federal student loan borrowers enrolled in Auto Pay can receive a 1% interest-rate reduction, up from the previous 0.25% reduction. But borrowers who are not already enrolled need to act…

The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 18

Social Security Corrects Error in New Cardiovascular Disability Rules — What Claimants Should Know

The Social Security Administration has issued a technical correction to its recently revised rules for evaluating cardiovascular disorders in disability claims, but people applying for benefits shouldn’t interpret the update as another change in eligibility requirements.

The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 17

A 4% Savings Account Sounds Great. What Does It Actually Pay on $5K, $10K and $25K?

A 4% savings account sounds pretty attractive, but the percentage becomes much more useful when it gets translated into actual dollars. Put $5,000 in an account paying a 4% APY and leave it there for a full year, and the account would earn about $200 in interest, assuming the rate…

The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 17

What Happens to an Unused Credit Card If You Never Close It?

An unused credit card does not simply sit in a drawer forever, quietly waiting for retirement. If you leave the account open, the issuer may continue reporting it, and that available credit can affect your credit profile even when you never swipe the card.

The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 17

What Happens If a Company Deposits Money Into Your Account by Mistake?

A surprise deposit can make a bank balance look much healthier, but money that a company deposits into your account by mistake does not automatically become yours. A payroll department might enter the wrong account number, a business might send a payment twice, or a company could simply make a…

The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 17

You Have $20,000: Pay Off Student Loans or Put It Toward a House?

A $20,000 pile of cash can create a surprisingly awkward financial question: should it wipe out student debt or become part of a future down payment? Both choices can move a household closer to a major goal, but they solve very different problems. Paying off a loan can eliminate a…

The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 17

Your Credit Score Is 720. How Much Money Could Getting to 760 Actually Save You?

A 720 credit score already puts you in a respectable credit range, but pushing it to 760 can matter when a lender prices a major loan. The catch is that there is no magic “$X savings” attached to those extra 40 points. Your actual benefit depends on the scoring model,…

The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 17

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The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 17

IRS Sets December Hearing on Proposed Tax-Exempt Rules for Racial Nondiscrimination at Private Schools

The Internal Revenue Service has scheduled a December public hearing on proposed regulations that would update federal tax-exemption rules governing racial nondiscrimination at private schools.

The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 16

Bond Yields Are Surging Again — What That Means for Savings Accounts, Loans and 401(k)s

Bond yields are surging again, and that movement reaches far beyond Wall Street. The 10-year Treasury yield climbed above 5% on September 15, reaching about 5.04%, its highest level since 2007, as investors reacted to inflation concerns, higher oil prices and worries about government borrowing.

The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 16

Treasury Opens $5 Billion New Markets Tax Credit Round to Drive Investment in Low-Income Communities

The U.S. Department of the Treasury is opening a new $5 billion round of a federal tax-credit program designed to attract private investment into economically distressed communities.

The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 16

A $500 Monthly Debt Payment Sounds Good — Until You See How Long It Takes to Pay Off $25,000

A $500 monthly debt payment sounds like a solid plan for a $25,000 balance. Then interest walks into the room, pulls up a chair and starts taking a cut of that $500 before the debt gets much smaller. The payment itself matters, but the interest rate, the balance and whether…

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The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 16

FTC Freezes Civil Penalty Amounts for 2026 After Government Shutdown Disrupted Inflation Data

The Federal Trade Commission will keep its civil penalty amounts at 2025 levels for the remainder of 2026 after a government shutdown prevented federal officials from producing inflation data required to calculate this year’s increase.

The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 16

Is 0% Really Free? The Math Behind a $10,000 Balance Transfer

A 0% balance transfer can make a $10,000 credit card balance look dramatically less expensive, but “0%” does not automatically mean free. The interest rate may drop to zero during the promotional period while a balance-transfer fee still adds money to the debt. That distinction matters because a few hundred…

The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 16

Can a Bank Take Money From Your Checking Account to Pay Your Credit Card?

A bank generally cannot simply reach into your checking account and grab money to cover an unpaid credit card balance, even if the bank issued both accounts. Federal law specifically limits a credit card issuer’s ability to offset credit card debt against money sitting in a consumer’s deposit account.

The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 16

Should You Pay Off a 3% Loan Early? The Answer Has Changed

A 3% loan used to look like something worth attacking with every spare dollar. Today, the decision deserves a closer look because keeping a cheap loan can sometimes make more financial sense than rushing to eliminate it.

The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 15

Scan a QR Code to Pay? Check These 3 Things Before Entering Your Card Number

A QR code can turn a parking meter, restaurant table, or checkout counter into a payment screen in seconds. That convenience comes with one important catch: the code can send you somewhere you never intended to go, and scammers have gotten creative about making fake payment pages look perfectly ordinary.

The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 15

CD Rates Could Move After September 16—Should Savers Lock In Now?

CD rates could move after September 16, and savers have a very real decision to make before the Federal Reserve announces its next interest-rate move. The Fed meets September 15 and 16, and financial markets currently expect a quarter-point increase, a sharp change from expectations earlier this year.

The Free Financial Advisor · Sep 15

The Fed Decides September 16—The 3 Accounts That Reprice Within 48 Hours, and the 4 That Take Months

The Federal Reserve makes its next interest-rate decision on September 16, and the financial effects can start showing up much faster than many people expect. But there is a catch: not every account responds to a Fed move at the same speed, and some barely care about the decision at…

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