Articles by Valencia Patrice Higuera

Valencia Higuera is based in Virginia and she covers budgeting, credit cards, and student loan debt, with expertise in frugal living, general banking, and mortgages. She is a self-proclaimed personal finance junkie. Valencia has contributed to publications and outlets including MSN, The Huffington Post, CBS News, Investopedia, and more. Education: B.A. in English from Old Dominion University.

The Best Business Checking Accounts of November 2024 Compare the different basic business checking accounts offered by the top U.S. banks. Choose the right business checking account for your small business. CIT Bank eChecking Account 2024 Review Photo of Valencia Patrice Higuera Valencia Patrice Higuera CIT Bank eChecking Account 2024 Review For many consumers, online checking accounts are more than enough to handle the... Why the Home Appraisal Matters When You’re Refinancing Photo of Valencia Patrice Higuera Valencia Patrice Higuera Why the Home Appraisal Matters When You’re Refinancing If you think back to purchasing your home, you likely remember having the property... Venmo Scams: How to Protect Yourself From Becoming a Victim Learn about the different ways that fraudsters use Venmo to scam users out of their money, including ways that you can protect yourself. CIBC Agility Savings Account 2024 Review: Should You Open? In this review of the CIBC Agility Online Savings Account, see the account's interest rates, fees, and minimum opening deposit and compare it to other options. Identity Fraud: Should You Get a New Social Security Number? Photo of Valencia Patrice Higuera Valencia Patrice Higuera Identity Fraud: Should You Get a New Social Security Number? Identity fraud involves more than someone stealing your social security number... Deferment vs. Forbearance for Student Loans Photo of Valencia Patrice Higuera Valencia Patrice Higuera Deferment vs. Forbearance for Student Loans If you’re like most people, you didn’t have a huge college fund waiting for you... Negative Interest Rates: What It Could Mean for Your Mortgage and Savings? Find out what could happen to your mortgage and savings if the Federal Reserve decided to set negative interest rates on the American economy. Wealthfront Cash Account 2024 Review Learn about the Wealthfront Cash Account in this review of its monthly fees, interest rate, and convenience features compared to the best savings accounts. Citi Elevate Checking Account 2024 Review Photo of Valencia Patrice Higuera Valencia Patrice Higuera Citi Elevate Checking Account 2024 Review Update: As of July 2022, the Citi Elevate Checking Account is no longer available...